Penn State wasn’t going to win every game this season, and its fifth game against Virginia Tech ended up being the first one it lost.
Coach Micah Shrewsberry’s squad fought hard but fell to the Hokies, 61-59, in the semifinals of the Charleston Classic.
The Hokies got off to a 25-9 start and the Nittany Lions never fully recovered.
Penn State regrouped to end the first half on a 20-12 run and trialed by a manageable eight points at the break. Andrew Funk helped keep Penn State in the game with 13 first-half points. Funk shot well, going 5-7 from the field and 3-5 from 3-point land in the first 20 minutes. He ended the day with a game-high 21 points, with 15 coming from behind the arc. Penn State, which already has a reputation as a 3-point shooting team early on, was a respectable 5-14 from 3 in the first half.
The team didn’t shoot well from beyond the arc in the second half, going 1 for its first nine. It ended up hitting five of its last seven to finish with 11 made treys on the day. Myles Dread hit five of them to finish with 15 points.
In the second half, Penn State remained competitive and almost drew even, cutting the deficit to as low as two. Penn State had a chance to tie or win the game on the games last possession.
With the win, Virginia Tech will play in the Charleston Classic’s championship game, scheduled for Sunday at 3:30. The Hokies will play the winner of the Colorado State-College of Charleston game, schedule for 5:00.
Penn State now has to settle for the Charleston Classic’s third-place game, scheduled for the same day at either 12:30 or 6.
