In a far better effort than their last outing (home loss to Bucknell), Penn State Basketball battled the Maryland Terrapins but fell in overtime 81-75. Foul issues were significant for Penn State, as their entire front-court fouled out, and the Nittany Lions were out-rebounded 53-31. That allowed Maryland to survive a 38.7% shooting night from the field (32.0% from three). Penn State Basketball started with another new lineup, reinserting Ace Baldwin with Kanye Clary and adding Puff Johnson to go with Qudus Wahab and Zach Hicks. Mike Rhoades‘ team started strong and led 20-9 after a Hicks three. Demetrius Lilley returning from injury added to balanced scoring with Baldwin, Clary and Nick Kern. Maryland chipped away and trailed by just two at the half. Penn State outshot Maryland from the field and from three and likely should have led by slightly more.
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PSU built a 7 point lead but Maryland retook the lead just two minutes later (all with Kanye Clary on the bench, of note), much from the free throw line as Penn State really struggled not fouling. The Terrapins were in the double bonus the majority of the half. A Leo O’Boyle three and-1 quieted the XFINITY Center Crowd and gave Penn State back the lead they just gave up. Wahab fouled out with 4:07 to go as Penn State continued to get crushed on the glass. After a great Baldwin drive at the shot clock buzzer, Maryland answered with a three (and another non-call following a Maryland elbow) but O’Boyle answered with another lead giving the Nittany Lions the lead on the seesaw (the 17th lead change of the day).
Jahmir Young, listed as questionable going into the game, answered with a bucket (his 45th 20 point game). Demetrius Lilley then fouled out, and down three Penn State Kanye Clary baited his defender into an and-1 of his own to tie the game up at 69 with 42.1 seconds left. With only O’Boyle left to defend the post, Maryland went down low to Julian Reese, who was fouled and sent to the line with 22.7 seconds to go. Icing the career 66% free throw shooter worked, as he missed one (the first Maryland FT miss of the half, previously 15-15). The play drawn up in the previous timeout didn’t really work as Clary forced up a contested fadeaway jumper that drew front iron. Maryland cleaned up the glass as they did all game, but with 4.6 seconds left, former PSU interested recruit DeShawn Harris-Smith made only the second for a two point lead. Rhoades called his last timeout, knowing without Wahab and Lilley, a three pointer for the win was likely the best chance to win, avoiding the potentially of overtime. Unbelievably, in what amounts to a wildly foolish play, Maryland fouled Ace Baldwin (unintentionally) trying to steal the in-bounds. Baldwin, despite being iced by Maryland Coach Kevin Willard, made two clutch free throws and Marylands floater at the buzzer fell short, sending the game into overtime. Penn State missed their first five shots in overtime without a lot of movement or passing. Clary, seen grimacing moving his previously injured hand throughout the second half, missed two shots as Maryland built a 5 point lead. Baldwin made two more free throws, two missed Terrapin threes and two Clary free throws cut the lead to one (again) with 54 seconds to go but Maryland answered with another and-1 by Harris-Smith. A very bad forced Clary double clutch 25 foot three banged hard off the backboard, ending the Nittany Lion hopes.
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NittanyCentral is his second reporting job following the Men's Basketball program. He co-founded and co-hosts the Shots Gotta Fall - The Penn State Basketball Podcast (the premiere, the best, the only) with Steve Travis.
Smith's most proud moment covering the team was seeing the national No. 9 ranking during Pat Chambers' last year. His most embarrassing moment was spending almost a thousand dollars to travel 2,000 miles in 46 hours to watch the Nittany Lions lose to Temple in the 2011 NCAA Tournament (screw you Juan Fernandez).
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