Penn hoops falls to Penn State on the road

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Despite an impressive second-half run that cut Penn State’s lead to just five late in the game, the Quakers just couldn’t get over the hump.

The Penn men’s basketball team stayed within striking distance of the Nittany Lions for the entire game in Happy Valley, but a late Lions run cost the Quakers in the end, as Penn fell, 58-47.

Penn State (4-3) stifled the Quakers’ offense early with a 2-3 zone that held the Red and Blue to just 30 percent from three in the first half.

Penn’s struggles were highlighted by two of its junior captains, Fran Dougherty and Miles Cartwright. The duo combined for just two points in 35 combined first-half minutes, going 1-for-11 from the field.

“[Fran and Miles] didn’t do a good job of being who they are,” coach Jerome Allen said. “Fran might have missed five or six layups, and I don’t think it was a function of their great defense. It was his inability to execute. Having said that, those aren’t the reasons we lost the game.”

Penn State led, 31-22, at the break, but the Quakers (2-6) responded in the second half. Though the Lions extended their lead to 13 shortly after the break, Penn, led by freshman Tony Hicks, rallied to cut the deficit to 43-39 with less than seven minutes to play.

Hicks scored eight of his 10 points in the second half while also contributing three assists. He took over the offense late in the game and made multiple impressive plays in transition, including a dunk that quieted the sparsely populated Penn State crowd.

“[The] coaches believe that I can play, that I’m aggressive,” Hicks said. “When I get out there, they pretty much just let me play my game.”

But the Quakers’ run stalled with three minutes to go and was promptly ended when freshman Jamal Lewis was ejected from the game after he took down Penn State’s Jermaine Marshall in transition. Lewis’ flagrant foul led to two made free throws for the Nittany Lions, who followed it up with a layup that extended their lead to 12.

“I appreciate his effort to get back,” Allen said. “I don’t think it was malicious. I don’t think it was out of frustration. I just think he was trying to stop a dunk or a layup.”

Penn State was led by Marshall, who finished with 18 points, and D.J. Newbill, who had 13 points and led the team with four assists. Marshall and Newbill filled in at point guard for Penn State, which lost preseason All-Big Ten selection Tim Frazier to a season-ending injury last month.

Foul trouble plagued the Quakers, who had two starters, Henry Brooks and Steve Rennard, foul out. Penn’s 26 overall fouls allowed Penn State to keep the Red and Blue just out of reach, as the Nittany Lions hit 17 free throws overall.

“From my seat, every 50-50 ball, [Penn State] came up with it,” Allen said. “That will kind of catch up to you.”

The Quakers’ next game comes this Saturday against Villanova at the Palestra in their first Big 5 matchup of the season.

SEE ALSO

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