PHILADELPHIA — In a thrilling match at the Wells Fargo Center, Penn State emerged victorious over Drexel, securing a 75-64 win on Saturday. Yanic Konan Niederhauser stood out with 18 points, while Ace Baldwin Jr. contributed 15 points and six assists to the team’s success.
The game saw Penn State maintain a comfortable lead at 51-38 with just 15 minutes remaining in the second half. However, Drexel mounted a significant comeback, narrowing the gap to 58-56 halfway through the final period. Kevon Vanderhorst played a pivotal role during this stretch, landing two three-pointers and totaling 10 points.
As the clock ticked down, a dunk from Cole Hargrove brought Drexel within two points at 62-60 with four minutes left. Yet, Konan Niederhauser responded with four quick points, igniting an 8-0 run that extended the Nittany Lions’ lead to 10 points with only two minutes remaining in the game.
Puff Johnson also made a notable contribution for Penn State, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Nick Kern Jr. added 13 points coming off the bench, rounding out the team’s strong performance. Yame Butler was leading scorer for Drexel with 16 points, followed closely by Vanderhorst, who netted 14 points off the bench.
Drexel initially came out strong, establishing a 15-8 lead within the first five and a half minutes. However, Nick Kern sparked an 8-0 run, scoring six points and flipping the game in Penn State’s favor. Soon after, Konan Niederhauser made a jumper, followed by a three-point play from Zach Hicks, solidifying Penn State’s lead, which they would not relinquish.
With this victory, Penn State improved to an impressive 10-2, marking their best start through 12 games since the 2019-20 season. The Nittany Lions also maintained a perfect 8-0 record against Drexel (now 8-5).
This matchup took place at the home arena of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers. Looking ahead, Penn State will return to Philadelphia for a game against Indiana on January 5 at the iconic Palestra. Prior to that, they will host Penn on December 29 and Northwestern on January 2.