Penn State men’s basketball (5-6, 2-5 Big Ten) won its second straight game on Saturday night with a gutsy 81-78 win over Northwestern (6-8, 3-7 Big Ten).

It was a tight game the whole way, and the Nittany Lions nearly blew it after missing three straight one-and-one attempts in the last minute of the game. Luckily for Penn State, Chase Audige couldn’t convert a three at the buzzer, and Northwestern fell to its seventh straight defeat.

Izaiah Brockington led the way for Penn State with 21 points, while Seth Lundy, Myreon Jones, and Sam Sessoms all had double digits.

How It Happened

The game began at a quick and physical clip. Both teams traded buckets at the start, with Penn State’s Seth Lundy imposing himself with two quick blocks.

Fortunately for Jim Ferry’s team, Izaiah Brockington and Sam Sessoms carried over their hot run of form from the win against Rutgers with an early spark.

The Nittany Lions had the best of the early fouling, going into bonus with nine minutes to play in the half thanks to Sessoms and Brockington pounding the paint.

After trading baskets for the first 13 minutes of the contest, Penn State got some room with a 7-0 run thanks to a big three pointer from Lundy. Northwestern’s shooting slowed down, but the Nittany Lions couldn’t press their advantage. The Wildcats switched to zone just before halftime, forcing three quick turnovers to force a Penn State timeout.

Penn State seemed flustered heading into the locker room, but a Myreon Jones buzzer beater helped the Nittany Lions to a 38-33 halftime lead.

Lundy and Sessoms hit jumpers to begin the second period, but Northwestern responded strongly, going on a 10-0 run to take a 45-44 lead before the first media timeout of the half.

If the first half was a tight affair, the second period was a game of runs. The Nittany Lions had an 8-0 run of themselves, highlighted by an emphatic Brockington slam dunk.

Northwestern returned to the zone defense, but Trent Buttrick busted it with a big three to expand the Penn State lead to 57-51.

Northwestern once again weathered the storm and a Miller Kopp three gave the Wildcats a 66-64 advantage with eight minutes to go.

Chris Collins’ team began to look like the favorite, as Northwestern was more efficient on its offensive trips with five minutes to play. Lundy scored seven straight points to stop the bleeding to put Penn State up 74-73. The Nittany Lions promptly stole the ball and Brockington converted on the fast break for a three point lead with 2:45 to go. After a period of dry possessions on both sides, Jamari Wheeler hit an unusual three to force a Northwestern timeout.

Pete Nance failed to convert on a tough hook shot with just under a minute to play. Northwestern got the ball back following John Harrar missing there front end of a one-and-one, and Nance hit a three to bring the score to 79-76 with 35 seconds left.

Sessoms was fouled but also missed his free throw, keeping the game within one possession. Boo Buie drove the lane but Harrar rejected him emphatically. Penn State missed its third straight front end of a one-and-one, and Kopp brought the game within one point with 12.1 to play.

It was Brockington’s turn at the foul line, and he reversed the trend by sinking both. Chase Audige failed to hit a fadeaway three at the buzzer, and the Nittany Lions escaped 81-78.

Takeaways

• Big Ten coaches may review tonight’s game and come to the conclusion that Penn State is best defended in a zone. The Nittany Lions can get very hot or very, very cold. If it’s the latter, things can get ugly for Ferry’s team quick. If Penn State sees zone again, the team will need to be hot from range, which is no guarantee.
• Seth Lundy began the season with some huge performances, and it appeared as if the Roman Catholic graduate was going to be the driving force for the Nittany Lions. The small forward slowed down throughout December, but Lundy has been heating up again in the past few weeks. Time will tell whether Lamar Stevens comparisons will come to fruition, but regardless it is huge for Penn State to have a dual-threat player like Lundy.
• Currently, Penn State has the second toughest strength of schedule in the nation, according to kenpom.com. The team with a tougher schedule? Northwestern. Both teams have had ridiculously tough slates in the first two months of the year, which made this win even more crucial for Penn State’s postseason aspirations.

What’s Next

Penn State continues its home-stand on Wednesday when No. 7 Michigan visits the Bryce Jordan Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.