MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Penn State men's basketball team defeated the Robert Morris Colonials 68-58 on Friday night in an exhibition game in support of Coaches vs. Cancer.
Penn State led for over 38 minutes in the game and outscored the Colonials in the paint 40-22 in its 10-point win. Forward Qudus Wahab led the way for Penn State with a 15-point, 10-rebound, 0-turnover double-double. Wahab added a block and a steal to his impressive line. Senior guard Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 13 points and contributed a team-leading six assists. Junior Zach Hicks added 11 points, while sophomore Kanye Clary rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.
Defensively, Penn State limited Robert Morris to a 36.7 field goal percentage and forced 16 turnovers from the Colonials in the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Penn State got out to a quick 11-2 lead through the first seven minutes of play as the Nittany Lions defense held Robert Morris to just 1-for-8 from the field with five turnovers in the opening seven-plus minutes.
- The Nittany Lions played consistent ball and maintained a steady five-to-seven-point lead over the next ten minutes of play until an 11-2 run by Robert Morris, taking 3:36 off the clock, cut the Nittany Lion lead to 31-30 with just over two minutes left in the opening half.
- A bucket by Kanye Clary and a pair of free throws by Qudus Wahab in the final two minutes put the Nittany Lions back up by five as the teams entered the halftime break.
- Following a 13-9 Robert Morris run to start the second half, Penn State went three-for-four and extended a 16-5 spurt to go up 60-48 at the 7:34 mark of the frame. Penn State splashed a pair of 3-pointers and Wahab led the way with four points during the run.
- Robert Morris wouldn't go down without a fight and clawed back to within five points of the Nittany Lions with three minutes left to play. Penn State locked up the Colonials after that, holding Robert Morris scoreless for the final three minutes to earn the 68-58 exhibition victory.
UP NEXT
- The Nittany Lions will officially tip off their season Monday, November 6, against Delaware State at 7 p.m. at home in the Bryce Jordan Center.
The 2023-24 Penn State men's basketball season is presented by Highmark Health.
--- PENN STATE ---