Controversial Call Kills the Lions: Penn State falls to Georgia Tech

Penn State traveled to Madison Square Garden to battle Georgia Tech for a huge non-conference matchup for both teams. The Yellow Jackets secured the win over the Nittany Lions, 82-81 in overtime, dropping the blue and white to 5-6 on the season.

It was a back-and-forth affair for the entire game, with both teams trying to take control throughout the contest. The Yellow Jackets would open up a lead as large as 10 in the second half, which the Nittany Lions were able to erase with strong performances from guards Ace Baldwin Jr. and Kanye Clary.

40 minutes would not be enough, as the game would head to overtime all tied at 72. An electric overtime period would be as competitive as the first two halves.

Penn State took the lead on a Kanye Clary floater with 23 seconds to go, putting Penn State one stop away from stealing the win in MSG. After two misses from Kowacie Reeves, Myles Kelly got the offensive rebound and was fouled by Baldwin on a scramble play, which sent Kelly to the line for two free throws and a chance to win the game.

Upon review, it was evident there was little-to-no contact on the play, but with fouls not being reviewable in college basketball, the call would stand and Kelly would net two clutch free throws to give Georgia Tech a one-point lead. Baldwin’s three-point shot at the buzzer would not fall, and the Yellow Jackets would get another big win for their resume on the year.

The stat that stands out in the game was the battle on the boards, which Georgia Tech dominated, being +22 in the rebounding differential, with 20 offensive rebounds in the contest as well. This has been an issue all season for the Nittany Lions, and was critical in this game, with an offensive rebound on the final possession leading to the Yellow Jackets being able to steal the win in Madison Square Garden.

However, Penn State’s offense remained strong, with four players scoring over 15 points. Kanye Clary led the way with 23 points, Ace Baldwin Jr. added 18, D’Marco Dunn netted 17 off the bench and fellow North Carolina transfer Puff Johnson scored 15, a season-high for Johnson.

Penn State will look to bounce back on Thursday, Dec. 21 when the Nittany Lions welcome Le Moyne to the Bryce Jordan Center, with tip-off set for 7 p.m.

Adam Sheetz is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ads360@psu.edu.