Ace Baldwin Jr. collected 23 points and 10 assists as Penn State topped visiting Penn 86-66 on Sunday in University Park, Pa.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser chipped in 19 points and 15 rebounds as the Nittany Lions (11-2) ended the calendar year by winning their third straight game. Penn State shot just 4 of 18 from 3-point range, but the hosts authored a crisp 22-of-26 showing from the foul line, including 12 of 12 by Baldwin.
Nick Kern added 13 points, while Puff Johnson and Fred Dilione V each contributed 11 points for the Nittany Lions.
Michael Zanoni recorded 27 points for the Quakers (4-9), while Nick Spinoso pitched in with 13 points. Penn shot just 38.6 percent (22 of 57) from the floor and committed 17 turnovers, including nine by Spinoso. The Quakers were 11 of 12 from the free-throw line.
Penn State led by two early in the second half when Konan Niederhauser and Dilione combined for all the offense in a 7-0 run that opened a 45-36 lead.
With about 11 1/2 minutes left, AJ Levine’s 3-pointer drew Penn within 51-44 before Penn State scored 16 of the next 18 points to end any chances of an upset. Johnson had a three-point play early in that sequence before he capped the run with a 3-pointer to make it 67-46 with 6:29 to play.
Baldwin’s two free throws with 3:02 left increased the lead to 25 for the first time. The Nittany Lions led by as many as 26 points down the stretch in improving to 8-0 at home.
The first half was tight throughout, as neither team led by more than four points until Johnson’s layup gave Penn State a 32-27 lead with 2:18 left in the half. Penn responded with buckets from Spinoso and Zanoni, but Konan Niederhauser’s dunk in the final minute sent the Nittany Lions into the break with a 34-31 lead.
The score remained close early in the second half. Spinoso’s 3-pointer drew the Quakers within 38-36 with 17:40 remaining, but that was the end of the highlights for Penn.
–Field Level Media
