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Hot-shooting Funk leads Penn St. to first NCAA win since '01

AP
Mar 17, 2023

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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AP March Madness coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
PSU
Nittany Lions
38
TXAM
Aggies
22

Time		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

2nd Half
PSU
Nittany Lions
38
TXAM
Aggies
37

Time		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 regular free throw 1 of 2	43-27
17:12	+1	Wade Taylor IV makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-28
16:53		Jalen Pickett misses two point layup
16:53		Aggies defensive rebound
16:47		Julius Marble offensive foul
16:47		Julius Marble turnover (offensive foul)
16:21	+3	Seth Lundy makes three point jump shot	46-28
16:06		Tyrece Radford misses three point jump shot
16:04		Andrew Funk defensive rebound
15:54	+2	Jalen Pickett makes two point floating jump shot	48-28
15:35		Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot
15:35		Nittany Lions defensive rebound
15:35		TV timeout
15:19		Seth Lundy misses three point jump shot
15:17		Andersson Garcia defensive rebound
14:57	+3	Dexter Dennis makes three point jump shot (Wade Taylor IV assists)	48-31
14:37	+2	Jalen Pickett makes two point layup	50-31
14:19		Tyrece Radford misses three point jump shot
14:17		Andersson Garcia offensive rebound
14:11		Tyrece Radford misses three point jump shot
14:09		Andersson Garcia offensive rebound
14:06	+3	Wade Taylor IV makes three point jump shot (Andersson Garcia assists)	50-34
13:50		Dexter Dennis personal foul (Andrew Funk draws the foul)
13:34	+3	Andrew Funk makes three point jump shot (Myles Dread assists)	53-34
13:14		Solomon Washington misses two point layup
13:14		Dexter Dennis offensive rebound
13:07		Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot
13:05		Dexter Dennis offensive rebound
12:48		Dexter Dennis misses three point jump shot
12:46		Seth Lundy defensive rebound
12:37	+3	Myles Dread makes three point jump shot (Andrew Funk assists)	56-34
12:23		Wade Taylor IV misses two point layup
12:21		Camren Wynter defensive rebound
12:16		Seth Lundy misses two point layup
12:14		Andersson Garcia defensive rebound
12:10		Dexter Dennis misses three point jump shot
12:08		Solomon Washington offensive rebound
12:06		Myles Dread shooting foul (Wade Taylor IV draws the foul)
12:06	+1	Wade Taylor IV makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-35
12:06	+1	Wade Taylor IV makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-36
11:57	+3	Andrew Funk makes three point jump shot	59-36
11:47		Tyrece Radford offensive foul
11:46		Tyrece Radford turnover (offensive foul)
11:46		TV timeout
11:17		Jalen Pickett misses three point jump shot
11:15		Tyrece Radford defensive rebound
11:05		Wade Taylor IV misses two point layup
11:03		Andersson Garcia offensive rebound
11:00	+3	Dexter Dennis makes three point jump shot (Tyrece Radford assists)	59-39
10:37		Kanye Clary misses two point layup
10:36		Aggies defensive rebound
10:29		Dexter Dennis misses three point jump shot
10:27		Andersson Garcia offensive rebound
10:21		Tyrece Radford misses three point jump shot
10:19		Jalen Pickett defensive rebound
10:12	+2	Kebba Njie makes two point dunk (Jalen Pickett assists)	61-39
9:53		Manny Obaseki misses two point layup
9:51		Dexter Dennis offensive rebound
9:49	+2	Dexter Dennis makes two point layup	61-41
9:49		Andrew Funk shooting foul (Dexter Dennis draws the foul)
9:49	+1	Dexter Dennis makes regular free throw 1 of 1	61-42
9:49	+1	Dexter Dennis makes regular free throw 1 of 1	61-42
9:30		Wade Taylor IV personal foul (Jalen Pickett draws the foul)
9:26	+2	Jalen Pickett makes two point layup	63-42
9:26		Andersson Garcia shooting foul (Jalen Pickett draws the foul)
9:26	+1	Jalen Pickett makes regular free throw 1 of 1	64-42
9:18		Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot
9:17		Nittany Lions defensive rebound
8:53		Jalen Pickett misses two point driving hook shot
8:51		Jalen Pickett offensive rebound
8:46	+2	Seth Lundy makes two point layup	66-42
8:38		Aggies 30 second timeout
8:37		TV timeout
8:30		Evan Mahaffey personal foul (Wade Taylor IV draws the foul)
8:29		Seth Lundy personal foul
8:29	+1	Tyrece Radford makes regular free throw 1 of 2	66-43
8:29		Tyrece Radford misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:29		Seth Lundy defensive rebound
7:58		Solomon Washington blocks Evan Mahaffey's two point layup
7:56		Henry Coleman III defensive rebound
7:42		Wade Taylor IV misses two point layup
7:41		Aggies offensive rebound
7:41		TV timeout
7:35		Tyrece Radford turnover (bad pass) (Andrew Funk steals)
7:10		Jalen Pickett misses two point fadeaway jump shot
7:08		Evan Mahaffey offensive rebound
6:55	+3	Jalen Pickett makes three point stepback jump shot	69-43
6:38	+3	Dexter Dennis makes three point jump shot	69-46
6:08		Jalen Pickett misses two point jump shot
6:06		Evan Mahaffey offensive rebound
5:55		Evan Mahaffey misses two point putback dunk
5:53		Camren Wynter offensive rebound
5:44		Andrew Funk misses three point jump shot
5:43		Nittany Lions turnover (shot clock violation)
5:35	+2	Tyrece Radford makes two point layup	69-48
5:03		Jalen Pickett misses two point layup
5:02		Myles Dread offensive rebound
5:02		Nittany Lions turnover (shot clock violation)
4:54		Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot
4:52		Nittany Lions defensive rebound
4:29		Seth Lundy misses three point jump shot
4:27		Andersson Garcia defensive rebound
4:12		Dexter Dennis misses three point jump shot
4:10		Jalen Pickett defensive rebound
3:59		Wade Taylor IV personal foul (Jalen Pickett draws the foul)
3:59		TV timeout
3:47	+3	Andrew Funk makes three point jump shot (Myles Dread assists)	72-48
3:35	+3	Dexter Dennis makes three point jump shot (Hayden Hefner assists)	72-51
3:05		Hayden Hefner shooting foul (Seth Lundy draws the foul)
3:05		Seth Lundy misses regular free throw 1 of 3
3:05	+1	Seth Lundy makes regular free throw 2 of 3	73-51
3:05	+1	Seth Lundy makes regular free throw 3 of 3	74-51
2:49	+2	Dexter Dennis makes two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot	74-53
2:17		Seth Lundy misses three point jump shot
2:15		Wade Taylor IV defensive rebound
2:06		Dexter Dennis misses two point stepback jump shot
2:04		Wade Taylor IV offensive rebound
1:54	+3	Andersson Garcia makes three point jump shot	74-56
1:38		Dallion Johnson misses three point jump shot
1:36		Dexter Dennis defensive rebound
1:26		Dexter Dennis misses three point jump shot
1:24		Jalen Pickett defensive rebound
0:59	+2	Kanye Clary makes two point floating jump shot	76-56
0:50	+3	Tyrece Radford makes three point pullup bank jump shot	76-59
0:26		Kanye Clary misses two point layup
0:24		Evan Mahaffey offensive rebound
0:21		Evan Mahaffey misses two point putback dunk
0:19		Wade Taylor IV defensive rebound
0:13		Tyrece Radford misses three point jump shot
0:11		Jalen Pickett defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Jalen Pickett defensive rebound