Penn State Basketball: Lions Latest Rally Falls Short at Iowa

Down 17 in the first half, the Lions made a run against the Hawkeyes but fell 90-81 in a Big Ten road game.

Author:
Mark Wogenrich
Updated:
Feb 27, 2024 11:54 PM EST

In this story:

Ace Baldwin Jr. sought to lead Penn State on another second-half comeback, but his team's sluggish start and a curious technical foul conspired against the rally. Iowa made a 17-point first-half lead stand up in a 90-81 win Tuesday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, ending the Nittany Lions' two-game win streak. The game also was notable for an Iowa milestone: Payton Sandfort recorded the first triple-double in Iowa men's basketball history.

Baldwin scored all 11 of his points in the second half, as Penn State attempted another double-digit rally in a Big Ten game this season. The Nittany Lions (14-15, 8-10) closed that 17-point deficit to two in the second half, but Iowa cut off the rally and benefited from an odd technical foul call on Baldwin.

Just over three minutes into the half, Baldwin said something to an Iowa ball-handler and drew the technical from official D.J. Carstensen. Unlike the technical Penn State coach Mike Rhoades received in the first half (also from Carstensen), this one curbed a rally instead of beginning one. Iowa extended its lead to 10 points over the next 4 minutes, and then expanded it to 15 as Penn State went scoreless over a 3-minute stretch.

As it has most of the season, Penn State fought behind Baldwin but didn't have the stamina to overcome multiple double-digit deficits against the Hawkeyes. Baldwin, who went 0-for-7 and scoreless from the field in the first half, made 5 of 8 shots in the second half. Baldwin continues to will Penn State, even from deep deficits, but wasn't alone in struggling during the first half.

Penn State shot 39.5 percent in the first half, making just 1 of 9 attempts from 3-point range, and turned over over the ball three times in the first four minutes. The Nittany Lions made 12 3-pointers in their win over Iowa at the Bryce Jordan Center in early February. They made just four on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Iowa (17-12, 9-9) shot 50 percent from 3-point range and held a significant advantage from the foul line (taking 37 free throws to Penn State's 23). The Lions also made just 13 of those free throws. And Sandfort grabbed a rebound with under 30 seconds remaining to produce the first triple-double in Iowa men's basketball history. Sandfort finished with a game-high 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

"Good for him, congratulations, I wish it wasn't against us," Penn State coach Mike Rhoades said after the game.

Qudus Wahab led Penn State with 18 points (tying a season-high), and RayQuawndis Mitchell broke into double-digits for the first time this season, scoring 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting. In all, Penn State's bench scored 39 points. That included four from Demetrius Lilley in his first appearance after a five-game absence.