Kanye Clary registered 20 points to fuel Penn State to a 74-65 home win over Lehigh in Friday’s nonleague action from University Park, Pa.
The Nittany Lions (2-0) overcame 7-of-23 3-point shooting and 15 turnovers — seven by Clary — by smothering the Mountain Hawks (0-2) in the second half. Lehigh shot just 30 percent from the field after the break and 38.1 percent overall while finishing the game with just three made 3-pointers in 13 attempts.
Qudus Wahab chipped in 11 points and 18 rebounds for Penn State, while Ace Baldwin Jr. contributed 16 points in a supporting role.
Keith Higgins Jr. scored 23 points and pulled down eight rebounds to pace the Mountain Hawks.
The teams were tied at 38-38 at halftime, and they were still deadlocked 50-50 after eight minutes of the second half.
The Nittany Lions began to take control as Baldwin made a jumper and then stole the ball, leading to Nick Kern’s fast-break layup. Following two free throws by the visitors, Kern and Clary converted layups — both off steals — to create a 58-52 edge with 9 1/2 minutes to go.
Two more Lehigh foul shots sliced the Mountain Hawks’ deficit to four, but a three-point play by Wahab, two free throws by Baldwin and a layup by Clary gave Penn State its first double-digit lead, 65-54.
Dominic Parolin made a layup with 5:36 left for Lehigh, ending a six-plus-minute drought without a field goal. The Mountain Hawks missed seven consecutive baskets during that span and never truly recovered.
Lehigh got no closer than eight points down the stretch.
Penn State led 17-10 early before Lehigh scored 13 straight points to tilt the scoreboard in its favor. The Mountain Hawks still led by six with under four minutes to play in the first half, but the Nittany Lions eventually caught up at 38-38 on Clary’s jumper late in the session.
Clary led all scorers with 13 points in the first half.
–Field Level Media
