Penn State closed its exhibition schedule the right way Monday night, edging Drexel 68-57 in Philadelphia to finish 2-0 before the games start counting.
The Nittany Lions had to work for it after taking just a 31-30 lead into halftime, but they separated in the second half and outscored the Dragons 37-27 over the final 20 minutes. Penn State leaned on a balanced scoring night, with 7-footer Ivan Juric leading the way on 17 points and five rebounds.
He also went 11 of 14 from the foul line. Josh Reed added 15 points, while Dasonte Bowen chipped in 12.
Drexel’s offense never found enough rhythm to keep pace, even though Josh Reed matched the team high with 15 points. No other Dragon reached double figures.
Penn State’s second-half push was enough to complete a clean exhibition run after last week’s win over Saint Bonaventure. The Nittany Lions also held the edge on the glass, finishing with 37 rebounds to Drexel’s 36. Bowen led Penn State with seven rebounds, and Drexel’s Josh Reed grabbed 11.
From the floor, Penn State shot 20 of 46 and made 26 of 36 free throws. Drexel finished 18 of 57 overall and went 15 of 23 at the line. The Nittany Lions also hit only two 3-pointers, but got enough production inside and at the stripe to control the game late.
Penn State opens the regular season next Monday night at home against Canisius. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Jordan Center.
In Other News...
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Penn State's Quarterback Search Just Got More Pressing For Matt Campbell
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The urgency is easy to see from Penn States side. The Nittany Lions still do not have a committed quarterback in the 2027 class after Will Wood decommitted, and Warren would have represented a major addition with the kind of production that made him such a sought-after prospect. Instead, Penn State is back in the market, and the next move in that search will matter plenty for a program still trying to lock down its future at the most important position on the field. [Read more 🡒]