San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Jones, Brockington help Penn St. top No. 14 Wisconsin
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — John Harrar managed an awkward smile and quick laugh after pulling himself up from the baseline where he had just been denied — by the rim — a highlight-reel dunk on an otherwise careerbest day.
The missed wide-open slam aside, Harrar did plenty otherwise to help Penn State snap a decade-long skid against Wisconsin with an 81-71 win over the No. 14 Badgers on Saturday.
Harrar scored 14 of his careerhigh 17 in the second half and the Nittany Lions, who trailed 41-34 at halftime, led for all but 1:16 of the final 20 minutes.
“I think he just has great confidence now, and he should,” Penn State interim coach Jim Ferry said. “He’s putting pressure on me. I’ve got to start running plays for him.”
Myreon Jones scored 20 points and Izaiah Brockington added 18 Nittany Lions (6-7, 3-6 Big Ten), who had lost 13 straight against Wisconsin — including eight at home.
Penn State’s first win in the series since 2011 came after Jones sparked the offense with back-toback baskets to open the second. Brockington and Harrar helped them steadily increase the margin. Brockington, who a few minutes in set the tone with a highflying, left-handed dunk, led the surge with eight points in the first 9:25. Wisconsin tried to keep pace, but Harrar was strong in the paint and made a tough and-1 jumper to help Penn State extend its lead to nine with 2:12 to play. Penn State built on it with free throws in the waning seconds.
“The defensive end was my main concern here, how we were not able to keep the ball out of the paint,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. “The notion that we’re going to outscore teams is a fairytale. We’ve got to be really good defensively.”
The Nittany Lions scored 15 points off 12 Wisconsin turnovers and finished with 17 fast break points. Jamari Wheeler had five assists, while Seth Lundy and Brockington each had three.
“I just think the way we play, and when these guys are locked in and these guys share the ball like this, we’re a hard team to defend,” Ferry said.
Nate Reuvers led Wisconsin (13-5, 7-4) with 18 points, Aleem Ford had 15 and Tyler Wahl 13.
NO. 3 VILLANOVA 80 SETON HALL 72
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl scored 23 points in 21 minutes and the Wildcats rolled to their ninth straight victory with an unexpectedly easydecision over the Pirates at Newark, N.J.
Jermaine Samuels added 17 points and Justin Moore had 16 for Jay Wright’s team. Collin Gillespie had 11 points and a career-high 11 assists.
The Wildcats (11-1, 6-0 Big East) built a double-digit lead midway through the first half and were really never threatened in handing Seton Hall (9-8, 6-5) its third straight loss to a ranked opponent.
GEORGIA TECH 76, NO. 16 FLORIDA ST. 65
Moses Wright scored 23 points and the host Yellow Jackets ended the Seminoles’ five-game winning streak.
Florida State (10-3, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) had 19 points from RaiQuan Gray. The Seminoles couldn’t overcome Wright and the Yellow Jackets’ backcourt duo of Jose Alvarado, who had 21 points, and Michael Devoe, who had 19.
Georgia Tech (8-5, 4-3) never trailed in the second half and snapped a two-game losing streak. Gray was the Seminoles’ only scorer in double figures. Florida State was denied its attempt to go undefeated in January for the first time since the 1988-89 season.
The Yellow Jackets made only 2 of 12 3-point shots in the first half and 7 of 24 overall. The Seminoles finished 3 of 14 on 3s.
POSTPONEMENTS
No. 25 Louisville’s game against Boston College on Saturday was postponed due to virus issues within the Eagles’ program. This is Louisville’s fifth game this season to be postponed or cancelled due to the virus.
The Feb. 6 game between No. 22 St. Louis and George Washington has been postponed because of Covid-19.