Despite an early scare, a second-half surge leads Penn State to a 92-62 win over Saint Francis.
The Nittany Lions jumped out to an 11-0 lead, scoring on each of their first four possessions. However, momentum quickly evaporated as Saint Francis began to step up defensively and knock down some threes. With 2:17 left in the first half, the Red Flash stole the ball and converted to take a 34-33 lead. This was a wakeup call for Penn State, who finished the half on a 12-4 run.
Penn State ramped up the defensive pressure in the second half, forcing 12 turnovers. Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who missed most of the first half in foul trouble, played 16 minutes in the second. He totaled nine points, seven rebounds, and a block in the half.
Looking Forward
On Friday, Penn State travels to Baltimore to play Virginia Tech. The Hokies rank 98th in Ken Pom and will present a much more difficult challenge than anyone the Nittany Lions have played so far.
The following few weeks will offer a few more challenges. Penn State will see formidable opponents in Purdue Fort-Wayne and Fordham and one of Clemson or San Francisco, both of which are talented teams. They’ll open up conference play with games against preseason Big10 favorite Purdue and Rutgers, who owned the second highest-rated recruiting class in 2024.
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