Unlike those heartbreaking comeback losses that have consistently haunted Penn State throughout the season, the Lions finished in impressive fashion to upend No. 10 Ohio State, 98-85, in overtime Saturday at The Bryce Jordan Center.

"Collectively, we said, 'Not today. We're not going to let it happen today, we're going to win this thing in overtime,' " Penn State coach Jerry Dunn said. "I think because they've won a couple of tough games on the road, and fought with some teams has really helped them."

In snapping a six-game home losing streak and the Buckeyes' seven-game winning trend, the Lions exorcised the demons of home where they had been snakebitten in the final moments of each of the six home losses, including successive spirit-numbing overtime defeats by then-No. 20 Indiana and then-No. 8 Michigan State.

The Lions also sent seniors Calvin Booth and Dan Earl off their home court for the final time with a victory as Penn State redefined its year by completing the regular season winning its final three games after losing 10 of 11.

The Lions need to win at least one game in this week's Big Ten Tournament to insure a .500 finish, which would subsequently qualify the Lions for postseason play.

"I want to congratulate Jerry Dunn in particular because I think Jerry Dunn has done a wonderful job with this team," said Ohio State coach Jim O'Brien, whose Buckeyes had won nine of their last 10.

"All you need to do is look up and down their scores all season long to know that they've had a lot of really bad luck," O'Brien added, "and they are just a few possessions away from having a few more wins."

This time, the Lions needed just three possessions in the extra stanza to seal their fate. Penn State guard Joe Crispin scored eight points on two 3-pointers and a layup to start a 12-3 Lion run, sending most of the 15,435 in the Jordan Center into a frenzy.

Crispin, who entered the contest shooting 94.4 percent from the free-throw line, redeemed himself in overtime after missing a clutch foul shot on the front end of a one-and-one with 28 seconds to play and the Lions ahead, 74-71.

On the ensuing possession, Buckeyes guard James "Scoonie" Penn, who notched 22 points and six assists, penetrated the left side of the lane and drew the Lion defense inside. With white jerseys surrounding him, Penn fired a pass of beauty across his body and across the court to guard Neshaun Coleman, who buried the game-tying three.

With just seconds remaining, Earl, who tossed in 22 points, had the opportunity to leave his home court by draining a game-winning shot, but his attempt bounced off the back of the rim to send the game into overtime.

"Danny was mad at himself for missing the (last) shot," said Crispin, who poured in a game-high 29 points. "But he shouldn't have been in that situation. I should have made the free throws."

Penn State secured the No. 9 seed in the Big Ten Tournament with Saturday's upset and will play No. 8-seed Northwestern at 2 p.m. Thursday at the United Center in Chicago in the tournament's first game. The winner will play No. 1-seed Michigan State.

"It gives us momentum going into the tournament," Dunn said of the Lions' latest triumph, "but more importantly, it gives us confidence. We haven't had a lot of things happen the way we'd like to have had it.

"But the wins we've had and the way we've won them is good for the psyche of this team, and also something to build on for next year."