Nebraska Basketball: Penn State Overcomes Huskers 58-54

Sometimes you're the pig. Sometimes you're the lipstick. Tonight, the Huskers were the pig. But, oh man, they were so close to being the Revlon part of this disgusting word picture.  There wasn't much about this game that anyone will look back on fondly. In fact, if you're a Nebraska basketball fan, there won't be anything as they dropped an agonizingly familiar game 58-54 to the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The Huskers led much of the game, even had a lead as big as nine points, 26-17, in the first half while Penn State was mired in a very Nebrasketball-esque scoreless drought of nearly nine minutes.

The Huskers held the lead for much of the first half and with 11:06 to go in the game after a Walter Pitchford three pushed it back to eight points. Penn State started chipping away from there, slowly taking advantage of the stagnant offense the Huskers threw on the floor.

Watching Penn State's scoring drought must have made the Huskers jealous, over the next 6:14, NU would only tally four points on a pair of Ray Gallegos jumpers. Penn St. took the lead for the first time at 47-45 with 4:19 to go.  Shavon Shields answered with a jumper to retake the lead 48-47.  They built the lead back to four which is when it got crazy...or, if you're a Husker fan, sickening and sadly familiar.

The Huskers turned the ball over, made poor decisions, silly fouls and still had a chance to win. Penn St, inbounding the ball with a two point lead after the two teams traded three pointers, Penn St. threw the ball out of bounds near midcourt.  With 11.6 seconds left, the Huskers had an opportunity to tie the game or win. Guard Deverell Biggs had the ball at the top of the key, tried to split the defense, lost control of the ball and in the ensuing scrum, got tied up. The alternating possession went to Penn State and the rest was academic.

The Huskers will look to move past this defeat when they take on Minnesota Sunday afternoon at Pinnacle Bank Arena.