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UNIVERSITY PARK -- Jalen Pickett scored 20 points, John Harrar had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Penn State beat Minnesota, 67-46, in Big Ten action on Thursday in the second meeting in five days.
It was Penn State's largest win over Minnesota in program history. Less than a week ago, Penn State lost, 76-70, at Minnesota.
"I told our guys our game plan was good," Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry said when asked about the differences in the two games. "Now we need to do it harder, and we need to do it better. Our game plan didn't change against these guys from the first time. We did it better. We did it harder."
Pickett sank a long 3-pointer with 9:05 remaining to cap Penn State's 13-0 run for a 57-33 lead. Minnesota went without a field goal for five-plus minutes, missing seven consecutive shots while Penn State made five straight.
Myles Dread added 12 points for Penn State (11-12, 6-9 Big Ten), which avenged a 76-70 loss at Minnesota on Saturday. Pickett reached 20 points for the third time this season, and first since Jan. 8 against Purdue, and Harrar recorded his eighth double-double. The Nittany Lions shot 53.8% from the field and held a 36-26 advantage on the glass.
Penn State held Minnesota to just three points over the final five minutes of the first half and led 27-19 at the break.
Jamison Battle scored 16 points, reaching 1,000 in his career, for Minnesota (12-12, 3-12). Eric Curry, who had a game-high 22 points in the previous meeting between the teams, was held to one point on 9-of-6 shooting.
Penn State is off this weekend before playing at Maryland on Monday. Minnesota hosts Northwestern on Saturday for its fourth game in seven days.
MINNESOTA (12-12): Battle 6-15 1-2 16, Curry 0-6 1-2 1, Loewe 3-8 0-0 8, Stephens 3-5 0-0 7, Willis 2-6 0-0 5, Sutherlin 1-8 3-6 5, Daniels 1-2 0-1 2, Thompson 0-1 0-0 0, Ogele 0-1 0-0 0, Thiam 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 17-53 5-11 46.
PENN ST. (11-12): Harrar 5-8 0-0 10, Lundy 1-4 0-0 3, Dread 5-6 0-0 12, Johnson 2-6 3-3 8, Pickett 9-14 0-0 20, Sessoms 2-5 0-0 4, Scott 1-3 0-0 2, Dorsey 1-1 0-0 3, Cornwall 0-1 0-0 0, White 2-2 1-3 5, Christos 0-0 0-0 0, Conlan 0-0 0-0 0, Oweh 0-2 0-0 0, Jagiasi 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-52 4-6 67.
Halftime--Penn St. 27-19. 3-Point Goals--Minnesota 7-19 (Battle 3-8, Loewe 2-4, Stephens 1-1, Willis 1-3, Ogele 0-1, Sutherlin 0-2), Penn St. 7-14 (Dread 2-3, Pickett 2-4, Dorsey 1-1, Johnson 1-2, Lundy 1-3, Sessoms 0-1). Rebounds--Minnesota 24 (Sutherlin 7), Penn St. 34 (Harrar 10). Assists--Minnesota 9 (Loewe, Stephens, Willis 2), Penn St. 16 (Sessoms 6). Total Fouls--Minnesota 9, Penn St. 11. A--7,726 (15,261).