Dec. 3, 2008
ATLANTA (AP) -- The Nittany Lion basketball team improved to 7-1 on the year and claimed its second road victory of the season with a thrilling 85-83 victory over Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga., Wednesday night.
The Nittany Lions won their second straight ACC/Big Ten Challenge game and handed the Yellow Jackets (4-1) their first loss of the season with a terrific team effort headed by 22 points, four steals and three assists from Stanley Pringle. Pringle was one of four Lions in double-figures on the night as Penn State shot 50 percent from the floor and 8-of-19 from three to hold on to victory despite some late troubles at the foul line.
Tech forward Gani Lawal led the Yellow Jackets with 34 points and 10 rebounds as the 6-9 forward led a Tech effort in the paint that resulted in a 50-34 scoring margin. Lawal was 15-of-20 from the floor and was joined by 6-8 Aminu Ade (12 points and 10 rebounds) in posting a double-double.
In the end Penn State's guards and team play prevailed. Talor Battle posted 18 points and seven assists. Danny Morrissey hit three big threes on his way to 13 points and Jamelle Cornley battled the taller Jackets in the post on his way to 11 points and six boards.
Trailing 52-50 with 14:57 to play, Penn State got a big steal in transition from Pringle who took the ball the other way for a lay-up to tie the game. Following a Tech jam on the other end, Pringle then buried a three for a 55-54 Penn State lead. Battle then scored four straight at the free throw line and Penn State led 59-54 with 10:40 to play. A big three from Jeff Brooks made it 62-56 for the Lions, but Tech came back cutting the margin to 68-62 with 7:43 to play.
Morrissey buried a couple of huge threes down the stretch and the Lions led by 11, 79-68 with 5:39 to play after an Andrew Jones stick back. Tech scored six straight and when Ian Shumpert buried a jumper trailed by just five, 79-74, with 3:54 to play. Penn State built the lead back to seven with 1:21 to play on a Pringle lay-up, but Tech scored the next five and trailed by just two, 83-81, with 36 seconds to play after a Lawal dunk.
Pringle made a pair at the line to give the Lions an 85-81 edge and Tech again got within two on a Lawal dunk. Cornley missed a pair at the line and Penn State held its breath as Shumpert missed a long three in the closing seconds.
Penn State led by as many as 10 in the first half after getting 13 big first half points from Pringle. Following Pringle's three at the 13:11 mark the Lions led 18-8 and 20-10 following a Cornley jump hook. But Georgia Tech mounted an 8-0 run to cut the lead behind 12 first half points from Lawal and took the lead, 28-27, on a three-pointer from Lance Storrs with 6:51 to play. Penn State responded and built a five-point lead in the half again behind Pringle's slashes to hole and led 44-39 at the half.
Penn State will return to the Bryce Jordan Center Saturday when they take on in-state rival Temple in a 6:00 p.m. tip on the Big Ten Network.
--NITTANY LIONS--