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Penn State men escape with 1st-round win

From Mirror, wire reports

INDIANAPOLIS — The Penn State men’s basketball team overcame a 14-point halftime deficit Wednesday night to advance to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, thanks to a 72-66 win over Nebraska.

The Nittany Lions (11-13) will take on Wisconsin tonight at 9 p.m. with the winner getting Iowa on Friday.

Penn State, down 37-23, opened the second half on a 10-0 run to get back in the game. Jamari Wheeler led the Nittany Lions with 19 points, including a 3-for-8 showing from 3-point land.

Teammates Myreon Jones and Iziah Brockington each added 14 points in a game where Penn State led 3-0 to start the game, and didn’t regain the lead until the final minutes.

Nebraska (7-20), which hit on 9-of-33 from 3-point land, got 13 points from Trey McGowens to go with 12 each from Kobe Webster and Thorir Thorbjarnarson.

Earlier Wednesday in the tourney opener, Tre Williams scored 14 points and Jamal Mashburn Jr. 11 and Minnesota snapped a seven-game skid with a 51-46 win over Northwestern .

The Golden Gophers advance to take on fifth-seeded and No. 9 ranked Ohio State today.

Minnesota pulled out the win despite shooting a paltry 37% (18 for 49) while making just 10 of 24 (42%) from the foul line.

Northwestern finished its season at 9-15.

NEBRASKA (7-20): Mayen 3-10 0-0 7, Walker 3-6 2-3 8, McGowens 4-8 4-5 13, Thorbjarnarson 4-9 0-0 12, Webster 4-14 2-2 12, Banton 3-8 1-1 7, Lakes 2-4 0-0 5, Andre 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 24-60 9-11 66.

PENN STATE (11-13): Harrar 2-5 1-2 5, Brockington 3-7 8-8 14, Dread 1-7 0-0 3, Jones 4-11 3-4 14, Wheeler 6-13 4-6 19, Lundy 2-8 2-3 6, Buttrick 0-1 0-0 0, Sessoms 3-7 5-6 11. Totals 21-59 23-29 72.

Halftime–Nebraska 37-23. 3-Point Goals–Nebraska 9-33 (Thorbjarnarson 4-8, Webster 2-9, Lakes 1-3, McGowens 1-4, Mayen 1-6, Banton 0-3), Penn St. 7-27 (Jones 3-6, Wheeler 3-8, Dread 1-7, Buttrick 0-1, Sessoms 0-2, Lundy 0-3). Rebounds–Nebraska 25 (Walker 7), Penn St. 42 (Harrar 14). Assists–Nebraska 14 (Walker 6), Penn St. 15 (Harrar 4). Total Fouls–Nebraska 23, Penn St. 17.

Men: PSU vs. Wisconsin

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT

Tipoff: 9 p.m.; Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

Records: Penn State (11-13); Wisconsin (16-11)

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: TOONA 1430-AM & 99.7-FM

Internet: GoPSUsports.com

Notable: Penn State won 81-71 at home but lost 72-56 in Madison this season to the Badgers. … The winner of this game will play Iowa on Friday. … The Badgers were 10-10 during the Big Ten regular season. … The Badgers are averaging 70.0 points-per game this season while giving up just 64.5 ppg. … D’Mitrik Trice and Micah Potter average 13.8 and 13.0 ppg., respectively for the Badgers.

Mirror prediction: Penn State 64, Wisconsin 63

Mirror prediction record: 17-7

— Scott Franco

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