Penn State Downs Drexel at Wells Fargo Center, 75-64

A Zach Hicks 3 ended a rallying effort for Drexel (8-5, 0-0) as Penn State advanced to 10-2 with a 75-66 win.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser (six rebounds and three blocks) was the leading scorer for the Nittany Lions with 18 points. Ace Baldwin Jr. (15 points, six assists), Nick Kern Jr. (13 points) and Puff Johnson (11 points, 10 rebounds) rounded out the double-digit scorers for Penn State

Yame Butler led Drexel with 16 points, followed by 14 from Kevon Vanderhorst.

Overall, Penn State shot 43 percent from the field and 21 percent from 3. Drexel was 46 percent from the field and 22 percent from 3.

Drexel started hot, going 7 for 9 in the opening six minutes, grabbing an early seven-point lead by the first media timeout. 

Both teams hit a scoring drought over the next two minutes, with only one made field goal courtesy of Kern. 

Penn State earned its first lead (16-15) off a Kern layup, capping an 8-0 run since the first media timeout. Over the next six minutes, the Dragons went 3 for 11 falling behind 21-17 after a 16-6 run by the Nittany Lions.

Shooting struggles defined the final 6:44 of the half, as both teams shot a combined 7 for 25. A Puff Jonshon free throw gave PSU a 10-point lead, but four points for Villiam Garcia Adsten in 32 seconds made it 37-29 heading into the locker room.

Penn State didn’t make a 3 in the opening half, but Kern (11 points) and Konan Niederhauser (11 points) combined for 22 points.

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Baldwin made the first 3 for PSU to start the second half, which Drexel responded promptly with its own.

The pace picked up with both teams going  8 of 13 over the opening four minutes of the half.

A Johnson putback and a Konan Niederahuser layup gave Penn State a 13-point lead early into the second, but Drexel continued to battle.

The Dragons trimmed a 51-38 deficit to two by the under-eight media timeout, with Vanderhorst (10 points) and Butler (10 points) combining for 20 points in the second half.

Drexel went on a scoring drought for over four minutes, allowing Penn State to build its lead at the free throw line. Then, back-to-back layups by Niederahauser and Kern gave PSU a 10-point lead (70-60).

Vanderhorst made two free throws to make it an eight-point game with 1:49 left, but Hicks’ only 3 of the afternoon closed the door on Drexel.

Penn State’s next game will be on Dec. 29 against Penn in the Bryce Jordan Center. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m.