The Penn State Nittany Lions knew they had to go on a bit of a run if they were to stake a reasonable claim to a spot in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Today, they notched their third win in a row in the 2011 Big Ten Tournament, and that might just be enough to get them a spot on the dance floor.
Talor Battle poured in 25 points on the afternoon, and Tim Frazier added 22 for the Nittany Lions as they took down the Michigan State Spartans by a final score of 61-48. That win earns them the right to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the finals of the tournament tomorrow afternoon.
The two teams went into the locker room tied at 26, and Michigan State took a 29-28 lead early in the half, but the Nittany Lions went on a 14-2 run, keyed by four straight three-pointers by Battle. The Nittany Lions remained firmly in control the rest of the way, as Michigan State just couldn't get anything going after the halftime break.
The Spartans were led in scoring for the afternoon by Kalin Lucas, who has 16. Durrell Summers chipped in with 11, and Draymond Green added 10 in the losing effort.
So, the Big Ten Tournament finals are set, as we'll have Penn State taking on Ohio State from Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Tip-off is set for 2:30 PM Central time tomorrow, and you'll be able to watch all the action on your local CBS station.