Jan. 3, 2009
MADISON, Wisc., Jan. 3, 2009 - The Nittany Lion basketball team put up a heck of a fight in the Big Ten's toughest building but came up just short as Wisconsin pulled out a 65-61 victory in Madison Saturday. Penn State dropped its first conference road test and fell to 12-3, 1-1 in the Big Ten, while Wisconsin improved to 11-3, 2-0 in the Big Ten.
Stanley Pringle nearly got Penn State the victory as he scored 22 second half points, four on threes, and logged a career high 26 for the game. Jamelle Cornley carried the Lion scoring in the first half scoring 12 points and finished with 20 points and seven boards for the game.
Marcus Landry led Wisconsin with 23 points and Jason Bohannon added 14 as four Badgers scored in double-figures. Penn State played Wisconsin nearly to a dead heat in the an arena in which UW has gone 114-8 since its opening. The Lions posted their most points and closest game at Wisconsin since dropping a 66-63 decision in 2002.
Penn State trailed by eight at the half, but used nine straight points from Pringle and a 9-0 second half spurt to take a 49-48 lead with 7:41 to play. Pringle and Talor Battle hit three straight threes for the Lions to close a 48-40 Badger lead.
Trevon Hughes answered with a three for Wisconsin, but Pringle responded with another three and Penn State led 52-51 at 6:30.
Hughes made a tough three over Battle late and Joe Krabbenhoft sunk a pair of free throws as UW ran off five in a row to take a 59-54 lead, but Penn State hung in with Pringle dropping yet another three to bring Penn State within one, 61-60, with 58 seconds to play.
Wisconsin beat Penn State trying to foul and found Landry for a dunk and Penn State couldn't score in the closing seconds as the Badgers escaped.
The Nittany Lions hung right with the Badgers in the first half taking the lead on three occasions and trailing by no more than five until the final seconds. Cornley and Landry conducted a scoring showdown as Cornley logged 12 for Penn State, most on nice baby hooks in the lane, and Landry had 13 for Wisconsin, many coming on fade aways off the block. Jason Bohannon had 10 in the half, including a pair of threes. Both teams shot 48 percent, but the Lions went 0-of-6 from three.
Both teams came out shooting well and Penn State got six early points from Cornley. The Lions trailed 11-10 at the first media timeout at 15:33. Penn State then took its first lead on a drive and seven-foot finish from Jeff Brooks in the lane with 14 minutes to play.
A desperation 18-footer from Morrissey as the shot clock wound down and a free throw from Cornley put Penn State up three, 16-15, with 10 minutes to play. Penn State missed two good looks at open threes with a chance to extend, but UW retook the lead 17-16 at the 7:31 media timeout.
A Landry three put UW up 24-20 with 4:50 to play. Stanley Pringle silenced the Kohl Center crowd with a bucket in the lane to get the Lions back to within two, 26-24.
Wisconsin scored the last five points of the half, the last three on a Bohannon three with two seconds to play, to build its largest lead of eight, 34-26, at the half.
Penn State will return to the Bryce Jordan Center on Tuesday when they take on No. 9/11 Purdue in a 9:00 p.m. tip on the Big Ten Network. Purdue has the weekend off and will bring a 11-3 mark overall into the game. The Boilermakers are 0-1 in the Big Ten after losing their season opener at home to Illinois.
Nittany Lion basketball tickets can be purchased by calling the ticket office during regular business hours at 814-865-5555 or visiting GoPSUsports.com anytime. Penn State basketball offers the most flexible ticket package ever with the 2009 FLEX pack. For just $99 fans can receive 10 vouchers that can be redeemed in any quantity, bring one friend or nine, for any men's or women's game on any date. You pick the games, the dates and the number of tickets that work for you. The Penn State Basketball FLEX Pack - now our schedule fits yours!