University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Penn State
Penn State Tops Gophers 63-58 on Road
1/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Box Score | USATSI Gallery 
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) Minnesota's Andre Hollins scored a game-high 17 points but the Gophers fell to Penn State 63-58 on Wednesday night.
D.J. Newbill scored 12 points, Jordan Dickerson blocked a shot with 4 seconds left as Penn State held off a late Minnesota rally.
Penn State (14-7, 2-6 Big Ten) led by 10 points at the half but the Gophers (13-9, 2-7) shot their way back into a 46-45 lead before Devin Foster gave the Lions a lead they would hold for their second straight conference victory.
Geno Thorpe and Payton Banks each scored nine for the Lions, who shot 42 percent from the field and were 16 of 21 from the free throw line.
The Gophers were outrebounded by Penn State 36-28.
Hollins' 3-pointer gave Minnesota its only lead of the half.
Elliott Eliason became active under the basket for Minnesota and his second layup made it 57-54, but Penn State's Dickerson put Penn State up 60-54 with a short bank shot and one of two foul shots one possession later.
Walker's baseline turnover gave Penn State the ball with 46 seconds left, Minnesota pressed on the inbounds pass and DeAndre Mathieu stole Newbill's and went in for an uncontested layup to make it 60-58.
Still up by two, Penn State's Thorpe was fouled and made 1 of 2 shots for a three-point lead. Minnesota's ensuing possession resulted in a Hollins turnover and Shep Garner made one of two free throws for a 62-58 lead.
Walker dribbled through the lane but opted to come back out and had the ball stolen by Newbill who was fouled with 9.5 seconds left.
Minnesota's man-to-man defense forced four Penn State turnovers early in the half, Joey King sank a 3 and Carlos Morris converted a floater in an 11-4 run that brought the Gophers to 39-34.
Hollins stripped Thorpe of the ball, drove for a layup and a foul and the Gophers made it a two-point game and, a few minutes later, Hollins' 3-pointer gave Minnesota's its first lead of the half at 46-45.
Penn State's Devin Foster took an outlet pass from Shep Garner and drove the lane and Newbill's dunk after a Ross Travis Steal enabled the Lions to regain a 49-46 lead.
Newbill did not enjoy a good shooting night but shot the next four times he had the ball for five points and a 56-52 lead with 3:38 to play.
TIP INS
The Gophers held Penn State's Newbill, the Big Ten's leading scorer, to five shots and two first-half points. Minnesota is ranked second nationally in steals (10.7) and sixth in assists (17.5). Five of Minnesota's six conference losses have been by five points or fewer.
UP NEXT
Minnesota faces Nebraska at home on Saturday.
