Steven Crowl posted 21 points and 11 rebounds as Wisconsin escaped with a 63-60 win over Penn State at the Kohl Center Tuesday night.
Tough result in a back-and-forth battle pic.twitter.com/mHMEl865Gm
— Penn State Men’s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) January 18, 2023
PSU has yet to win at the Kohl Center and has lost 19 straight games at Wisconsin.
The teams worked at a slow pace that favored the Badgers to start the game, with both defenses holding form early. Penn State struggled at the free throw line, going three for its first six. But Wisconsin was cold shooting the ball, and PSU maintained its slight lead until Wisconsin went up 22-20 midway through the first half. PSU missed layups and committed fouls, going almost three minutes without scoring. An Andrew Funk three-pointer put Penn State up 23-22. Penn State went on an 11-4 run, using its speed advantage and starting to convert on fast break opportunities.
Penn State led 36-30 at halftime.
To start the second half, Penn State went into a drought, failing to score for the first four minutes of the second half. Wisconsin went on an 8-0 run stopped by a Jalen Pickett jumper with 15:41 left. The action slowed to a pace that favored Wisconsin, with both teams struggling to score as the second half progressed. PSU went 1-for-9 from the floor to start the second half. The teams began to pick up the pace in action with three-pointers from Tyler Wahl and Chucky Hepburn and a three-pointer from Funk. As the action went back and forth, PSU didn’t get the lead back, but Wisconsin left the door open with missed foul shots. Penn State had an opportunity, but Cam Wynter missed two jumpers with a chance to take the lead. PSU got a stop, but Pickett got called for an offensive foul. After another stop, Funk missed a three-point attempt to take the lead in the final seconds.
Pickett led PSU with 19 points, followed by Funk with 16. Myles Dread added 11.
Hepburn scored 13 points for Wisconsin. Connor Essigian and Tyler Wahl each had 10.
PSU will host Nebraska Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center at 2:15.
Twitter: @bwalkerdadon
