MINNEAPOLIS — Yanic Konan Niederhauser led the charge for the Nittany Lions, scoring 24 points as Penn State showcased a strong performance, overcoming Minnesota with a final score of 69-60 on Saturday.

The Gophers began the game on a high note, with Lu’Cye Patterson hitting a three-pointer that pushed their lead to 24-15, just nine minutes before halftime. However, they struggled after that, managing only two free throws from Dawson Garcia for the rest of the half. The Nittany Lions took advantage, finishing the half on a 7-0 run to lead 28-26 by the break, with Konan Niederhauser contributing 14 points during this period.

After halftime, the Golden Gophers initially bounced back, hitting their first four shots and taking a 35-33 lead with 17 minutes left in the game. Unfortunately for them, they hit a scoring drought that lasted over six minutes, missing nine consecutive attempts and surrendering a 13-0 run to Penn State, which included six points from Konan Niederhauser, leading to a 46-35 advantage for the Nittany Lions.

During a critical 17-minute segment that stretched across both halves, Penn State limited the Gophers to just 11 points. Until the final 3.5 minutes, the Nittany Lions largely held onto a double-digit lead. Minnesota attempted a comeback, scoring six free throws in an 8-0 run to narrow the gap to just three points at 60-57 with 1:44 remaining.

To secure the victory, Penn State’s Ace Baldwin Jr. and Nick Kern combined for six free throws. Konan Niederhauser capped off the game with a dunk and an additional free throw to seal the win. Baldwin contributed significantly with 10 points and seven assists, while teammate Freddie Dilione V also pitched in 10 points for the Nittany Lions, who improved to 15-13 overall and 5-12 in Big Ten play.

For Minnesota (14-13, 6-10), Femi Odukale was the top scorer with 15 points, while Garcia finished his night with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Patterson, Mike Mitchell Jr., and Isaac Asuma each added 10 points.

Following the victory, Penn State has secured back-to-back wins, rebounding from a challenging stretch where they lost seven consecutive games. Looking ahead, Minnesota is set to face Northwestern on Tuesday, while Penn State will travel to Indiana on Wednesday.