Penn State men’s basketball leaned on a 17-2 run and a triple-double by guard Jalen Pickett to hold off Butler 68-62 on Monday evening at the Bryce Jordan Center to improve to 3-0 on the year.
The Nittany Lions started off Monday’s game much like its first two, going ahead 15-4 behind balanced scoring from both in the paint and beyond the arc. Butler would close to the gap to just five later on in the first half but the Bulldogs would make just three of their first 15 shots as Penn State paired timely offense with fairly consistent defense and rebounding the opening 20 minutes of play.
Pickett struggled offensively in the first half going just 2-for-10 from the floor by dished out seven assists and pulled down rebounds to post a strong start to his eventual triple-double effort. Pickett’s triple-double was just the second in program history, the first since Calvin Booth did the same in 1998.
While Butler struggled in the first half to find its shot, the Bulldogs opened the second half making five of their first eight attempts from the field, eventually tying the game at 38-38 with 15:39 to go in regulation. Butler would take a two point lead not long thereafter, a 42-40 margin with 13:55 to go.
It was in this moment that Penn State, which had faced no real test in its previous two games, had an opportunity to answer the call against an early season challenge. The Nittany Lions did just that, making nine of the game’s next 11 baskets to turn a two point deficit into 16-point lead with just under six minutes to go. Two makes from beyond the arc by transfer Andrew Funk helped spark the run but Penn State would get scoring from six different players over the course of an eventual 17-2 run to retake a commanding lead.
However, like all things Penn State men’s basketball, the wins don’t always come easily and a furious 16-4 run in the game’s final minutes gave Butler some hope, down just five with 56 seconds to go. The Nittany Lions would couple made free throws and a dunk by Seth Lundy to stave off the Bulldogs in the game’s final moments.
Four different Nittany Lions finished the game in double-figures [Lundy 10, Funk 11, Camren Wynter 11, Pickett 15] while Caleb Dorsey finished the evening with nine of his own. Pickett was once again the do-it-all star with his 15-point, 10-rebound and 11-assist outing. Pickett also did not turn the ball over once throughout the proceedings. After two explosive outings from behind the arc, Penn State produced a more modest showing from deep, making 10 three-pointers on 24 attempts. Penn State shot nearly 46% from the field overall.
The Nittany Lions next host Furman on Thursday morning in Charleston, South Carolina as part of the Charleston Classic.
