UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In an impressive display of skill and teamwork, Puff Johnson scored 20 points and Ace Baldwin Jr. contributed 16, leading Penn State to a commanding 92-62 win against St. Francis (Pa.) on Tuesday night.
This victory marked the third consecutive domination by Penn State, which previously triumphed over Binghamton with a score of 108-66 and UMBC at 103-54. Johnson excelled with a shooting percentage of 87.5%, making 7 of 8 field goals, while Baldwin managed 5 of 14 from the floor. Together, they were responsible for five of the Nittany Lions’ nine successful three-point shots.
Further contributing to the team’s offense, Yanic Konan Niederhauser and D’Marco Dunn added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Penn State demonstrated their efficiency with a shooting percentage of 49%, capitalizing on 29 points generated from 24 turnovers made by their opponents.
Bobby Rosenberger III led the scoring for St. Francis with 14 points, while Valentino Pinedo chipped in with 11 points and Daemar Kelly had 10. The game began with Penn State racing ahead on an 11-0 run, although St. Francis fought back to reduce the deficit to 25-17. They even managed to seize a brief lead at 34-33, courtesy of a 17-8 push, just 2:17 before halftime. However, the Nittany Lions finished the first half strong, scoring 12 points compared to just 4 from St. Francis, giving them a lead of 45-38 at the break.
During the first half, Baldwin accounted for 12 of his points, while Johnson pitched in with 11, and Kelly had his entire ten points in the opening period for the Red Flash. Penn State continues to exhibit strong performance early in the season as they seek to maintain their momentum.