Penn State wrestling competed in Saturday morning’s consolation bracket, claiming a third-place and fourth-place finish from true freshmen PJ Duke and Marcus Blaze.

Between their four combined matches, the duo outscored their opponents 47-16. They each tallied a bonus-point victory during the session.

The Nittany Lions also clinched their fifth-straight NCAA team title. It’s the program’s 13th championship crown in the last 15 seasons. Penn State now has 164 team points, a 45-point advantage over second-place Oklahoma State.

Consolation Semifinals

133 Pounds

Up first, No. 3 Marcus Blaze faced off against No. 15 Tyler Knox of Stanford. Blaze flashed his quick offense with an opening-minute takedown to take the lead. The Nittany Lion tracked down Knox’s legs twice more before the end of the first, taking a 9-1 lead into the second period. Blaze claimed another two points in the second with a reversal from bottom position. The Nittany Lion tallied his fourth takedown in the waning moments of the second frame. Blaze hit his second reversal of the match to start the third, extending his lead to 14. After another takedown, the Nittany Lion secured the 20-4 technical fall, sending him to the third-place match.

157 Pounds

In the second consolation semifinal match of the day, No. 1 PJ Duke wrestled No. 7 Kannon Webster of Illinois. The Nittany Lion locked up a single-leg takedown to go up 3-1 in the first period. Duke kept his foot on the gas in the second, adding another takedown to extend his lead. In the third, Duke escaped to win the match via a 7-3 decision. The Nittany Lion joined Blaze in the hunt for a third-place finish.

Third-Place Matches

133 Pounds

In the 133-pound third-place match, No. 3 Marcus Blaze battled No. 4 Aaron Seidel of Virginia Tech. The first score of the bout came from an escape by Seidel in the third period. Blaze attempted multiple shots, but was countered and surrendered a takedown with minimal time left to lose 5-0. Blaze finished his season with a fourth-place finish.

157 Pounds

At 157 pounds, No. 1 PJ Duke took on No. 8 Brandon Cannon of Ohio State for the second time in the tournament. The Nittany Lion jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the first period. During the second, Cannon underwent concussion protocol, putting a delay on the match. After the bout resumed, Duke rattled off a plethora of offensive maneuvers to take the 20-4 technical fall. Duke finished his season with a third-place finish.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will chase history in the final session of the NCAA Championships, starting at 6:30 p.m. Folks can view the final matchups on ESPN.