Gophers men’s basketball team squanders enthusiasm with home loss to Penn State
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GOPHERS
The Gophers drew a fired-up crowd to Williams Arena after upsets of USC and UCLA, then lost to the Big Ten’s last-place team.
By Marcus Fuller
NITTANY LIONS EARN GRITTY 69-60 ROAD WIN AT MINNESOTA
Yanic Konan Niederhauser leads Penn State with 24 points and seven rebounds
MINNEAPOLIS – The Penn State men’s basketball team used a strong defensive effort to pick up a gutsy 69-60 road win at Minnesota Saturday afternoon.
The Nittany Lions trailed by nine midway through the first half, but used stellar defense to battle back and lead by as much as 14 in the second. Penn State limited Minnesota to a 33.9 FG% (20-59) and a 21.7 3FG% (5-23).
Yanic Konan Niederhauser led the Nittany Lions with a Big Ten career-best 24 points, seven rebounds and five blocks. Ace Baldwin Jr. tallied 10 points and seven assists, while Freddie Dilione V added 10 points and six rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME NOTES
UP NEXT
The 2024-25 Penn State men’s basketball season is presented by Highmark Health.
Nittany Lions and Gophers tip off at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network
Nittanyn Lion Dominate Nebraska in 89-72 Win Photos by Mark Selders
Penn State shoots 60.7 percent from the field in dominant victory
© 2024 Penn State Nittany Lions
PENN STATE HEADS TO MINNESOTA FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON SHOWDOWN
MEN’S BASKETBALL VS NEBRASKA (2/19/25)
NITTANY LIONS DOMINATE NEBRASKA IN 89-72 WIN
Yanic Konan Niederhauser scores 24 points and Penn State defeats Minnesota 69-60
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 24 points, Penn State had a dominant 17-minute stretch in the middle of the game, and the Nittany Lions defeated Minnesota 69-60 on Saturday.
The Gophers led 24-15 after Lu’Cye Patterson’s 3-pointer with nine minutes remaining in the first half but they managed just two free throws by Dawson Garcia the remainder of the half. The Nittany Lions scored the last seven points and led 28-26 at halftime. Konan Niederhauser scored 14 points in the half.
After the Golden Gophers missed their last 13 shots of the first half, they made their first four after halftime and led 35-33 with 17 minutes remaining. However, they went the next 6 1/2 minutes without a point, missing nine shots and falling behind 46-35. Penn State’s 13-0 run was led by Konan Niederhauser with six points.
Spanning the two halves, the Nittany Lions allowed 11 points over a 17-minute stretch and in large part maintained a double-digit lead until the final 3 1/2 minutes. Minnesota then made six free throws in an 8-0 run to get within three points at 60-57 with 1:44 to go.
Penn State then finished off the win when Ace Baldwin Jr. and Nick Kern combined to make six free throws followed by a dunk-and-one by Konan Niederhauser.
Baldwin had 10 points and seven assists, and Freddie Dilione V also scored 10 points for the Nittany Lions (15-13, 5-12 Big Ten).
Femi Odukale had 15 points for Minnesota (14-13, 6-10) and Garcia had 11 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Patterson, Mike Mitchell Jr. and Isaac Asuma scored 10 points each.
Penn State has back-to-back wins after losing seven in a row.
Minnesota hosts Northwestern on Tuesday.
Penn State visits Indiana on Wednesday.
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