Blackmon Beats Buzzer For 78-75 Win at Penn State

Wednesday, January 18

University Park, PA

7:00 PM

Indiana University

13-6, 3-3

Penn State

11-8, 3-3

Indiana

Penn State

Blackmon Beats Buzzer For 78-75 Win at Penn State

1/18/2017 9:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Indiana Hoosiers held off an intrepid Penn State effort for a 78-75 win at the Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday night. James Blackmon Jr. stunned the home crowd at the final buzzer, going coast-to-coast before dropping a game winning contested 3-pointer.

Blackmon Jr., Robert Johnson, and Thomas Bryant executed a three-headed attack, scoring 17 points each. The buzzer-beater was Blackmon Jr.'s fifth 3-pointer of the evening, and he added 5 rebounds and 3 assists to the effort. Johnson drained three 3-pointers and hauled in 7 rebounds, while Bryant converted 7-of-10 from the field with 9 boards.

The Hoosiers (13-6, 3-3) pick up their second consecutive Big Ten win, and their third in four games. Penn State moves to 11-8 with a 3-3 record in Big Ten play.

Bryant and Blackmon Jr. led the Hoosiers into the halftime locker room at 9 points apiece, with all of Blackmon Jr.'s points coming from behind the arc. Bryant played a crucial role in the Hoosiers regaining the lead after a quick start by Penn State.

Trailing by three at the midpoint, Bryant cut the deficit with two makes at the free throw line. Devonte Green shifted momentum two minutes later, when his tip block led into an IU fast break. Green hammered a bounce pass across the lane to Bryant, who flushed a dunk in transition and converted the and-one attempt.

Indiana stretched their lead with an 10-2 run before the final time out of the first half. All 10 of Indiana's points came in the paint, led by two layups from Curtis Jones. OG Anunoby scored 8 points in the final six minutes, capped by a hard drive and high-rising dunk to give IU a 6-point lead. Johnson and Blackmon Jr. scored back-to-back 3-pointers to close the half with IU leading 44-37.

Despite a balanced attack from the Hoosiers in the second half, led by Johnson's 10 points, Penn State stormed back into the fray. Indiana and Penn State traded buckets throughout the first 15 minutes before the home team mounted an 8-0 scoring run. The Nittany Lions closed the half with 7 unanswered points to tie things at the free throw line with 4 seconds remaining.

The Hoosiers had one chance to avoid overtime, so they went to the hot hand. Blackmon Jr. received the inboundS pass in the backcourt, dashed for the right wing, and pulled up for a 3-pointer in motion next to Indiana's bench. His shot lofted through the air, the buzzer sounded, and the splash of nylon broke the tense air at the Bryce Jordan Center.

The Hoosiers will have a few days to prepare for their upcoming showdown with Michigan State on Saturday, January 21 at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The game will tip off at 4:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.