With 10:41 left in the first half of Thursday night’s game, Jeff Brooks was called for his second foul of the game and joined Andrew Jones, who picked up two quick ones not even two minutes into the game, on the bench. That’s when Talor Battle put on his cape and saved the day, not to the surprise of anyone in the Bryce Jordan Center.

Battle tied a career-high with seven three-pointers, most of which came from at least 25 feet away, and scored 28 points to lead Penn State to a 66-63 win over Minnesota.

David Jackson added 13 points in the victory while Minnesota was led by Trevor Mbakwe who had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

No one led by more than ten points in this back-and-forth affair. Penn State held a 47-37 advantage midway through the second half, but an 8-0 Minnesota run quickly dispelled all thoughts of a blow-out.

Battle’s seventh three of the night gave Penn State a 62-60 lead with 1:12 left in the game, a lead that the Nittany Lions would not give up. The win was Penn State’s fourteenth on the season and gave them their fourth win against an RPI Top 50 team this season.

The win also put Penn State back on the bubble. They are now in sole possession of fifth place in the Big Ten (7-7 in conference) and would have a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament if things stayed how they are now. A win in Wisconsin (which no one in the Big Ten does) would enhance their resume even more. They take on the Badgers at 6 p.m. on Sunday night.

Cleaning the Glass:

• Talor Battle only took one shot inside the arc, going 8-15 from the field and 7-14 from the perimeter.
• With Jones and Brooks on the bench for most of the first half, Minnesota dominated the boards, outrebounding Penn State, 34-22.
• Tim Frazier compiled another spectacular stat line, scoring eight points, grabbing three rebounds and dishing out 8 assists.
• Penn State attempted a season-high 31 three-point shots.