Feb. 25, 2017
Final Stats | Notes | USATSI Photo Gallery
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Tony Carr had 20 points and seven assists, while Shep Garner scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Nittany Lions, but it would not be enough as Penn Stat fell at Minnesota by a score of 81-71 on Saturday.
Nate Mason had 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Jordan Murphy added 16 points and 16 rebounds for Minnesota.
Dupree McBrayer added 15 points off the bench for Minnesota (22-7, 10-6 Big Ten) with Akeem Springs scoring 12. Reggie Lynch had nine points and set a career-high with 11 blocks as the Gophers won their seventh game in a row and avenged an earlier loss at Penn State.
Penn State, who has lost three straight, had just five turnovers, all in the first half, but shot 35.5 percent.
Excluding the vacated season of 1996-97, Minnesota has won seven games in a row for the first time since 1978.
BIG PICTURE
The Nittany Lions stayed close when they were hitting from the outside. Penn State started by hitting 5 of 8 from 3-point territory before missing seven in a row. As their percentage dwindled to match their season average (34.1 percent), the Nittany Lions' hopes of hanging with the more inside-focused Gophers declined. Penn State finished 7 of 21 from 3.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions return home and host Ohio State for their final home game of the season on Tuesday. Penn State could reach seven wins in the Big Ten in back-to-back seasons for just the third time in 25 seasons when facing the Buckeyes for the first time this year.