Penn State Edges Out Washington in Thrilling Matchup
In a tightly contested matchup, Penn State edged out Washington with a final score of 63-60 on Wednesday in Seattle. Key contributions came from Freddie Dilione V, who netted 16 points, and Josh Reed, who added 14 to the scoreboard. Alongside them, Kayden Mingo and Eli Rice both contributed 13 points to the Nittany Lions’ efforts.
Game Highlights
With this victory, Penn State improved its record to 11-14 overall and 2-12 in Big Ten play, snapping a difficult stretch that had seen the team lose ten out of their last eleven games. The game saw several critical moments, including a pivotal goaltending call against Washington’s Franck Kepnang, which allowed Mingo to score and gave the Nittany Lions a crucial 61-59 advantage with just 1:22 on the clock.
Washington’s Zoom Diallo struggled with a jumper that nearly tied the game but rolled out, while Mingo missed the opportunity to extend his team’s lead when he failed to convert a 1-and-1 free throw situation. However, Hannes Steinbach managed to secure one free throw, and Rice subsequently bolstered the Nittany Lions’ lead with two successful foul shots with 20.1 seconds remaining.
“Despite a valiant effort, Washington couldn’t capitalize on the late-game situations, with Wesley Yates III failing to secure a tying three-pointer as time expired.”
Standout Performers
Steinbach stood out for the Huskies, scoring 19 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, marking his 16th double-double of the season—a program record for a freshman and the second most in the Big Ten since the 1996-97 season. For context, the previous Huskies’ record was held by Isaiah Stewart, who had 14 double-doubles in the 2019-20 season.
Yates contributed 11 points for Washington, which now sits at a record of 12-13 overall and 4-10 in conference play. Unfortunately for the Huskies, they have now lost three consecutive games and seven of their last nine outings. Despite a dunk from Kepnang that gave Washington a brief lead late in the game, the team faltered with three missed shots and two turnovers in the final stretch.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Penn State will face Oregon on Saturday, while Washington will prepare to host Minnesota the same day. The matchup concluded with a palpable sense of urgency as both teams fight for momentum as the season progresses.
