Penn State Survives Wild Finish Against Northwestern In Instant Classic

Zach Hicks scored 20 points and Ace Baldwin Jr. chipped in 17 as host Penn State nipped visiting Northwestern 84-80 in a controversial Big Ten contest Thursday in University Park, Pa.

The Wildcats trailed by a bucket in the waning moments of the game and had a chance to tie or take the lead, but a series of bizarre plays led to the Nittany Lions escaping with a victory.

Hicks and Baldwin Jr. led the charge for Penn State, which improved to 12-5 on the season and 3-2 in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions have now won two straight games and are looking to build momentum as they head into the second half of the conference schedule.

Northwestern, on the other hand, fell to 8-9 overall and 1-4 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats have struggled to find consistency this season and are still searching for their first road win in conference play.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading baskets and playing tenacious defense. Penn State led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but Northwestern battled back to take a 41-39 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The second half was just as intense, with the Nittany Lions and Wildcats going on several runs and counter-runs. Hicks and Baldwin Jr. were the catalysts for Penn State, combining for 37 points and 10 assists in the game.

Despite the loss, Northwestern had several bright spots. The Wildcats outrebounded Penn State 35-29 and forced 15 turnovers, which led to 20 points. However, they were unable to overcome a poor shooting night, hitting just 43 percent of their field goal attempts.

The controversial finish to the game will be remembered for a long time. With the Wildcats trailing by two points and just seconds remaining, a wild sequence of events led to the Nittany Lions being awarded the ball and running out the clock.

While the loss was tough to swallow, Northwestern coach Chris Collins was proud of his team's effort. "I thought our guys fought really hard and played with a lot of heart," he said. "We just came up a little short."

Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry was relieved to have come out on top. "It was a crazy game, but we found a way to win," he said. "I'm proud of our guys for hanging in there and making the plays we needed to make down the stretch."

The Nittany Lions will look to build on the momentum from this win when they host Ohio State on Sunday. The Wildcats, meanwhile, will try to bounce back when they visit Iowa on Sunday.