Penn State men’s basketball (7-12, 4-11 Big Ten) couldn’t keep up with No. 11 Iowa (17-6, 11-5 Big Ten) in the second half, falling 74-68 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena Sunday. Iowa’s Luka Garza had 23 points, including the basket that gave him the program’s all-time scoring record. His play along with some solid three-point shooting for the Hawkeyes was too much for Penn State to overcome.

Myreon Jones and Izaiah Brockington both led the Nittany Lions in scoring with 11 points, while Myles Dread added 10 points that all came in the first half.

How It Happened

Iowa got the scoring started with a three point-basket. John Harrar was able to find some room in the paint to score the Nittany Lions’ first basket of the game.

The Hawkeyes knocked down another wide-open three before Izaiah Brockington hit a midrange jumpshot. However, Iowa went on a huge scoring run that forced Jim Ferry to call an early timeout.

Coming off of the timeout, Trent Buttrick was able to score a layup and force a steal. Unfortunately, the steal didn’t lead to anything. Iowa was then able to hit a wide-open three and then pick up a foul in the process.

Brockington and Sam Sessoms picked up some baskets in the paint, and Buttrick hit a wide-open three. Offensively, the Nittany Lions weren’t doing terrible, but the Hawkeyes took advantage of Penn State on defense and was able to get it in foul trouble.

Brockington made his first three-point shot in the last seven games right over the head of Iowa star Luka Garza. The Hawkeyes were able to score a basket in the paint, but Sessoms responded with a drive of his own. Suddenly, Penn State was only down by three.

Myles Dread scored his first points with a three pointer following Iowa making one of two free throws. Coming out of a timeout, Buttrick hit a three point shot. Then, Abdou Tsimbila drew a foul driving to the paint, where he made one of two.

On the next possession, Myreon Jones made a free throw to take the lead, but Iowa hit a three to retake it. Tsimbila responded with a layup, however, and tied the game again.

After the Hawkeyes made a free throw, Sessoms blew by to score and take the lead. The lead changes kept flipping from each side, with each team holding onto it for what felt like only a few seconds.

Iowa was able to get a wide-open midrange shot to extend the lead, but Dread hit a three to tie it up again. He then hit another three, forcing the Hawkeyes to call a timeout.

In the last two minutes, it felt like Iowa lost a lot of momentum. Penn State’s defense got much better, and Jamari Wheeler was able to spin his way into a basket in the paint.

The Hawkeye hit a basket and draw a foul, where they would make the free throw. The Nittany Lions held for the last shot of the half, and Jones drove to the basket and drew a goaltending call. Penn State led 41-36 at the half.

Harrar got the scoring started for the Nittany Lions in the second half, drilling two free throws. Iowa went on a scoring run, though, and the Nittany Lions couldn’t do much about it because they turned the ball over so much.

Wheeler responded, however, with back-to-back three-pointers and Penn State regained control of the lead.

Just like the middle of the first half, the two teams were exchanging baskets and lead changes. Then, for a few minutes, neither team could make a basket.

After a huge scoring drought by both teams, Iowa star Luka Garza officially broke the Hawkeye scoring record. Besides it being a momentous bucket for him, it gave Iowa the lead.

Brockington was able to get to the free throw line and make both of those baskets, which were the first points Penn State had scored in a very long time. The Nittany Lions were still in a field goal drought at that time, though.

Harrar got to the free throw line as well and made both shots, but it wasn’t until Jones hit a three that the Nittany Lions ended the seven-minute scoring drought.

While the Hawkeyes’ lead fell to as low as five points during the last few minutes of the game, Penn State could never truly get back into it because shots weren’t falling. The fact that Harrar and Jones were able to get to the free throw line made them hang on.

Seth Lundy hit a three late in the game, but that was not enough to come back, as the Nittany Lions lost the game 74-68.

Takeaways

• Penn State’s problem this season has been inconsistency, and the first half showed just that. The first ten minutes of the game, Iowa could get any shot it wanted and Penn State looked out of sorts. The last ten minutes of the half flipped the script, and Penn State had all the momentum. If it wants to be super competitive, the team needs to play like it did in those last ten minutes almost all the time.
• The bench played a much bigger role in the game than in others. Sam Sessoms looked like the guy who was balling out in the beginning of the season, Trent Buttrick had a career game, and Abdou Tsmibila got some meaningful minutes. If Seth Lundy can step up and work on his issues, Penn State can have a more reliable rotation as the season nears its conclusion.
• Foul trouble is a huge issue with this team. This is the second straight game with John Harrar in trouble with plenty of time left , and it really changes how the Nittany Lions play. Without Harrar’s presence in the paint, it allowed for the Hawkeyes to jump ahead and push the lead.

What’s Next

The Nittany Lions will travel to Nebraska and seek revenge on Tuesday, February 23. The game will tip off at 8 p.m. and air on the Big Ten Network.