Penn State had to sweat this one out, but the Nittany Lions did enough at home to survive Chattanooga 97-93 and move to 2-0 on the season.
The game opened with both teams trading early punches from deep. Thomas Allard got Penn State rolling with eight straight points, and the Nittany Lions were 3-for-4 from beyond the arc early on. Still, Chattanooga answered right back, shooting 75% from three and helping the game settle into an 11-11 tie at the first media timeout with 15:52 left in the first half.
Francois Wibaut then gave Penn State a lift, finishing an and-1 at the rim before knocking down a three to push the Nittany Lions ahead 17-11 with 14:02 remaining. From there, Penn State started to separate by doing the little things better.
The Nittany Lions were winning the glass 10-2, and by the second media timeout at 10:50, they were up 23-18. Allard had eight points, Wibaut had six, and Dasonte Bowen had five.
Penn State’s edge kept growing. At the 8:28 mark, the Nittany Lions had built their biggest lead of the night at 30-20, feeding off a clear advantage in effort and pace.
They were quicker to loose balls on both ends, and that energy showed up on the scoreboard. With 5:56 left before halftime, Penn State was shooting 59% from the field and leading 40-24.
The Nittany Lions also made life difficult on Chattanooga at the foul line. Penn State’s size and physicality kept sending the Mocs to the stripe, and the Blue & White cashed in, going 13-for-14 from the line. That helped stretch the margin to 46-24 with 3:37 left in the half.
By halftime, Penn State was in control at 54-31. The Nittany Lions had shot 50% from the floor, gone 21-for-22 at the free throw line, and out-rebounded Chattanooga 22-11. Josh Reed led the way with 11 points.
Chattanooga came out swinging to start the second half, scoring the first eight points before Wibaut finally snapped Penn State’s drought with a 10-footer. Even then, the Mocs kept pressing. Penn State led 58-42 at the 15:50 mark, but Chattanooga trimmed the gap to 13 with 14:30 left and kept making things uncomfortable.
At the first media timeout of the second half, with 12:00 remaining, Penn State was clinging to a 66-54 lead. The Mocs had found some rhythm, while the Nittany Lions were trying to rediscover the flow they had in the opening 20 minutes.
When the shots stopped falling, Penn State adjusted by going inside. The Nittany Lions attacked the rim and worked the ball to Ivan Juric, and that approach kept paying off at the line. Chattanooga still refused to fold, though, and with 7:16 left, Penn State’s lead was down to 78-68.
Juric kept carving out space near the basket and getting quality looks, and with 5:14 remaining, Penn State led 81-72. Chattanooga kept chipping away, cutting it to 89-83 with 1:36 left, but the Nittany Lions held on the rest of the way for the four-point win.
In Other News...
Penn State Wrestling Lineup Just Got A Huge Preseason Shakeup
Penn States wrestling lineup took a significant hit before the season even gets started, with Levi Haines no longer eligible for a fifth year after the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the NCAA on the question of extra eligibility for athletes in the 2022 class who did not redshirt. Haines leaves behind a decorated run in Happy Valley, where he finished four years with multiple titles and capped his recent international surge by winning a world championship at 79 KG.
For Penn State, the timing matters as much as the loss itself. Haines had been part of the conversation around how the lineup would settle in for the season opener against Bloomsburg, and his absence now forces the staff to adjust weight class plans sooner than expected. The ripple effect goes beyond one spot, because a wrestler of his caliber changes not just who fills the slot, but how the rest of the lineup is arranged around him. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Have Plenty To Say About These Offseason Changes
Penn State Athletics spent the week rolling out a mix of upgrades and promotions that touch several corners of the program, with Beaver Stadium renovations once again front and center. The latest update highlighted new chairback seats and more legroom in the west lower bowl, part of the ongoing effort to reshape the fan experience while the stadium work continues around the program.
There was plenty else for supporters to sort through, too, as the department unveiled a student rewards program that gives extra entries into the 2027 football ticket lottery for attending campus sporting events. Penn State also released its 2027 baseball schedule, which opens with a series in the Bahamas, while wrestling continued to draw attention after three recruits were ranked among the top 10 in the 2027 class by MatScouts. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Surge Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Washington
Penn States recent surge has been built on the kind of balance that travels well in November, with a punishing rushing attack, a defense that has mostly controlled the line of scrimmage and enough stability in the kicking game to keep pressure on opponents. Washington brings a different profile into the matchup, and the contrast is part of what makes this one interesting for the Nittany Lions, who have looked increasingly complete as the season has gone on.
The Huskies have had trouble getting much going on the ground and have also been tested in pass protection, which puts extra weight on every possession against a Penn State defense that has been difficult to move. Special teams and coaching will matter too, especially in a game where field position and adjustments could tilt things quickly, and the prediction record around this matchup reflects how closely the two teams are being measured even as Penn State enters with the clearer edge. [Read more 🡒]