LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA., NOV. 25, 2007 - Penn State struggled through another chilly day behind the arc in warm Florida as the Nittany Lions hit just 5-of-31 from three and fell, 70-59, to the University of Central Florida (3-2) Sunday afternoon in Penn State's last of three games at the Old Spice Classic. The Nittany Lions leave Disney's Wide World of Sports with a record of 0-3 and dropped to 2-3 on the season as they prepare to host Virginia Tech at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the final game of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The game will air live on ESPN2.
Senior Geary Claxton led Penn State in scoring for the fifth time on the season posting 22 points and eight rebounds. Junior Jamelle Cornley added 11 points and five rebounds and Penn State shot just 36 percent from the floor (25-69) and 16 percent from three. The Nittany Lions were outscored by 14 points at the free throw line as they made just 4-of-12 (33%) while UCF drained 18-of-23.
UCF was led by guard Jermaine Taylor who scored 23 points on 9-of-10 from the charity stripe and 6-of-14 from the floor. Guard Mike O'Donnell added 16 making 4-of-7 from three.
Penn State led by as many as eight with 9:58 to play in the first half following a Mike Walker three. However, UCF outscored the Lions 22-6 the rest of the way, including a 13-4 run to take a 23-22 lead on an O'Donnell three.
Penn State went to a quicker pressing line-up in the second half starting Talor Battle and Stanley Pringle together in the backcourt. UCF pushed the lead to 11 two minutes into the second half before Penn State made a run. The Nittany Lions cut the lead to two as Claxton scored seven of nine Penn State points over the next four minutes and the Nittany Lions utilized a full-court press. Claxton's jumper with 14:18 to play made the score 37-35 in favor of UCF.
UCF utilized a three-quarter court press of its own to push the lead back to seven following another O'Donnell three with 12:16 to play. Cornley hit a jumper, Battle got a lay-up and Claxton a dunk to get back within two, 46-42. Another Claxton dunk off a Battle assist had Penn State within four, 52-48, with five minutes to play, but UCF would go on a 17-6 run to gain as much as a 15-point lead, 69-54, with 33 seconds to play as Penn State continued to miss from behind the arc.