Talor Battle was just getting his offense set on the game's opening possession when officials stopped play because of a malfunctioning shot clock.

As it would turn out, the glitch was the only thing capable of stopping the flow of Penn State's game Thursday night.

Playing at an open, breakneck pace that kept fans on their feet and defenders gasping for breath, the Nittany Lions rode a barrage of three-pointers to a 89-64 victory over Hartford.

"I saw that on the film how slower they were getting back," Jamelle Cornley said. "And I knew with my fast guards, any time the ball went through the net I was trying to hurry up and get the ball out as fast as possible."

The game's pace became evident from the start, as the teams hit a combined 10 three-pointers in the first 10:43.

For the Lions, the hot shooting didn't end there, as they went 15-25 for the game from long distance. The 15 three-pointers made tied the school record, matching the team's output in a 2001 game against Purdue.

"I hope it's not gonna be our bread and butter," Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said through a grin. "It's just one of those nights."

Matching the Lions shot for shot, Hartford kept the game close until the waning minutes of the first half, when Battle seemed to take over.

Up just one with less than five minutes to go before the break, the point guard found an open Stanley Pringle for a three.

Danny Morrissey knocked the ball away from the Hawks' Michael Turner on the ensuing possession and found Battle on the left side in transition with just Morgan Sabia to beat. Battle took it to the 6-8 forward, drawing the foul and hitting the reverse lay-in for the start of a three-point play that put Penn State up seven.

The Lions never looked backed, riding the momentum to a 15-point halftime lead that, with their shooting, became insurmountable.

"That team is very patient and they have a lot of sets," Cornley said of the Hawks. "And we knew if we didn't really buckle down and pay attention to detail as far as backdoor cuts, flair screens, ball screens and use the proper defensive scheme we knew they could be a very dangerous team."

The game seemed to serve as a coming-out party for the Lions, who admittedly played sluggish at times in their first two games and found themselves trapped in several scoring droughts.

That was not the case during tonight's game, however, as Penn State pushed every chance it got.

Pringle led the way, hitting six of nine threes en route to a career-high 23 points.

"I gotta pick my spots," the game's leading-scorer said. "Some nights if I feel like I'm not as hot, I can use my quickness more."

Notes:

Both Morrissey and Jeff Brooks left the game in the second half. The senior captain collided with a Hartford player at midcourt while Brooks turned his ankle on what appeared to be a non-contact play

DeChellis said Morrissey could have played at the end had the team needed him to, but the coach was vague on Brooks' condition.

"I have to go back and check on him," DeChellis said. "I don't know what his status for Sunday will be."