Hot-shooting Funk leads Penn St. to first NCAA win since '01
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Andrew Funk had the shooting game of his career on Penn State's biggest stage in over two decades.
Funk made 8 of 10 3-pointers and scored 27 points Thursday night in a 76-59 win over Texas A&M for the Nittany Lions' first NCAA Tournament victory in 22 years.
Funk, in his first year at Penn State after transferring from Bucknell, led the Nittany Lions to their ninth win in their last 11 games. They next play Texas in the second round of the Midwest Region on Saturday.
Penn State's previous tournament win was its second round upset of North Carolina in New Orleans in 2001. The Nittany Lions lost to Temple in the Sweet 16, and they lost to the Owls again when they returned to the tournament in 2011.
Texas A&M (25-10) had won 10 of 12 as it entered its first NCAA Tournament since 2018. The Aggies lost in the first round for only the second time in nine appearances since 2006.
Dexter Dennis scored 19 points to lead A&M, which shot 34%.
Funk was 0 for 5 on 3s in the Big Ten championship game last weekend. But he made his first 3-pointer against the Aggies, missed his second, and then hit six in a row. The streak ended when he put up an air ball on a desperation 3 as the shot clock was running out.
Jalen Pickett, the biggest star for Penn State (23-13), played another strong all-around game with 19 points, eight assists, no turnovers and seven rebounds.
Penn State led 38-22 after outscoring the Aggies 28-10 to close the first half. The Aggies hadn't scored so few points in a first half since a win over Notre Dame on Nov. 24, 2021.
The Lions' offense ran just the way coach Micah Shrewsberry likes it, with the threat of 6-foot-10 Kebba Jjie in the post creating space on the perimeter for Funk, Myles Dread and Seth Lundy to do what they do best. Dread and Lundy had two 3s apiece and Penn State finished 13 of 22 from distance.
The Aggies have had trying times recently when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. Coach Buzz Williams was infamously miffed when the Aggies weren't selected last year. This season they came in as a No. 7 seed, lower than Aggie faithful felt fair.
BIG PICTURE:
Penn State: The Lions’ dominance in their first NCAA Tournament game since 2011 will only intensify the spotlight on second-year coach Shrewsberry, whose name has been connected to openings at Notre Dame and Georgetown.
Texas A&M: The Aggies' first appearance in the tournament in five years ended the same way as the last one - with a thud. They lost by 27 points to Michigan in the 2018 Sweet 16.
UP NEXT
Penn State will play Texas for the first time in men's basketball.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Kebba Njie vs. Henry Coleman III (Nittany Lions gains possession) | ||
| 19:47 |  | +2 | Kebba Njie makes two point hook shot (Jalen Pickett assists) | 2-0 |
| 19:25 | | +2 | Julius Marble makes two point driving hook shot | 2-2 |
| 18:51 | | Jalen Pickett misses two point jump shot | ||
| 18:49 | | Dexter Dennis defensive rebound | ||
| 18:32 | | +2 | Julius Marble makes two point turnaround hook shot | 2-4 |
| 18:05 | | Seth Lundy misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:03 | | Henry Coleman III defensive rebound | ||
| 17:57 | | Wade Taylor IV turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 17:47 | | +3 | Andrew Funk makes three point jump shot (Camren Wynter assists) | 5-4 |
| 17:28 | | Wade Taylor IV turnover (lost ball) (Camren Wynter steals) | ||
| 17:21 | | Dexter Dennis blocks Camren Wynter's two point layup | ||
| 17:19 | | Dexter Dennis defensive rebound | ||
| 17:08 | | +3 | Tyrece Radford makes three point jump shot (Henry Coleman III assists) | 5-7 |
| 16:50 | | Kebba Njie turnover (out of bounds) | ||
| 16:35 | | +2 | Julius Marble makes two point turnaround hook shot | 5-9 |
| 16:11 | | Andrew Funk misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:11 | | Jump ball. (Aggies gains possession) | ||
| 15:51 | | Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:49 | | Andrew Funk defensive rebound | ||
| 15:36 | | Wade Taylor IV personal foul (Jalen Pickett draws the foul) | ||
| 15:36 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:19 | | Seth Lundy misses two point layup | ||
| 15:18 | | Nittany Lions offensive rebound | ||
| 15:11 | | +3 | Andrew Funk makes three point jump shot (Jalen Pickett assists) | 8-9 |
| 14:50 | | Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:48 | | Henry Coleman III offensive rebound | ||
| 14:35 | | Julius Marble misses two point hook shot | ||
| 14:33 | | Dexter Dennis offensive rebound | ||
| 14:27 | | Dexter Dennis misses two point jump shot | ||
| 14:25 | | Jalen Pickett defensive rebound | ||
| 14:25 | | Tyrece Radford personal foul | ||
| 14:02 | | +2 | Jalen Pickett makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 10-9 |
| 13:38 | | Julius Marble misses two point dunk | ||
| 13:36 | | Andrew Funk defensive rebound | ||
| 13:23 | | Andrew Funk misses two point layup | ||
| 13:21 | | Henry Coleman III defensive rebound | ||
| 13:09 | | +2 | Wade Taylor IV makes two point floating jump shot | 10-11 |
| 13:09 | | Camren Wynter shooting foul (Wade Taylor IV draws the foul) | ||
| 13:09 | | +1 | Wade Taylor IV makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 10-12 |
| 13:09 | | +1 | Wade Taylor IV makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 10-12 |
| 12:46 | | Andre Gordon shooting foul (Jalen Pickett draws the foul) | ||
| 12:46 | | +1 | Jalen Pickett makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 11-12 |
| 12:46 | | Jalen Pickett misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 12:46 | | Andersson Garcia defensive rebound | ||
| 12:31 | | Andre Gordon misses three point jump shot | ||
| 12:29 | | Michael Henn defensive rebound | ||
| 12:11 | | Jalen Pickett misses two point jump shot | ||
| 12:09 | | Andersson Garcia defensive rebound | ||
| 12:00 | | Tyrece Radford misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:58 | | Nittany Lions defensive rebound | ||
| 11:56 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:33 | | +2 | Jalen Pickett makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 13-12 |
| 11:04 | | Dexter Dennis misses two point jump shot | ||
| 11:02 | | Julius Marble offensive rebound | ||
| 10:49 | | Tyrece Radford misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 10:47 | | Dexter Dennis offensive rebound | ||
| 10:35 | | Evan Mahaffey blocks Julius Marble's two point driving hook shot | ||
| 10:33 | | Aggies offensive rebound | ||
| 10:27 | | Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:25 | | Kanye Clary defensive rebound | ||
| 10:06 | | Kanye Clary turnover (bad pass) (Andersson Garcia steals) | ||
| 9:49 | | Julius Marble turnover (bad pass) (Evan Mahaffey steals) | ||
| 9:24 | | Jalen Pickett misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 9:24 | | Kebba Njie offensive rebound | ||
| 9:24 | | Wade Taylor IV personal foul | ||
| 9:12 | | Seth Lundy misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:10 | | Hayden Hefner defensive rebound | ||
| 9:04 | | Kebba Njie personal foul | ||
| 8:55 | | Andersson Garcia misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:53 | | Camren Wynter defensive rebound | ||
| 8:41 | | +3 | Seth Lundy makes three point jump shot (Jalen Pickett assists) | 16-12 |
| 8:22 | | Hayden Hefner turnover (lost ball) (Camren Wynter steals) | ||
| 8:13 | | +2 | Camren Wynter makes two point pullup jump shot | 18-12 |
| 7:36 | | +3 | Hayden Hefner makes three point jump shot (Tyrece Radford assists) | 18-15 |
| 7:10 | | Camren Wynter turnover (bad pass) (Hayden Hefner steals) | ||
| 7:01 | | Julius Marble turnover (lost ball) (Camren Wynter steals) | ||
| 6:50 | | Hayden Hefner shooting foul (Andrew Funk draws the foul) | ||
| 6:50 | | TV timeout | ||
| 6:50 | | +1 | Andrew Funk makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 19-15 |
| 6:50 | | +1 | Andrew Funk makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 20-15 |
| 6:50 | | +1 | Andrew Funk makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 21-15 |
| 6:23 | | Dexter Dennis turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 5:57 | | +3 | Andrew Funk makes three point jump shot (Camren Wynter assists) | 24-15 |
| 5:45 | | Aggies 30 second timeout | ||
| 5:33 | | Wade Taylor IV misses two point jump shot | ||
| 5:31 | | Myles Dread defensive rebound | ||
| 5:15 | | +3 | Myles Dread makes three point jump shot (Jalen Pickett assists) | 27-15 |
| 4:43 | | Tyrece Radford misses two point layup | ||
| 4:43 | | Henry Coleman III offensive rebound | ||
| 4:42 | | Henry Coleman III misses two point layup | ||
| 4:41 | | Henry Coleman III offensive rebound | ||
| 4:41 | | Jalen Pickett personal foul (Henry Coleman III draws the foul) | ||
| 4:30 | | +2 | Julius Marble makes two point jump shot (Andre Gordon assists) | 27-17 |
| 3:57 | | +2 | Jalen Pickett makes two point layup | 29-17 |
| 3:42 | | +3 | Tyrece Radford makes three point jump shot (Dexter Dennis assists) | 29-20 |
| 3:06 | | Seth Lundy misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 3:04 | | Andre Gordon defensive rebound | ||
| 2:50 | | Tyrece Radford misses two point jump shot | ||
| 2:48 | | Kebba Njie defensive rebound | ||
| 2:39 | | +2 | Kebba Njie makes two point layup (Camren Wynter assists) | 31-20 |
| 2:26 | | Tyrece Radford misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:25 | | Kebba Njie defensive rebound | ||
| 2:25 | | Julius Marble personal foul | ||
| 2:25 | | TV timeout | ||
| 2:02 | | +3 | Andrew Funk makes three point jump shot (Jalen Pickett assists) | 34-20 |
| 1:38 | | Tyrece Radford offensive foul | ||
| 1:38 | | Tyrece Radford turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 1:12 | | +2 | Evan Mahaffey makes two point dunk (Jalen Pickett assists) | 36-20 |
| 0:56 | | Evan Mahaffey shooting foul (Manny Obaseki draws the foul) | ||
| 0:56 | | Manny Obaseki misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 0:56 | | Manny Obaseki misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 0:56 | | Seth Lundy defensive rebound | ||
| 0:43 | | Manny Obaseki shooting foul (Jalen Pickett draws the foul) | ||
| 0:43 | | +1 | Jalen Pickett makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 37-20 |
| 0:43 | | +1 | Jalen Pickett makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 38-20 |
| 0:32 | | Seth Lundy shooting foul (Dexter Dennis draws the foul) | ||
| 0:32 | | +1 | Dexter Dennis makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 38-21 |
| 0:32 | | +1 | Dexter Dennis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 38-22 |
| 0:03 | | Jalen Pickett misses two point jump shot | ||
| 0:02 | | Nittany Lions turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19:47 | | +2 | Kebba Njie makes two point dunk (Jalen Pickett assists) | 40-22 |
| 19:20 | | Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:18 | | Jalen Pickett defensive rebound | ||
| 19:11 | | Kebba Njie offensive foul | ||
| 19:09 | | Kebba Njie turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 18:59 | | +2 | Tyrece Radford makes two point layup | 40-24 |
| 18:34 | | Camren Wynter turnover (lost ball) (Wade Taylor IV steals) | ||
| 18:15 | | Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:13 | | Andrew Funk defensive rebound | ||
| 18:03 | | +3 | Andrew Funk makes three point jump shot | 43-24 |
| 17:49 | | +2 | Henry Coleman III makes two point reverse layup (Tyrece Radford assists) | 43-26 |
| 17:19 | | Jalen Pickett misses two point jump shot | ||
| 17:17 | | Henry Coleman III defensive rebound | ||
| 17:12 | | Jalen Pickett shooting foul (Wade Taylor IV draws the foul) | ||
| 17:12 | | +1 | Wade Taylor IV makes |