Penn State 79, La Salle 72: Donovon Jack scored a career-high 18 points while Tim Frazier tallied 15 points and 11 assists as the host Nittany Lions avenged a 25-point loss to the Explorers a season ago.
Brandon Taylor and D.J. Newbill each added 15 points while Ross Travis finished with 13 for the Nittany Lions (3-1), who committed only eight turnovers. Penn State rebounded from an 82-57 loss to La Salle last December, four games after Frazier was lost for the season with a torn Achilles’ tendon.
Tyrone Garland paced the Explorers (2-2) with 18 points while Steve Zack had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jerrell Wright contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds for his third straight double-double while Tyreek Duren poured in 16 points.
Following a dunk by Wright that gave La Salle a four-point advantage with 13:03 remaining, Jack scored five straight points during a 17-4 run over a 7:42 span that allowed Penn State to take 69-60 lead. Garland scored the Explorers’ next four points, but a breakaway dunk by Frazier and basket by Taylor pushed the margin to 11.
Duren and Garland each converted layups to cut the deficit back down to seven, but Frazier’s jumper with 59 seconds left sealed the Nittany Lions’ second win over the Explorers in five all-time meetings. Frazier’s double-double was the second of the season and eighth of his career.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Nittany Lions have scored at least 74 points in all four of their games – matching the number of times they accomplished the feat last season. … La Salle G Sam Mills went 0-for-2 beyond the arc, ending his 14-game streak of hitting at least one 3-pointer. … Penn State has committed eight turnovers or fewer in three of their four games.
La Salle | Penn St. | |
Tyrone Garland 18 | Scoring | Donovon Jack 18 |
Tyreek Duren 4 | Assists | Tim Frazier 11 |
Jerrell Wright 10 | Rebounds | Brandon Taylor 8 |
Tyreek Duren 4 | Free Throws Made | D.J. Newbill 5 |
Tyreek Duren 1 | Steals | Tim Frazier 1 |
Steve Zack 3 | Blocks | Brandon Taylor 4 |