Nittany Lions Stun #12 Illinois in Epic Rec Hall Comeback
Down seven with under 40 seconds to play, Penn State rallies for ranked win
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men’s basketball team electrified a sold-out Rec Hall crowd as the Nittany Lions rallied back from a double-digit deficit, including a seven-point deficit in the final 30 seconds, to stun #12 Illinois, 90-89, in Penn State’s Return to Rec game.
The Nittany Lions trailed by 14 with 15:59 to play, by 10 with 2:30 to play and by seven with under 40 seconds to play. Jameel Brown hit a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left, which was followed by a Brown steal and Puff Johnson layup to put the score at 89-87 Illinois. The Illini missed two free throws on their following possession before Zach Hicks was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with three seconds left. Hicks made all three of his free throws to give the Nittany Lions the 90-89 edge and the Penn State defense came up with a stop in the final second as the Nittany Lions earned their second top-15 win of the season.
Nick Kern Jr. led Penn State with a career-best 22 points, 18 of which came in the second half. Hicks finished with 13 points and a team-best eight rebounds. Qudus Wahab had 13 points and four rebounds, while Brown tallied 11 points and three steals. Ace Baldwin Jr. registered a double-double with 10 points and 12 assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The Nittany Lions got off to a fast start as eight points from Qudus Wahab helped Penn State start 6-for-7 from the field and race out to a 16-7 lead less than five minutes into the game.
• Illinois responded with a 9-2 run over the next two minutes to pull within two at 16-14, but Penn State answered right back with a 9-2 streak of its own to put the score at 25-16 with 10:56 left on the first-half clock.
• The Nittany Lions held onto the first-half lead until a 9-2 spurt from the Illini turned a 32-26 Penn State lead into a 35-34 Illini edge, giving Illinois its first lead of the game at the 4:15 mark. The Illini made eight of their final 11 shots of the first half as Illinois took a seven-point, 48-41, lead into halftime.
• The Illini stretched their lead to double-digits with their first bucket of the second half. Illinois threatened to pull away four minutes into the term as the Illini lead reached 14at 61-47.
• Nick Kern Jr. scored Penn State’s next 13 points from 15:39 to 12:28 of the second half before Jameel Brown buried a triple from the top of the key to re-ignite the Rec Hall crowd and pull Penn State back within seven at 70-63 with 12:03 to play.
• The Nittany Lions were within five after another Brown triple was followed by a pair of Puff Johnson free throws to make it 75-70 with 6:28 to play.
• Illinois responded with the next seven points to thwart the Nittany Lion momentum and pull back ahead by double digits at 82-70 a minute later.
• An immediate response by the Nittany Lions put them back within five with less than two minutes to play.
• With 0:35 on the clock, Penn State scored five points in six seconds to cut the Illinois lead to 89-97 with just 29.3 remaining.
• Hicks was fouled on a three-point attempt with three seconds left and connected on all three to seal the win over the 12th-ranked Illini.
GAME NOTES
• This marks Penn State’s second top-15 win of the season and second under first-year head coach Mike Rhoades. The Nittany Lions also defeated then-No. 11 Wisconsin (87-83) on Jan. 16 inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
• Penn State trailed the Illini by as much as 14. The Nittany Lions have now erased double-digit deficits to come back and win in four of their seven Big Ten wins.
• Penn State is now 3-1 in Return to Rec games and 517-184 all-time in Rec Hall.
• The Nittany Lions have now won four-straight games against the Illini.
• Penn State’s 90 points ties the Nittany Lions’ season high and is the most that PSU has scored in a Big Ten game this season.
• Nick Kern Jr. scored a career-high 22 points, 18 of which came in the second half. It bested his previous career high of 18 points that was set on two occasions.
• Ace Baldwin Jr. recorded the second double-double of his Penn State career, tallying 10 points and 12 assists. Baldwin Jr. contributed two boards, two steals and a block to his final line.
• Zach Hicks tied his career high with two blocks in the contest. Hicks finished with 13 points, a season-high-tying eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.
• Qudus Wahab posted 13 points on a 6-for-10 effort from the field. Wahab added four boards and a pair of blocks to his final line.
• RayQuawndis Mitchell tied his season high with four points in his first game action since January.
UP NEXT
• The Nittany Lions are back in the Bryce Jordan Center Saturday to host Indiana at noon in Penn State’s Coaches vs. Cancer game and Alumni Day game.