How It Happened:
Penn State opened up a 15-2 lead early in Sunday afternoon’s contest thanks to hot shooting and balanced offense across the board.
Turnovers and a cold streak shortly thereafter saw USC climb back into the game with both teams looking to survive their third game in four days.
The Nittany Lions took a 31-30 halftime lead thanks to a DJ Newbill jumper at the buzzer. Ross Travis kept the scoring going early in the second half with two straight buckets. The senior forward ended Sunday’s game with 6 points and 6 rebounds as well as a key block down the stretch.
Back and forth action kept both teams within reach with USC climbing out to a brief 6-point lead midway through the second half. Penn State didn’t falter though. DJ Newbill’s 22 points and clutch defensive play by Geno Thorpe and Shep Garnder would help seal the deal in the final minutes as Penn State took a slim 2-point lead.
Donovan Jack had a nice performance for the Nittany Lions as well including a sequence of a basket on the offensive end followed by a key block on the defensive side of the floor. Jack would finish with 8 points and 8 rebounds after battling foul trouble earlier in the tournament. His performance wasn’t the only solid one of the afternoon. Freshman Shep Garner continued to prove his worth with a 13 point outing on 4-of-7 shooting.
Despite battling through tired legs and mental errors, Penn State came out on top with a 63-61 victory and a 2-1 record in the Charleston Classic.
Turning Point:
Penn State went on a 9-2 run late in the game to give the Nittany Lions a 56-54 lead with 3:59 to play. From there it was all Nittany Lions thanks to DJ Newbill who would score 4 of the final points as Penn State held on to the last minute lead.
Player of the Game:
DJ Newbill was once again the star of the show despite having a fairly average outing considering that he scored 35 in the first game of the tournament. In this outing he scored 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting with a few key makes in the second half.
Stat of the Game:
- DJ Newbill’s 83 points in the Charleston Classic was a tournament record. He tops Carl Jones, Saint Joseph’s (78 pts; 2011).
- Penn State was out rebounded 49-37 on the glass. USC picked up 28 offensive rebounds. The Nittany Lions also turned the ball over 15 times with a good number of those miscues coming on back-to-back possessions early in the first half.
What’s Next:
Penn State returns home to the Bryce Jordan Center for a Tuesday meeting with Akron i n Game No. 6 on the year.
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