Penn State Falls to VCU, Goes 0-3 at ESPN Events Invitational
Penn State men's basketball finished a rough trip to Florida on Sunday, falling to VCU 86-74 and losing leading scorer Kanye Clary for much of the game. The Nittany Lions went 0-3 at the ESPN Events Invitational at Walt Disney World, with losses to Texas A&M, Butler and head coach Mike Rhoades' former team. Here's a look at the Nittany Lions, now 4-3:
Penn State's Kanye Clary gets hurt but returns
Clary, the team's leading scorer through six games, left the game with a first-half injury after playing just 3 minutes. The ESPNU broadcast showed Clary on the bench with his right forearm wrapped. Clary returned with 11:30 left in the game and Penn State trailing by two, seeking to spark an offensive run. However, Clary clearly struggled. He played 9 total minutes, took just one shot and did not score.
Clary, the 5-11 sophomore guard, entered the game averaging a team-high 19.5 points per game. He scored 117 points through six games, matching his season total as a freshman. Clary has three 20-point games, including a career-high 28 in the Nittany Lions' 88-78 loss to Butler on Friday.
Ace Baldwin Jr. shines against his former team
Baldwin and Nick Kern joined head coach Mike Rhoades in moving from VCU to Penn State this offseason but couldn't get the win over their former team. Baldwin certainly tried, though. He led the Lions with 27 points (a career-high) and added five assists. Kern scored seven points.
Penn State struggles to get second-half offensive contributions
Penn State, which trailed by six at halftime, rallied to take a 3-point lead largely behind two players: Baldwin and Qudus Wahab. The two scored 24 of the Lions' 34 second-half points, but no other Lion scored through nearly 16 minutes of the second half. Baldwin and Wahab combined to shoot 9 of 15 in the half. Their teammates went 2-for-12.
Calibrating expectations in Florida
Penn State headed to the tournament with an unbeaten record against one of the nation's most favorable early schedules (ranked 355th according to Ken Pomeroy). They left Florida with double-digit losses to Texas A&M (89-77), Butler (88-78) and VCU.
Penn State played its best game of the tournament in the Thanksgiving opener against No. 12 Texas A&M. The Lions trailed by 3 points late, making six of seven shots in the final minutes, but couldn't deliver the defensive stops they needed. The Lions shot a season-best 52.8 percent from the field, but the Aggies shot nearly 60 percent. Clary led the Lions with 19 points.
Up Next
Penn State returns home to host Bucknell on Dec. 3. Tip-off is scheduled for noon at the Bryce Jordan Center.
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