Cagers’ losing streak continues
Wildcats steal OT nailbiter, 62-60

By MICHAEL LELLO
Collegian Staff Writer

Big Ten teams have been finding ways to barely beat Penn State all season.

Last night, it was Northwestern's turn.

Julian Bonner sank a desperation jump shot from inside the right side of the 3-point line with 0.6 seconds left in overtime to give the Wildcats (10-5, 3-3 Big Ten) a 62-60 victory, their eighth home win at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill., this season.

Dan Earl found an open Gyasi Cline-Heard, who responded with a dunk to tie the game at 60 before Bonner nailed the game-winning basket on the ensuing possession. Northwestern did not relinquish the lead throughout the overtime period.

Cline-Heard's layup with 1:32 left in regulation gave the Lions a 53-51 lead, their last lead of the game. Wildcat Steve LePore converted to tie the game again before Titus Ivory, on the final Penn State possession of the second half, fired an inbound pass too high for Calvin Booth, instead sending the ball to Northwestern center Evan Eschmeyer. Northwestern guard Sean Wink then missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

"We had a chance to win, but we didn't make plays," Penn State coach Jerry Dunn told the Penn State Radio Network. "That's what it boils down to, mental toughness, and the ability to make plays. The bottom line is you have to make plays."

Ivory had a career-high 18 points in a losing effort, sinking four of five beyond the arc. Dan Earl scored 17 points to go along with six assists, while Booth added 14 points and five blocks. Eschmeyer paced the Wildcats with 19 points, despite a sub-par 7 for 17 shooting performance from the field while fighting off Lion double teams all evening.

"We wanted to change his looks," Dunn said of Eschmeyer. "I thought we did a good job pressuring their passes into him. That gave us a chance to win the basketball game."

Eschmeyer's key contribution to the Wildcat win, however, was his career-high 21 rebounds, good for Eschmeyer's fifth consecutive double-double, his tenth of the season. He led the rebounding effort for Northwestern, which outrebounded Penn State, 47-26, including an 18-9 domination on the offensive boards.

It was the seventh time in eight games the Lions have been outrebounded.

Joe Crispin's offensive woes continued, as he went 1 for 11 on field goal attempts, and 0 for 6 on 3-pointers. The Lion bench also continued to be unproductive, scoring a total of nine points to Northwestern's 14.

The Lions have lost four of their five conference contests by a total margin of 16 points, half of which were against Ohio State. They have lost four straight Big Ten games, with their last conference win coming against Michigan Jan. 2 at The Bryce Jordan Center.

The Lions also continue to struggle on the road, where they are now 2-5, and 0-2 at the homes of conference opponents. They haven't won an away game since 1998, a Dec. 30 win against Holy Cross in the consolation game of the Fiesta Bowl Classic in Tuscon, Ariz.