National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Penn St. 60, Bucknell 57
When: 4:30 PM ET, Friday, November 23, 2012
Where: Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, Pennsylvania
Officials: # Jim Bruno, # D.J. Carstensen, # Larry Scirotto
Attendance: 7713
Penn State 60, Bucknell 57: Jermaine Marshall scored 17 points and Brandon Taylor added 16 as the Nittany Lions overcame a terrible first half to edge the visiting Bison.

D.J. Newbill collected 10 points, seven assists and as many rebounds for Penn State (3-2), which was playing its first full game since star Tim Frazier was lost for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The Nittany Lions shot 16.1 percent (5 of 31) in the first half but only trailed 22-16 at the break due to Bucknell’s own scoring problems. The second half was a different story, as both teams came out strong and Penn State started to connect from beyond the arc.

The Nittany Lions took the lead at 37-36 on Marshall’s 3-pointer with 11:04 left and made it a 48-41 edge when Ross Travis buried one from beyond the arc with 6:33 on the clock. The Bison would close to within 59-57 in the final minute but Marshall split a pair of free throws and Cameron Ayers missed a tying 3-point attempt.

Bryson Johnson scored 18 points, Ayers added 14 and Mike Muscala collected 10 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks for Bucknell (5-1), which nearly beat its second Big Ten school of the season.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Frazier was hurt six minutes into the Nittany Lions’ last game, an 85-60 loss to Akron. … Penn State ended up shooting 65.4 percent in the second half, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range. … The Bison beat the Big Ten’s Purdue in its season opener.
Top Game Performances
 
Bucknell   Penn St.
Bryson Johnson 18 Scoring Jermaine Marshall 17
Steven Kaspar 2 Assists D.J. Newbill 7
Mike Muscala 12 Rebounds Ross Travis 8
Bryson Johnson 9 Free Throws Made Jermaine Marshall 7
Bryson Johnson 1 Steals Jermaine Marshall 4
Mike Muscala 5 Blocks Jonathan Graham 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Bucknell 57 39.0 5-18 20-25 7 31 5 3 13
Penn St. 60 38.6 7-19 9-20 9 33 3 8 8