Shep Garner scored 16 points, including seven of Penn State's 16 points in overtime, leading the Nittany Lions to a 76-67 victory over Nebraska in the opening game of the Big Ten tournament in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.

No. 13 seed Penn State (15-17) ended a five-game losing streak with the win and will play No. 5 seed Michigan State on Thursday. Penn State beat the Spartans 72-63 on Jan. 7.

Freshman forward Mike Watkins had a game-high 18 points, 11 rebounds and a Big Ten tournament-record eight blocks for Penn State. Fellow freshmen Lamar Stevens scored 16 points and guard Tony Carr had 11.

The combination of Garner and Watkins was too much for the Cornhuskers in overtime as Penn State outscored Nebraska 16-7.

Stevens nailed a 3-pointer to begin the OT. Garner hit a 3-pointer with 2:16 to go as the shot clock was expiring, and Watkins followed with a block, adding to his single-game tourney record. Those were Penn State's only field goals in overtime, but the Nittany Lions hit enough free throws to ice the game away.

Watkins also broke Jesse Arnelle's 1952 freshman record of 254 rebounds for a season.

Junior guard Evan Taylor led 12th-seeded Nebraska (12-19) with 15 points while senior guard Tai Webster had 12 and sophomore guard Glynn Watson Jr. pitched in 11. Webster, Nebraska's leading scorer averaging 17.2 heading into the game, only scored two points after halftime and fouled out in overtime.

The loss was Nebraska's fifth in a row.