Tonight inside the Cathedral of College Basketball, The Palestra, the Penn State men’s basketball team took on the Pitt Panthers in their 150th matchup in program history.
At the first media timeout (16:10) it was Pitt getting the higher percentage shots and taking the lead 10-6. Pitt was shooting 83% from the field on 5-of-6 shooting.
The Nittany Lions kept rotating fresh bodies into the game and were playing physical and at the second media timeout (11:30) the score was all tied 30-30 with PSU’s Jay Rodgers draining a three from the corner to tie the game.
Penn State took their first lead of the game, 18-17, after a made free throw by Francois Wibaut (11:22).
Each team was now shooting 50% from the floor. Pitt was looking more athletic but Penn State was playing more physical.
With 8:07 left until half, it was the Blue & White over the Blue & Gold by a score of 27-26.
The Nittany Lions had already shot 15 free throws knocking in 12 of them for 80%.
PSU then took their biggest lead of the game at seven points, 35-28, after a Josh Reed jumper and two Brant Byers’ splashes from beyond the arc (5:15).
With 3:58 to play before halftime, it was the Nittany Lions over the Panthers, 35-30.
It was the Pitt Panthers, though, going on a run and retaking the lead 39-38 with 1:00 minute until half.
The Panthers stole all the momentum and the score at the half was Pitt 42 Penn State 38.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Reed was leading PSU with seven points and Jonathan Powell for Pitt had eight.
To start the second half, both teams traded threes and did not let either team pull ahead too far. With 16:19 to play, Pitt saw their lead dwindle to just one point, 48-47. Dasonte Bowen was leading the Nittany Lions with 11 points and A’lahn Sumler was leading all scorers with 14 for Pitt.
At the 15:22 mark, Wibaut then gave the Nittany Lions the lead back at 49-48, but that was short-lived because next possession Pitt drained another three to make the score 51-49.
With 11:02 left in regulation, it was Pitt over PSU, 57-55.
Pitt was using their athleticism and getting to the rim and either making lay-ups or drawing fouls and with 9:11 left in the second half, they were maintaining their lead by the score of 63-58.
Penn State was only down by three but then Pitt’s, Chase Foster, capitalized on an and-1 to put Pitt back up by 6, 70-64, with 4:52 remaining in the game.
At the media timeout (3:21), Pitt seemed to regain control of the game and were up 75-68.
Coach Rhoades had to call a timeout with 1:44 remaining with Pitt having their largest lead of the game, 77-69.
Penn State did not go away quietly and was only down by a bucket with 13.2 seconds remaining.
But Pitt hung on for the win, 82-76.
