Feb. 20, 2010
ANN ARBOR, MICH., Feb. 20, 2010 - Talor Battle did a little bit of everything for Penn State and Jeff Brooks hit one of the biggest shots of his Nittany Lion career as Penn State downed Michigan (13-13; 6-8 Big Ten) 55-51 in Ann Arbor. Brooks' big baseline jumper with 14 seconds to play broke a nearly eight-minute scoring drought for the Lions and put the seal on Penn State's first win in Ann Arbor since 1999 and just its second in 16 trips.
Battle logged 14 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to lead Penn State (10-16; 2-12 Big Ten) which posted its second straight win on the road after opening the Big Ten 0-12. It marked Battle's second double-double of the season and sixth of his career. Andrew Jones posted his second-straight double-figure game with 10 points and David Jackson and Brooks added nine each, all of Brooks' coming in the second half.
Manny Harris led Michigan with 20 points and DeShawn Sims added 10 for a Wolverine team that shot 6-of-28 from three (1-of-12 in the second half) and just 35 percent from the floor. Penn State out-rebounded the Wolverines 39-25 and won despite allowing 19 points off 13 turnovers and getting to the line a season-low five times and making just two.
Penn State shot 49 percent for the game and hit 5-of-13 from three, but it was its defense and toughness that prevailed on Saturday. The Lions held as much as a nine-point second half lead after Battle's lay-up with 7:53 to play, but didn't score again until Brooks' jumper as Michigan pulled within two points, 53-51, on a Harris steal and dunk that brought the Crisler Arena crowd of 13,751 to its feet with 4:07 to play. Michigan would not score again.
Penn State used a 6-0 run early in the second half to seize a 39-37 lead. Brooks converted a three-point play and Chris Babb sunk one of his two threes on the game. Harris tied the game on the following possession with a jumper.
The Lions opened up a seven-point lead mid-way through the half when Jones converted in the lane and Battle hit a three and a lay-up for a 48-41 lead as Michigan suffered through a three-minute scoring drought.
Stu Douglass got a steal and a dunk that got the crowd roaring and brought Michigan within four, 48-44, but Penn State pushed the margin to nine, 53-44, with another 5-0 burst, the last four coming on buckets from Brooks and Battle.
Harris would score the next seven points hitting a three, a jumper and his break-away dunk over a two-minute span to bring the Wolverines within two. But, the Wolverines missed several open threes down the stretch and couldn't convert again.
The teams went to halftime tied at 29 after an up and down first 20 minutes dominated by a series of runs. The teams traded hoops through the first five minutes with Michigan holding a slim 7-6 lead at the first media time out. Then it became a series of the teams alternating between hot and cold.
Michigan began the fluctuations breaking out with a 10-0 run to seize a 15-6 lead behind a pair of threes from Douglas and Harris and a pair of Harris free throws.
Penn State called a time out to stem the momentum and inserted freshman Tim Frazier into the game. He instantly sparked the Lions getting a pair of lay-ups and pushing the ball in transition as Penn State ran off eight straight. Frazier's lay-up with 10:18 to play made it 15-14 Michigan and the Wolverines called a time out. Battle scored on Penn State's next possession to push the run to 10-0 and give the Lions a 16-15 lead.
Michigan came right back running off nine straight behind a pair of Harris threes, a Zack Novak three and a three-point play from Douglas. Harris' second trey in the run made it 27-18 as the Wolverines reclaimed a nine-point margin, their biggest of the game.
Penn State fought back with the biggest run of the half as the Lions ran off 11-straight sparked by a Babb baseline three. Battle pulled up in transition and buried a 25-footer and Jones followed a Battle lay-up that snuck off the rim. David Jackson hit his own three and the Lions led 29-27 with 2:20 to play in the half.
DeShawn Sims ended the run with a two-point jumper. Penn State had the last possession, but Michigan used three team fouls to disrupt any play the Lions could run and Battle's last second desperation baseline runner was batted away as the teams went to the half tied.
Penn State shot 48 percent in the half and won the rebounding battle 16-11. But, Michigan fired 16 first half threes to hold a 5-3 edge in three-pointers made in the half despite shooting 38 percent from the floor and 31 percent from three.
Penn State will return home Wednesday when it takes on No. 9 Ohio State in a 6:30 p.m. tip on the Big Ten Network. The Buckeyes claimed a 75-62 victory in Columbus on Feb. 3 behind 27 points from National Player of the Year candidate Evan Turner. Talor Battle had 24 points and seven assists vs. his good friend in that game. Ohio State owns a 26-13 lead in the series. The Nittany Lions are 7-9 in State College last winning in the Jordan Center in 2004.