Penn State Keeps Dream Alive with win over Northwestern

Nittany Lions Keep Dream Alive with win over Northwestern in overtime 67 to 65.

story by: Steven Stremming

photos by: Anthony Harper

The Penn State Nittany Lions claim a spot in the final semi-final B1G Ten Men’s basketball tournament against the winner of Maryland/Indiana to be played later Friday evenin

Penn State all but assured their NCAA tournament spot with a win on Thursday and punctuated it with the overtime win against Northwestern.

Penn State was led by Seth Lundy’s 16 points and seven rebounds while Jalen Pickett added 15 points and seven boards too.

Andrew Funk scored 16, including six of six from the line and added seven rebounds and Kanye Clary scored eleven.

Penn State shot 21 of 51 for 41.2% percent, collected 41 rebounds and a team six assists.

Northwestern was led by Boo Buie’s 16 points on six of seventeen from the floor to go along with his four assists.

Brooks Barnhizer was the other lone Wildcat to achieve double digits, as he scored 15 points with 11 rebounds and a perfect six of six from the charity stripe.

Northwestern shot 31.8% from the floor on 21 of 66 shots while recording 37 rebounds to go along with 12 assists.

The Wildcats now prepare for the NCAA tournament and await the selection show on Sunday.

The following information is per: Penn State University Athletics

 

Penn State advances to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals for the first time since 2018

 

CHICAGO – A gritty team effort led the Penn State men’s basketball team to 67-65 overtime victory over second-seeded Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals Friday night at the United Center. Penn State advances to Saturday’s Semifinals and will face the winner of tonight’s Indiana/Maryland game at approximately 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.

 

Neither team led by more than seven in the back-and-forth battle between the Nittany Lions and Wildcats, but it was Penn State that was able down Northwestern in overtime for the second time in nine days. Seth Lundy hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 46 seconds left in overtime and the Nittany Lions held on for the 67-65 victory.

 

Lundy led the Nittany Lions with 16 points while adding seven rebounds. Jalen Pickett finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and two assists. Andrew Funk tallied 14 points and seven boards, while freshman Kanye Clary chipped in 11 big points.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• It was a defensive battle to start the game, with only four total points scored through the first five minutes of action, all by Northwestern. Michael Henn got the Nittany Lions on the board with a triple at the 14:54 mark of the first half.
• Following a pair of free throws for the Wildcats, the Nittany Lions opened an 8-4 spurt to take an 11-10 advantage, their first lead of the game.
• The lead changed hands twice more before Northwestern scored five-straight points to go up 18-14.
• Penn State broke open an 11-3 run, including threes by Seth Lundy and Andrew Funk, to take a 25-21 lead with 1:47 remaining in the opening half.
• The Wildcats ended the half with five-straight points to take a 26-25 lead into the locker room. Lundy led the Nittany Lions in scoring with seven in the opening half, followed by Henn with five.
• The Nittany Lions didn’t waste any time taking the lead right back. Out of the break, Funk got the second half started by converting a three-point play after getting fouled on a layup. That bucket kickstarted a 6-0 Nittany Lion run, giving Penn State a 31-26 advantage at the 17:47 mark of the second half.
• Northwestern cut the deficit to three at 14:17, but the Wildcats seventh team foul of the second half sent Jalen Pickett to the line where he knocked down two key free throws.
• The Nittany Lions increased their lead to seven points, thanks to four-straight from freshman Kanye Clary, but nine in a row by Northwestern gave the Wildcats a 47-45 advantage with 6:15 remaining in regulation.
• Penn State immediately scored five in a row to go up 50-47 as the clock ticked under five minutes.
• Northwestern took the lead back with another 5-0 run, but Pickett tied it up at 54 with a bucket under the basket with 2:17 left to go.
• The teams traded buckets for the final two minutes but neither team could pull ahead as the game headed to overtime.
• A 3-pointer and a free throw by Pickett put the Nittany Lions up by four with just over three minutes left in the overtime period before Northwestern answered with four of its own to knot it at 60 with 2:03 to go.
• The Wildcats took a one-point advantage heading under one minute to play but a massive triple by Lundy put the Nittany Lions back up a pair with 0:46 remaining in overtime. Pickett followed with a pair of clutch threes to put Penn State up four at the 0:25 mark.
• The Nittany Lions were able to hold off the Wildcats in the final seconds to secure the 67-65 overtime victory.

 

GAME NOTES

• Penn State improves to 21-12 on the season.
• The Nittany Lions advance to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals for the first time since 2018 and fifth time in program history.
• Penn State will be playing for its second-ever trip to the Big Ten Tournament Championship (2011).
• Penn State defeated Northwestern in overtime for the second time in nine days.
• The Nittany Lions had four double-figure scorers for the second- consecutive game. Tonight it was Seth Lundy, Jalen Pickett, Andrew Funk, and Kanye Clary all with double-digit points.
• Penn State’s 18 made free throws were its second-most this season. The Nittany Lions entered the bonus with 14:17 left in the second half and used that to their advantage the rest of the way.
• The Penn State defense held Northwestern to a 31.8 FG% and 25.0 3FG%.

 

FROM THE SOURCE

Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry, Andrew Funk, Seth Lundy and Jalen Pickett

http://bigtenmbb.hammondcg.com

 

UP NEXT

• The Nittany Lions advance to Saturday’s Big Ten Tournament Semifinals and will take on the winner of tonight’s Indiana/Maryland game at approximately 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. CT from the United Center in Chicago.