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The Associated Press
UNIVERSITY PARK -- Ace Baldwin Jr. had 22 points, Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 18 and Penn State snapped a four-game losing streak with an 80-72 victory over Rutgers on Monday night.
Baldwin made 6 of 16 shots with three 3-pointers and 7 of 9 free throws for the Nittany Lions (13-6, 3-5 Big Ten Conference). He added eight assists and five steals. Niederhauser sank 7 of 8 shots and grabbed six rebounds.
Nick Kern had 16 points and six rebounds for Penn State and Fred Dilone V scored 12 with four assists.
Freshman Ace Bailey scored 30 on 13-for-15 shooting with four 3-pointers to lead the Scarlet Knights (10-9, 3-5). Lathan Sommerville added 12 points and six rebounds.
Baldwin had 10 points and Dilone scored nine to help Penn State take a 37-35 lead into halftime. Sommerville had four points in a 6-0 run to begin the game for the Scarlet Knights. The Nittany Lions grabbed their first lead at 21-20 on a three-point play by Baldwin and his 3-pointer was the final basket of the half.
Rutgers grabbed its first lead of the second half at 44-43 on a layup by Bailey with 16:12 left to play. Kern had four points, Baldwin buried a 3-pointer and Niederhauser had the final two baskets in an 11-0 run that gave Penn State a 61-53 lead with 6:17 remaining.
Sommerville made two free throws to get Rutgers within 69-67 with 1:52 to go. Niederhauser made a free throw, and Kern had a layup after Rutgers' Dylan Harper missed a 3-pointer with a chance to tie, preserving the victory.
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Penn State: The Nittany Lions are at Iowa on Friday.
RUTGERS (10-9): Grant 3-5 0-0 7, Sommerville 2-4 8-8 12, Acuff 0-2 0-0 0, Harper 3-11 0-2 7, Bailey 13-15 0-0 30, Martini 1-4 0-0 3, Ogbole 0-2 1-2 1, Williams 3-6 0-0 6, Derkack 2-3 2-2 6, Davis 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 27-54 11-14 72.
PENN ST. (13-6): Hicks 2-7 2-2 8, Konan Niederhauser 7-8 4-6 18, Baldwin 6-16 7-9 22, Dilione 4-7 0-0 12, Kern 4-4 7-8 16, Dunn 1-7 2-2 4, Nzeh 0-0 0-0 0, Carter 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-49 22-27 80.
Halftime--Penn St. 37-35. 3-Point Goals--Rutgers 7-21 (Bailey 4-5, Grant 1-2, Martini 1-4, Harper 1-5, Davis 0-1, Derkack 0-1, Williams 0-1, Acuff 0-2), Penn St. 10-21 (Dilione 4-4, Baldwin 3-7, Hicks 2-6, Kern 1-1, Dunn 0-3). Fouled Out--Sommerville, Bailey. Rebounds--Rutgers 33 (Bailey, Ogbole 7), Penn St. 20 (Konan Niederhauser, Kern 6). Assists--Rutgers 13 (Acuff, Harper, Williams 3), Penn St. 17 (Baldwin 8). Total Fouls--Rutgers 24, Penn St. 14.