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UNIVERSITY PARK -- Energized by a powerful performance on the defensive end by freshman guard Kayden Mingo, the Penn State men's basketball team cruised to a 90-59 victory over the Sacred Heart Pioneers on Saturday night inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
Mingo tied the Nittany Lions' single-game steals record, finishing with eight to mark the first performance of that nature in Happy Valley since Ace Baldwin Jr. had eight against Northwestern on Jan. 10, 2024.
Mingo's leadership on the defensive end helped force 24 turnovers by the Pioneers, the most forced by the Penn State defense since causing 24 against Purdue on Dec. 5 of last year.
Penn State outscored SHU by a 34-14 differential in terms of points off turnovers in addition to a 21-6 margin in transition scoring.
Mingo led five Nittany Lion double-digit scorers in PSU's most decisive victory of the year to date, with the rookie tallying 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the floor in addition to a game-high-tying five assists.
Freshman forward Ivan Juric led the PSU in scoring for the first time this season, notching 14 points with a game-high nine rebounds. Juric became the sixth different Penn Stater to lead the Nittany Lions in scoring this year.
Freshman guard Melih Tunca cracked double digits for the eighth-straight game with 12 points, redshirt sophomore guard Eli Rice contributed 11 and redshirt junior guard Freddie Dilione V scored 10 points.
Dashon Gittens scored 15 points and Nyle Ralph-Beyer added 14 for Sacred Heart (2-5).
Penn State, which beat Boston University 96-87 on Tuesday, is 18-1 in nonconference home games under coach Mike Rhoades.
Penn State hosts Campbell on Tuesday.
SACRED HEART (2-5): Farell 2-5 0-0 6, Hill 3-9 1-2 8, Conner 1-5 0-0 2, D.Gittens 4-7 7-7 15, Slaughter 0-5 2-2 2, Ralph-Beyer 5-12 0-0 14, Bryant 0-2 0-0 0, Yadd 3-6 0-0 8, Gibson-Savadel 2-2 0-0 4, Gueye 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-54 10-11 59.
PENN STATE (7-1): Jurić 5-8 4-8 14, Reed 4-6 0-0 8, Mingo 5-9 2-4 13, Stewart 2-9 3-4 9, Tunca 4-6 3-5 12, Dilione 4-7 2-2 10, Mirtič 3-5 2-2 8, Rice 4-7 0-0 11, Ciani 1-2 1-2 3, Houser 0-0 2-2 2, Lotito 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 32-59 19-29 90.
Halftime--Penn State 47-20. 3-Point Goals--Sacred Heart 9-24 (Ralph-Beyer 4-7, Farell 2-2, Yadd 2-5, Hill 1-4, Conner 0-3, D.Gittens 0-3), Penn State 7-16 (Rice 3-4, Stewart 2-6, Tunca 1-1, Mingo 1-2, Reed 0-1, Dilione 0-2). Rebounds--Sacred Heart 21 (Slaughter 7), Penn State 37 (Jurić 9). Assists--Sacred Heart 13 (Conner 5), Penn State 17 (Mingo 5). Total Fouls--Sacred Heart 21, Penn State 14. A--4,703 (15,261).
Flash dominate
LORETTO -- Gestin Liberis had 16 points in Saint Francis' 85-60 win over Franciscan on Saturday.
Liberis also contributed 10 rebounds and three blocks for the Red Flash (1-6). Victor Payne added 15 points while going 4 of 6 from the floor, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and 5 for 6 from the line while he also had eight rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. Ahmad Harrison had 12 points and went 6 of 11 from the field.
Sawyer Butler led the way for the Barons with 11 points. Zachary Pollaro added nine points for Franciscan.
FRANCISCAN (0-1): Oliver 2-8 0-0 4, Townsend 4-8 0-0 8, Yonkeu 2-12 0-1 4, Butler 3-7 4-4 11, Richards 0-1 0-0 0, Ciola 3-9 0-0 9, Pollaro 2-7 3-4 9, Rose-Burton 0-2 0-0 0, Trotsko 3-6 1-2 7, Covetta 0-4 0-0 0, Kristian 0-0 0-0 0, Rodriguez 0-1 0-0 0, Rook 0-0 0-0 0, Seiden 1-2 0-0 2, Fatica 0-0 0-0 0, Miller 0-2 0-0 0, Swallow 0-0 0-0 0, Sweeney 1-2 2-2 4, Anthony 0-0 0-0 0, Jacomet 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 22-72 10-13 60.
SAINT FRANCIS (1-6): Liberis 5-6 6-9 16, Harrison 6-11 0-0 12, Payne 4-6 5-6 15, B.Russell 1-3 1-2 3, Z.Russell 3-7 1-1 7, Weiand 3-6 1-2 9, Martino 2-3 1-1 5, Swain 2-4 2-3 7, Tweedy 4-7 1-2 9, Rhodes 0-1 0-0 0, Weaver 0-2 0-0 0, Gresko 0-0 2-2 2, Rabish 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-57 20-28 85.
Halftime--St. Francis 42-26. 3-Point Goals--Franciscan 6-21 (Ciola 3-6, Pollaro 2-5, Butler 1-2, Miller 0-1, Rose-Burton 0-1, Townsend 0-1, Oliver 0-2, Covetta 0-3), St. Francis 5-18 (Payne 2-4, Weiand 2-5, Swain 1-3, Rabish 0-1, B.Russell 0-1, Harrison 0-2, Z.Russell 0-2). Fouled Out--Trotsko. Rebounds--Franciscan 22 (Pollaro 3), St. Francis 49 (Liberis 10). Assists--Franciscan 9 (Rose-Burton 3), St. Francis 20 (Harrison 6). Total Fouls--Franciscan 22, St. Francis 15. A--384 (3,500).