The Penn State Nittany Lions upset Michigan State in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament and may very well have punched their ticket to the big dance as well. Just one day after they managed just 36 points in a win over Wisconsin, the Penn State offense looked far more effective as they scored an emphatic 61-48 upset win over the Spartans.
Talor Battle led the Nittany Lions again with 25 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore guard Tim Frazier also had a big night with 22 points, 8 boards and 6 assists. After ending the first half tied at 26, Penn State came storming out with a 16-7 run to open the second half. They never relinquished that lead and down the stretch the game was never really in doubt.
The win means Penn State secures its first ever Big Ten championship game appearance. They will face the conference and the nation’s #1 seed Ohio State. With a win, Penn State earns the conference’s automatic bid tot he NCAA tournament. However, their performance in the tournament may have already earned them an at large bid even if they lose.