Penn State’s season started in August and finally came to an end on Monday night as the Nittany Lions fell 54-52 to Siena in the College Basketball Invitational quarterfinals.

How It Happened: 

Penn State opened the game with a John Johnson three point shot and would go out to a 17-9 lead early in the first half thanks to some timely rebounds and a handful of Siena turnovers in the game’s opening 10 minutes. The Saints weren’t going to go quietly though and a 11-3 run tied the game at 20 with 2:58 to go in the first half. Tim Frazier and Ross Travis each added a free throw in the final two minutes of the half as the Saints pushed their lead out to 25-21 at the break.

The Saints opened up the second half well and took a 35-28 lead with 13:57 to go in the game following back-to-back turnovers by Geno Thorpe and Graham Woodward. The Nittany Lions answered back with a 16-4 run to take a 42-41 lead with just less than 10 minutes to go in regulation.

Both teams battled back and forth and a Brandon Taylor three gave Penn State a one point lead with 4:16 to play.

Aside from free throws, the Nittany Lions would only make two more baskets over the game’s final four minutes.

Brandon Taylor tied the game with 10 seconds remaining but a layup in the lane by Evan Hymes gave Siena a two point lead with just under four seconds to play. In an unfortunate twist of fate, DJ Newbill would step out of bounds near midcourt as he tried to slip past a defender, turning the ball over as a result. After a foul, Siena missed a pair of free throw attempts. Newbill’s full court shot fell short as time expired.

Turning Point: 

Evan Hymes’ layup with just under four seconds to play was all it took to knock off Penn State. The Nittany Lions finished the season at 16-18. Back-to-back turnovers by Woodward and Thorpe also helped swing the game the Saints way despite Penn State tying the game in the final minutes of regulation.

Player of the Game:

Bret Bisping registered 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Saints, shooting an efficient 6-of-13 from the floor. On Penn State’s side, DJ Newbill scored 17 points and picked up seven rebounds.

Stat of the Game:

Siena turned the ball over 16 times. Penn State had only nine turnovers on the evening. The Nittany Lions also went a surprisingly low 12-of-22 from the charity line.

What’s Next:

Penn State’s season ends at the 16-18 mark after starting the 2013-14 campaign in August with a European tour.