Minnesota Falls Short Against Penn State Despite Strong Individual Performances

In front of a season-high crowd of 11,292 at Williams Arena, the Minnesota Golden Gophers suffered a 69-60 defeat against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Despite strong individual performances, Minnesota struggled with shooting efficiency and was ultimately unable to overcome key scoring droughts.

Odukale Leads Balanced Scoring Effort

Femi Odukale led Minnesota with 15 points, marking an efficient outing as he went a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. He also tied for the team-high in assists with four. Dawson Garcia added a double-double, contributing 11 points and 10 rebounds—his seventh of the season. Other key contributors included Lu'Cye Patterson, Isaac Asuma, and Mike Mitchell Jr., each finishing with 10 points. Asuma also made an impact on both ends of the floor, tallying five rebounds, three steals, and two assists.

Despite this balanced effort, Minnesota’s offensive struggles were evident throughout the game. The team shot just 33.9% from the field (20-of-59) and struggled from beyond the arc, making only 5-of-23 three-point attempts (21.7%). While they remained solid from the free-throw line (15-of-20, 75%), Penn State outperformed them in that category, converting 23-of-25 attempts (92%).

Penn State’s Offensive Firepower and Key Runs

The Nittany Lions were led by Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who delivered a dominant performance with 24 points and seven rebounds. Ace Baldwin Jr. orchestrated the offense with 10 points and seven assists, while Freddie Dilione V added 10 points and six rebounds. Penn State also won the rebounding battle 36-34 and capitalized on Minnesota’s offensive droughts.

A Game of Runs and Missed Opportunities

Minnesota started strong, jumping out to an 8-2 lead by forcing three early turnovers and knocking down shots from beyond the arc. A Mitchell Jr. three-pointer and an Asuma jumper helped the Gophers push their lead to 13-6 within the first four minutes. They extended the advantage to 17-10 before Penn State responded with a 5-0 run.

Minnesota appeared to regain control with a 7-0 burst that extended their lead to 24-15, but their offense stagnated for the remainder of the half. A four-minute scoring drought allowed Penn State to climb back, and a late 7-0 run propelled the Nittany Lions to a 28-26 lead at halftime. The Gophers missed their final 13 field-goal attempts of the half and shot just 26.7% from the floor in the opening period.

Second Half Collapse

Minnesota briefly reclaimed the lead early in the second half after a baseline dunk from Parker Fox and a quick five points from Odukale. Garcia’s floater tied the game at 35-35, but Penn State took over from there. A decisive 13-0 run put the Nittany Lions up 46-35, with the Gophers going over six minutes without a field goal. A tip-in from Frank Mitchell ended the drought, but Penn State remained in control, stretching the lead to 50-37.

Minnesota fought back late, cutting the deficit to three points with 1:44 remaining after an 8-0 run fueled by Odukale’s dunk and clutch free throws. However, Penn State responded by closing out the game at the line, going 7-of-7 in the final 91 seconds to secure the victory.

Looking Ahead

The loss drops Minnesota to 14-13 overall and 6-10 in Big Ten play, while Penn State improves to 15-13 (5-12 B1G). Minnesota will aim to rebound in their next matchup against Northwestern on Tuesday, Feb. 25, with tipoff scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CST on Peacock. With just a few games left in the regular season, the Gophers need to address their offensive inconsistencies if they hope to finish strong and bolster their postseason chances.