Payton Willis, Eric Curry help Minnesota beat Penn State, snap skid

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Payton Willis, Eric Curry help Minnesota beat Penn State, snap skid

Associated Press | Sunday, February 13, 2022 10:11 a.m.

Minnesota forward Eric Curry (1) takes a shot over Penn State guard Jalen Pickett (22) and forward John Harrar during the first half an NCAA college basketball game Saturday Feb. 12, 2022, in Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS — Sixth-year senior Eric Curry scored a career-high 22 points, Payton Willis scored 13 of his 18 in the second half and Minnesota beat Penn State, 76-70, on Saturday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

Willis made 3 of 4 from 3-point range and finished with 10 assists and six rebounds. E.J. Stephens scored 13 points — going 5 of 6 from the free-throw line in the final 2 minutes — and Luke Loewe added nine of his 11 after halftime for Minnesota (12-10, 3-10 Big Ten).

Sam Sessoms scored six points in a 98-second span to give Penn State (9-12, 4-9) a 67-65 lead with 3:45 to play, but Loewe answered with a layup 25 seconds later to spark an 11-3 closing run. The Nittany Lions shot just 1 of 5 from the field and committed three of their 13 turnovers during that stretch.

Sessoms led Penn State with 18 points. Seth Lundy shot 6 of 9 from the field, 4 of 5 from 3-point range and finished with 16 points and John Harrar added 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

Penn State has lost three in a row and five of its last six.

Minnesota plays at No. 16 Ohio State on Tuesday. Penn State returns home to play Tuesday against Michigan State.

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