Penn State 58, Nebraska 54: D.J. Newbill scored 16 points – including a key three-point play with just over a minute remaining – as the host Nittany Lions ended their eight-game conference losing streak with a win over the Cornhuskers.
John Johnson added 13 points and Brandon Taylor contributed 11 for Penn State (10-10, 1-6 Big Ten). Tim Frazier tallied 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Nittany Lions won for the first time in five tries in games decided by five points or fewer.
Terran Petteway led the way with 15 points for Nebraska (9-9, 1-5), which was attempting to win back-to-back league contests for the first time in three years in the Big Ten. Ray Gallegos was the only other Cornhusker in double figures with 10 points while Shavon Shields grabbed a season-high 10 boards.
Nebraska settled for a 29-22 halftime advantage despite limiting Penn State to 24.1 percent shooting from the field and forcing the Nittany Lions into 13 consecutive missed field-goal attempts over an eight-plus-minute span late in the first half. Johnson hit a couple of buckets to stop the cold spell and Newbill’s layup brought Penn State within 32-31 before the Cornhuskers rattled off six straight points.
The Nittany Lions soon fell behind by eight on a 3-pointer from Petteway, but they used a 14-4 surge to take a 47-45 lead with a little over four minutes left. Nebraska quickly answered with six straight points before Newbill’s three-point play off a steal from Frazier put Penn State in front for good and Johnson’s 3-pointer on the next possession with 18 seconds remaining sealed it.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Frazier is averaging 21.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 3.7 steals in three career games against Nebraska. … Petteway has scored in double figures in 15 straight contests. … Penn State had dropped 28 of its previous 30 Big Ten contests.
Nebraska | Penn St. | |
Terran Petteway 15 | Scoring | D.J. Newbill 16 |
Terran Petteway 3 | Assists | Tim Frazier 6 |
Shavon Shields 10 | Rebounds | Tim Frazier 9 |
Terran Petteway 4 | Free Throws Made | Tim Frazier 4 |
Terran Petteway 2 | Steals | Tim Frazier 2 |
Terran Petteway 2 | Blocks | Jordan Dickerson 2 |