Lycoming News

The University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team concluded its non-conference season with a loss to Penn State, 86-66, on Sunday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Quakers were close at halftime, trailing by just three points, and remained competitive until the final 11 minutes when Penn State made a decisive run.

Penn's record now stands at 4-9 as they prepare for Ivy League play against Dartmouth in two weeks. Meanwhile, Penn State improved their record to 11-2 with this victory.

Michael Zanoni was the standout player for Penn, scoring a career-high 27 points and tying his personal best with six rebounds. He also made seven three-pointers, which is the most by any Penn player this season and tied for eighth-most in program history. Nick Spinoso was another key contributor for the Quakers with 13 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.

Freshman Bradyn Foster scored eight points in nearly 16 minutes of play during his third collegiate game. Sophomore Niklas Polonowski added eight points as well.

For Penn State, Ace Baldwin Jr. led with 23 points and contributed ten assists. Yanic Kohan Niederhauser had an impressive performance with 19 points and 15 rebounds.

The game began with Penn taking an early lead after Zanoni hit free throws and Polonowski made a three-pointer. However, PSU responded strongly before halftime to take a narrow lead into the break. In the second half, despite efforts from Zanoni and others to keep pace, PSU's offense surged ahead decisively in the closing stages.

Penn will next face Dartmouth on January 11th as they begin their Ivy League campaign.