INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jeff Brooks finished with 15 points and seven rebounds, Talor Battle scored 13 and sixth-seeded Penn State held off Indiana 61-55 in the first round of the Big Ten tournament Thursday night.
The win may help Penn State (17-13) make its case with the NCAA’s selection committee. Four teams, including Penn State, entered the tournament with 9-9 conference records.
Indiana (12-20) was led by Christian Watford with 15 points. The Hoosiers closed the season on a nine-game losing streak and with their third straight losing season — the first time that’s happened since 1967-70.
Penn State took a 28-27 lead on Brooks’ buzzer-beating tip just before the half and followed a similar script in the second half. Brooks keyed an 11-4 run early in the second half that gave the Nittany Lions a 42-35 lead, and Andrew Jones scored four points in a 6-0 run that sealed it.
