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Nittany Lions Win 61-58 Nailbiter Over Indiana

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: January 2, 2022

Photos by Tim Weight

Courtesy of Go PSU Athletics

Penn State uses strong defense, balanced attack to down Hoosiers

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – It came down to the wire, but the Penn State men’s basketball team rode a strong defensive effort to a 61-58 win over the Indiana Hoosiers Sunday afternoon inside the Bryce Jordan Center as the Nittany Lions returned from a 22-day layoff to earn their first Big Ten victory of the season.

In a nailbiter that saw eight tie scores and nine lead changes, Penn State led by as much as 10 points midway through the second half before Indiana clawed back to make it a traditional close game between the two teams. The last 11 contents between Penn State and Indiana have been decided by an average of just 4.9 points.

Senior Jalen Pickett led the Nittany Lions with 15 points while classmates Myles Dread and Sam Sessoms also contributed double-digits off the bench with 12 and 10, respectively. Dread was 4-for-5 from three-point range.

Penn State dominated the glass, out-rebounding Indiana 39-29, led by a game-high 12 rebounds by graduate student and big man John Harrar.