Penn State staves off comeback bid, earns 86-83 win at Nebraska
With all the momentum in Nebraska’s hands after quickly erasing a Penn State lead with three consecutive 3-pointers, the ball rested in the grasp of a man who shot 24.7 percent from beyond the arc over the first three seasons of his career as he rose up to shoot.
That man was Jamari Wheeler, and anyone who’s watched Penn state this season knows those numbers don’t apply anymore.
Wheeler’s 3-pointer was pure, restoring Penn State’s lead with six minutes to go. The Nittany Lions never trailed again in an 86-83 victory.
“He showed a lot of ‘onions,’” Penn State (8-12, 5-11) interim head coach Jim Ferry said. “He put the time in, and he stepped into his shot.
“He’s earned the right to take those shots. He’s put the time in. We all trust him.”
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The clutch shot was just the latest showcase of Wheeler’s development from a tenacious defensive specialist into a guard who can score, but hasn’t lost any of his grit.
He’d cashed in on 37 percent of his shots from 3-point range coming into Tuesday’s game with the Cornhuskers, where he knocked down another trio of triples on eight attempts to go with five rebounds, five assists and four steals.
“I’ve known Jamari since he was 16 years old,” Ferry said. “There was always potential. In my mind his jump shot was never broken. I think he just needed time to work on it, and he’s done a great job on it. We give great confidence to our guys. That’s all we’ve been talking about is confidence among ourselves...He’s a senior now, he knows when to take them and when not to.”
Still, the Nittany Lions weren’t safe despite Wheeler’s steady hand.
Nebraska hung around into the final minute of the game, feeding off a few Penn State mistakes to keep the game within one possession as the Nittany Lions repeatedly went to the free throw line needing to execute to sustain their advantage.
They made seven of their eight free throws in the final minute — just enough to hold off the Cornhuskers and end a four-game losing streak.
Nebraska stayed competitive for so long thanks to the sheer heroics of Teddy Allen, who scored 41 points on a 16-24 showing from the field.
With Allen getting whatever he wanted against their defense in the half and some Nittany Lions expressing frustration in the team huddle, Ferry pointed out that Penn State had a response.
That answer was Myreon Jones, who put together a career night. He helped negate Allen’s impact with 29 points of his own.
Overall, five Nittany Lions ended the game with at least 10 points, with Wheeler and Jones being joined by Myles Dread, Izaiah Brockington and John Harrar.
Harrar’s impact was immense, which is becoming the norm for the senior big man. In his 28 minutes, he came down with eight offensive rebounds — 14 in total — and three steals. With him on the floor, the Nittany Lions outscored Nebraska by 20.
“He was tremendous again tonight,” Ferry said. “The seniors really willed us to victory.”
Harrar’s influence helped Penn State win this game in the margins. The Nittany Lions shot 40 percent to Nebraska’s 54 percent, but came away with 25 points off turnovers and 16 second-chance points — needing every one of the extra possessions they generated through effort and intensity.
It was a showing from a team that — somehow — despite heartbreaking defeat after heartbreaking defeat, has not quit.
“These guys just keep believing,” Ferry said. “They keep believing and they keep working. There’s a lot of love in this huddle. These guys keep fighting for each other, and I think you saw that tonight.”
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