At Philadelphia natives Demetrius Lilley and Jameel Brown’s homecoming, Penn State men’s basketball took down Michigan at The Palestra, often dubbed “The Cathedral of College Basketball.”

The Nittany Lions overcame a double-digit deficit to defeat the Wolverines 79-73 in front of a sold-out crowd. Our photographers were on the court of the historic arena to capture the win.

The team began warmups before tip-off in The Palestra, home of the Penn Quakers.

It was an ugly start for Penn State. Off the bench, D’Marco Dunn put the first points on the board for the Nittany Lions after trailing 9-0 to open play.

Some familiar faces traveled to Philadelphia, including Pat Kraft and the Symbol of our Best. The duo rejuvenated the crowd after Penn State couldn’t keep up with Michigan’s offense in the first half.

It was a special game for Michigan’s associate head coach and Philadelphia native Phil Martelli as he was competing against his son, Jimmy Martelli, a Penn State assistant coach.

Phil was elevated to honorary head coach for the game, though Jimmy pulled out the win alongside Mike Rhoades.

Out of the halftime break, Penn State found its groove. Ace Baldwin Jr.’s strong play narrowed the lead to six points, and a Puff Johnson triple and Kanye Clary steal brought the Nittany Lions within one possession. This prompted a Michigan timeout at 39-36.

Clary took charge and scored five consecutive points, and The Palestra was LOUD.

Then, the Dunn show began.

Dunn seized the lead for the Nittany Lions with a three-pointer, making it 51-49. He then extended the lead with another triple from distance. Dunn’s performance didn’t stop there, as he scored an additional eight points.

It felt like ages after multiple reviews and timeouts. But the Nittany Lions sealed the deal against Michigan’s defense and ultimately got the job done.

In a historic turnaround at The Palestra, Penn State completed a remarkable comeback and secure a 79-73 victory over Michigan.