Maine offense sputters Penn State rolls past Black Bears

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Penn State held the University of Maine to 25 percent shooting and just 19 points in the first half as the Nittany Lions rolled to a 75-42 men’s basketball victory Saturday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Geary Claxton led Penn State (8-4) with 21 points and four assists.

Jon Sheets scored 10 points to pace Maine (5-6), which got within five after Houlton native Mark Socoby hit a pair of free throws to make it 15-10. But the Nittany Lions scored the next seven points and led by double digits the rest of the way.

The Black Bears were outscored 40-23 in the second half.

Overall, Maine made just 14 of 56 field-goal attempts and hit only four of 22 shots from behind the 3-point line.

Claxton hit seven of 12 shots to lead a 27-for-58 (46.6 percent) shooting effort for Penn State. Danny Morrissey added 13 points and Jamelle Cornley had 10.

Penn State had a 46-35 rebounding advantage.

Sheets also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Junior Bernal added nine points and five rebounds, while Kevin Reed tallied eight points and a season-high five steals.

Maine junior center Brian Andre of Bingham made his debut Saturday, scoring seven points to go with a block, an assist, and a steal. He became eligible after transferring from the University of Buffalo.

NITTANY LIONS 75, BLACK BEARS 42

Maine (5-6) Penn State (8-4)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Bruff 0 1 2 3 2 Cornley 4 8 10

Bofia 2 7 0 0 4 Hassell 2 4 4

Sheets 3 14 2 2 10 Luber 0 5 0

Bernal 4 9 1 6 9 Claxton 7 12 21

Reed 2 8 2 2 8 Jackson 2 5 3 7

Socoby 0 6 2 2 2 Dubois 1 2 2

Andre 3 8 1 2 7 Walker 2 4 5

Cook 0 0 0 2 0 Obradvc 1 2 0 3

Ahvennmi 0 2 0 0 0 Leiner 0 1 0

Cavangh 0 1 0 0 0 Suotamo 2 3 4

Scovil 1 2 0 2

Morrissey 4 6 13

Bogetic 1 4 2 4

Totals 14 56 10 19 42 Totals 27 58 14 18 75

Maine 19 42

Penn State 35 75

3-pt. goals – Maine (4-22): Sheets 2-11, Reed 2-7, Socoby 0-4; Penn State (7-19): Claxton 2-3, Walker 1-3, Obradovic 1-1, Morrissey 3-4, Luber 0-4, Jackson 0-2, Dubois 0-1, Bogetic 0-1

Attendance: 5,868