The Penn State men’s basketball team lost 85-60 to Akron on Sunday afternoon, but the loss of its senior leader may loom much larger.
Only five minutes into Penn State’s final game at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Challenge, senior guard Tim Frazier fell to the floor in pain, grabbing at his left ankle.
Frazier left the arena following the game under his own power, said team spokesman Brian Siegrist, who described it as ‘a lower left leg injury.’ Frazier will undergo further treatment and testing when the team is back in State College on Monday, Siegrist said.
Despite the loss of the All-Big Ten point guard, D.J. Newbill stepped into the role of his senior counterpart, running the offense and helping guide the Nittany Lions to a 23-15 lead with 9:34 remaining in the first half. Newbill contributed 14 points, four assists and two steals in the first half, while Jermaine Marshall chipped in eight points.
The Nittany Lions’ hot first-half shooting of nearly 50 percent helped them to a 36-32 halftime lead.
But Penn State’s hot shooting cooled and the Zips were able to take advantage of the short-handed Nittany Lions, making 11 straight shots to run away with a 61-43 lead with 11:39 left in the game.
The Zips’ most productive player was center Zeke Marshall, who used his 7-foot frame to work in the paint, collecting seven rebounds while scoring 17 points and recording six blocks. Penn State had no answer for the Akron big man and collected fouls in an effort to slow his production.
Penn State was never able to recapture the first-half offensive success it had without Fraszier despite career days by Newbill (20 points) and freshman Brandon Taylor (10 points).
The Nittany Lions (2-2) head home with fingers crossed. Frazier was on the bench during the second half, but was hobbled entering and exiting the huddles.
Penn State plays Bucknell on Friday at the Bryce Jordan Center.
