Penn State Falls to Indiana in the Palestra, 77-71

Nick Kern Jr. scored 21 points, Ace Badlwin Jr. added 12 and seven assists as Penn State lost to Indiana at the Palestra on Sunday.

Oumar Ballo had a double-double with 25 points and 13 rebounds and Mackenzie Mgbako scored 15 of his 20 points in the second as Indiana improved to 12-3, 3-1.

Overall, Penn State shot 46 percent from the field and 14 percent from deep. Indiana was 26-of-58 from the field and made nine 3s. 

Miles Goodman, who had missed the first 13 games of the season, recorded his first assist and points of his collegiate career early in the first half.

Penn State drops to 12-3, 2-2 on the year after their second-half rally came up short.

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Key first-half moment: Penn State scored 26 of its 29 points in the paint. A Nick Kern Jr. dunk highlighted a 6-0 run (22-18), giving PSU its largest lead, but the Nittany Lions would go 3-for-12 over the last 9:53. Indiana would end the half on an 11-7 scoring advantage, going into halftime tied with Penn State 29-29.

Key second-half moment: Indiana’s Mgbako started the second half on a personal 8-0 run to give the Hoosiers their largest lead of the game (37-29). Indiana would extend its lead to 16 with 10:20 left.

Turning point: After a Kern 3 cut Indiana’s lead down to four (65-61), Ballo took over down the stretch scoring six of Indiana’s final 12 points.

Penn State’s next game will be at No. 22 Illinois on Wednesday.