The (11-17) Penn State men’s basketball team hosted the (20-8) Iowa Hawkeyes this afternoon inside the Bryce Jordan Center and it was the Nittany Lions coming away with the upset victory.
Iowa’s, Cooper Koch, and PSU’s, Freddie Dilione V., got both teams going with a made triple (18:26).
At the first media timeout (15:02) it was Iowa over Penn Sate, 9-7.
The Hawkeyes’, Kael Combs, was leading all scorers with four points.
Penn State’s, Dominick Stewart, then drilled a three and Dilione drilled two from downtown to put the Nittany Lions in the lead 16-13 with (12:41) left in the first half.
Iowa then retook the lead behind made shots from Isaia Howard and Tate Sage, 21-15 (10:47).
Penn State, though, stormed back and tied the game at 21-21 after Josh Reed drilled a three (8:48).
At the (7:20) mark it was the Hawkeyes retaking the lead, 24-23. Iowa had four offensive rebounds and the Nittany Lions had no offensive rebounds.
Penn State, though, was shooting 58% from the field to Iowa’s 45%.
Both teams were going back-and-forth taking the lead from each other, but with (3:00) to play until halftime it was the Nittany Lions over the Hawkeyes, 32-30.
Halftime: Iowa 38, Penn State 34.
The Hawkeyes’, Koch, and team leading scorer Bennett Stirtz, each had 12 points for Iowa.
For the Nittany Lions, Dilione was leading the way with 13 points.
To start the second half, it was Iowa’s, Koch, picking up where he left off with a made three from the corner (19:26).
At the first media timeout of the second half (15:37) it was the Hawkeyes up by a basket, 45-43.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.A beautiful spin move by 7-footer Ivan Juric then tied the game 45-45 (15:08) and a made triple from Kayden Mingo put the Nittany Lions back in front 48-45 with (13:59) left to play.
Both teams were battling and with (11:31) in the game it was the Blue & White over the Black & Gold by a score of 53-51.
The Hawkeyes then went on a 5-0 run which forced PSU to call a timeout and with (10:37) left in regulation it was Iowa back in the lead 56-53.
At the (9:31) mark, Penn State’s Reed, put the Nittany Lions back in front after a made shot from downtown, 58-56.
With (7:55) left in the game it was PSU stretching their lead to four, 60-56.
Iowa then retook the lead after a 9-0 run and at the (5:15) mark after a Koch drive ‘and-1’ the score was 65-62.
With (3:49) left in regulation it was the Hawkeyes 67 Nittany Lions 62. Koch had 18 points for Iowa and for Penn State, Reed had 19 points.
Iowa was grabbing key offensive boards in key moments and giving themselves extra offensive opportunities.
With (1:30) left in regulation, it was Iowa hanging onto their lead by a score of 67-66.
Penn State’s, Reed, gave the Nittany Lions the lead, 68-67, with :46 to play and Melih Tunca knocked in a free throw to make the score 69-67 in favor of PSU with :13 left in the game.
Iowa’s, Stirtz, then tied the game at 69-69 with a drive to the hoop with 8.6 seconds left in regulation.
The Nittany Lions, Dilione, then got fouled with 1.5 seconds in the game and he knocked in both free throws.
Penn State hung on to win 71-69.
