BTN.com staff, January 19, 2012
Tim Frazier hit the game-winning shot with six seconds to go and Illinois missed as a shot as time expired giving Penn State a 54-52 win over No. 25 Illinois on Thursday. See the box score here.
Cammeron Woodyard scored 17 points, hauled in four rebounds, and made 6-of-10 shots from the floor for Penn State. The Fighting Illini shot just 35 percent from the field (17-of-49), Brandon Paul had 20 points, and Meyers Leonard finished with 15 points. There are no men's games on Friday but three more on Saturday. Check out the latest Big Ten standings.
Penn State 54, Illinois 52: BOX | PREVIEW | RECAP | SCOREBOARD | @BTN_Illinois & @BTN_Penn_State
FINAL: Tim Frazier hit the game-winning shot with six seconds to go, lifting Penn State to a 54-52 over No. 25 Illinois on Thursday at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park. Frazier's clutch field goal was part of a 12-point performance for the junior, and Penn State (10-10) escaped with a dramatic victory. Cammeron Woodyard and Frazier both had good games for the Nittany Lions. Woodyard scored 17 points, hauled in four rebounds, and made 6-of-10 shots from the floor.
Frazier pulled down four rebounds and dished out nine assists. Penn State was able to carry momentum into the break and sustain it to start the second half. Down 17-9 with 9:54 to go in the first half, the Nittany Lions broke out for a 22-6 run to take an eight-point lead early in the second half. Ball movement led to 14 assists on their 20 baskets for Penn State. Brandon Paul contributed 20 points, grabbed six rebounds, and had three assists for Illinois (15-4) in the game. The Fighting Illini shot just 35 percent from the field (17-of-49). Illinois also got a double-digit contribution from Meyers Leonard, who scored 15.
HALFTIME: Penn State found itself trailing No. 25 Illinois late in the first half, but a 16-6 run allowed the Nittany Lions to take a 25-23 lead into halftime. Neither team has been able to take control of the game as the lead changed hands five times. The game was tied 9-9 before the Nittany Lions went into a funk, going the next 1:50 without scoring, and allowing the Fighting Illini to take a 17-9 lead in the first. Illinois had six offensive rebounds in the first half, leading to second-chance opportunities. The Fighting Illini distributed the ball well, with six assists on eight field goals in the first half. Penn State's Cammeron Woodyard had a big first half, with 10 points. Brandon Paul is putting together a nice game so far for Illinois. The junior has nine points and three rebounds.
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