Brandon Watkins saved his best for last this time.

Penn State's point guard scored eight of his ten points in the last 2:35 including a game-winning runner in the lane that gave the Nittany Lions a 51-49 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers.

The win was anything but pretty, but it provided for a wild final two minutes which saw the Lions (5-9, 1-2) erase a four point deficit with a 7-0 run to lead by three with just 19 seconds to go.

"I think obviously we didn't play well but we played well enough to win," Penn State coach Jerry Dunn said. "You look back and the only thing that shows up is what is in the "W" column and when you can not play well and win I think that says a lot for the guys on the team."

Tyler Smith scored 13 points as the trio of Smith, Watkins, and Sharif Chambliss scored 43 of the Lions' 51 points.

With the Badgers (8-8, 1-2) trailing by three, Wisconsin guard Devin Harris promptly came down the court and sunk a three-point shot from the top of the key to tie the game with nine seconds to go.

Watkins then drove the length of the floor and drilled a 13-foot runner in the lane to give the Lions the lead.

The Lions then survived a 70-foot shot at the buzzer that hit off the front of the rim.

"You hold you breath until the ball hits the rim or whatever its gonna do," Dunn said.

The Lions were able to stay in the game mostly due to the outside shooting of Chambliss. The Wisconsin native, who was just 2-for-8 from three-point land in the first half, came on in the second half to go 3-for-5 from behind the arc for a game-high 20 points.

The most important shot being the three-pointer with 1:36 to go in the game to draw the Lions within one.

Chambliss may have had some alterior motives going into the game, as he was not recruited by his home state Badgers.

"This game was for Sharif for bragging rights," Watkins said.

Penn State led at the half 24-21, despite an 11 minute stretch without a field goal.

The Badgers went on a 19-6 run to open the half as it looked like the game would get out of hand for the Lions. But, the 6 foot sophomore guard rattled off the Lions next eight points to keep them hanging around.

The Lions have a week off now to prepare for Ohio State in Columbus next Wednesday.

"This isn't a team that we have exactly identified go to guys, other than a guy like Sharif and maybe a couple of other guys," Dunn said.

"There is just going to be a different guy every night and that doesn't concern me."