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The Big Ten only had one game on Tuesday night, but it was an important one in the league standings and for postseason implications as Penn State traveled to face Wisconsin.
Let’s take a look at what happened.
Game of the Night:
-Wisconsin Badgers 63, Penn State Nittany Lions 60
Heading into tip, this looked like a really intriguing matchup. Penn State had shown improved play over the last few months and the Badgers were reeling, having lost three straight. It figured to be a key opportunity for the Nittany Lions to pull off a road upset.
The game ultimately lived up to that billing, going down to the wire. However, Penn State wasn’t able to do enough to grab the win as Wisconsin earned a 63-60 victory. Steven Crowl led the way with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Notably, Tyler Wahl also returned to the lineup after missing the last few games.
Wisconsin improved to 12-5 overall and 4-3 in Big Ten play with the win. But more importantly, and as mentioned above, the win snapped a three-game skid for the Badgers. Things were starting to look rough, so stopping the bleeding was a great first step, especially with a tricky road game at Northwestern scheduled next. Wahl’s return is also notable as it clearly boosted Wisconsin’s frontcourt depth.
On the other side, Penn State fell to 12-6 overall and 3-4 in Big Ten play with the loss. It was the team’s third loss in four games and erased most of the good feelings following the Penn State’s blowout win over Indiana last week. The team’s defense has been an issue during the run, with the unit dropping to 77th nationally. The Nittany Lions will hope to rebound with Nebraska at home on Saturday. KenPom favors Penn State in the matchup, so fans will be hoping they can take advantage of the opportunity.
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