STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Kanye Clary scored 27 points, Ace Baldwin Jr. added 20 and Penn State beat No. 11 Wisconsin 87-83 on Tuesday night for its first win over an AP Top 25 team under coach Mike Rhoades.
The Nittany Lions (9-9, 3-4 Big Ten) had to fight back from double-digit deficits in their previous two conference wins this season. This time, they barely trailed as they knocked off the Big Ten’s last unbeaten team in league play.
AJ Storr scored 23 points and Steven Crowl added 17 for the Badgers (13-4, 5-1), who had their six-game winning streak snapped after a sloppy start.
Led by Baldwin, who drained a 3-pointer on his first shot, Penn State jumped out to a 12-2 lead to the delight of a loud crowd made up of mostly Penn State students. They had a reprieve from classes after a snowstorm hit Happy Valley early in the day.
The fans got louder as the game progressed and Penn State held its advantage for all but 3:24.
After cutting the deficit to 39-35 at halftime, the Badgers didn’t take their first lead until there was 5:01 left. Max Klesmit then hit a 3-pointer that made it 70-68.
Their lead wouldn’t last. The Nittany Lions kept Storr and Wahl in check down the stretch during a 17-10 run that saw Nick Kern and Baldwin combine to go 9 for 9 at the free throw line.
Penn State capitalized on a handful of Wisconsin turnovers in the opening five minutes, then leaned on Clary and Kern as the half wore on.
Clary jumpstarted a 17-11 surge and Kern sank back-to-back baskets to give Penn State its biggest lead, 29-17, with 6:56 to play in the first half.
BIG PICTURE
Wisconsin: The Badgers were sloppy to start and never really recovered. They entered averaging just over nine turnovers per game but committed eight in the first half alone.
Penn State: The Nittany Lions bounced back nicely after getting hammered 95-78 at then-No. 1 Purdue on Saturday. This was Penn State’s first win over a top-15 team in three years.
UP NEXT
Wisconsin: Hosts Indiana on Friday.
Penn State: Visits Rutgers on Saturday.
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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball