COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Penn State men's basketball team came up just short of a double-digit comeback bid on the road against the Maryland Terrapins, ultimately falling 67-61 Monday evening in the XFinity Center.
The Nittany Lions were down 13 with 8:40 remaining in regulation and clawed back within four before the Terrapins closed out the game from the charity stripe, going 14-of-18 from the free throw line in the second half.
Three Nittany Lions finished in double figures, led by senior Sam Sessom's 17 points off the bench. Classmate Jalen Pickett added 13 points along with six boards and six assists. Graduate student John Harrar recorded his third-straight double-double and ninth of the season with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Terrapins jumped out to an early 13-9 lead at the first media timeout nearly eight minutes into the game.
- Penn State made 5-of-7 from the field leading up to the under-8 media timeout with junior Jevonnie Scott set to see the charity stripe out of the break. Scott hit both free throws before Sessoms and Harrar both hit second-chance layups to cap a 6-0 run and give the Nittany Lions a 23-21 lead with just under five minutes remaining in the first half.
- Penn State extended its lead to 28-24 with a three by Dallion Johnson which forced Maryland to call timeout with 2:45 left.
- The Terrapins were able to climb back with the remaining time to make it a tie game, 28-28, at the halftime break.
- Pickett scored the first four points for the Nittany Lions out of the locker room as the first six or so minutes would see back-and-forth scoring by both teams.
- Maryland then hit back-to-back 3-pointers to take a seven-point lead at 46-39, as Penn State would call timeout with 12:56 left.
- The Terrapins built that lead into double digits, going on a 7-0 run over a minute-long span to make it 55-42.
- The Nittany Lion defense held Maryland scoreless for over three minutes to crawl back within single digits, 59-53, at the final media timeout of regulation.
- Penn State got as close as four in the final minute following baskets from Sessoms, but the Terps were 8-for-9 from the charity stripe in the final minute to seal the 67-61 victory.
GAME NOTES
- Graduate student John Harrar recorded his ninth double-double of the season and third consecutive with 14 points and 13 rebounds. He finished 7-for-10 from the field.
- The nine double-doubles are tied for eighth most in a single season, most recently done by former standout Lamar Stevens in 2018-19. Harrar is also up to 15 career double-doubles to tie for 10th all-time with Jan Jagla (2001-04).
- Harrar's 13 rebounds marks his 12th double-digit rebound game this season.
- Senior Myles Dread hit two 3-pointers in the contest to match Danny Morrissey's fifth-best career mark of 221 career 3-pointers.
- Senior Sam Sessoms registered his 14th double-digit scoring effort of the season while classmate Jalen Pickett recorded his 19th.
- Junior Seth Lundy reached 700 career points with 701 now after six against Maryland.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry
UP NEXT
- The Nittany Lions return home for their final homestand of the regular season. Penn State faces Northwestern at 7 p.m. Friday night on FS1 on Senior Night presented by the Penn State Alumni Association. The Nittany Lions then host Nebraska Sunday at 7 p.m. in the regular-season home finale.
The 2021-22 Penn State men's basketball season is presented by Highmark Health.