Nick Kern Jr. leads Penn State over Fordham 85-66 for spot in Sunshine Slam Beach Division final
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) Senior Nick Kern Jr. came off the bench to score 20 points and grab 13 rebounds for the first double-double of his career, leading Penn State to an 85-66 victory over Fordham in a Sunshine Slam Beach Division semifinal on Monday.
The Nittany Lions have opened a season with six straight victories for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. They will play the winner of the other semifinal matchup between Clemson and San Francisco on Tuesday in the championship game.
Kern made 9 of 12 shots from the floor and 2 of 5 at the free-throw line for Penn State. Four of his career-high rebound total came at the offensive end.
Zach Hicks hit three 3-pointers and scored 16 for the Nittany Lions. Puff Johnson added 15 points and Ace Baldwin Jr. and Konan Niederhauser both scored 12.
Jackie Johnson III and reserve Josh Rivera scored 15 apiece to lead the Rams (3-4). Romad Dean totaled 13 points and nine rebounds. Jahmere Tripp contributed 13 points and four steals off the bench.
Hicks had 10 points and Johnson scored nine as Penn State took a 42-34 lead into halftime. Hicks hit a jumper and a 3-pointer to ignite a 15-4 run to start the game and the Nittany Lions never looked back.
Kern posted 12 points and eight rebounds, and Niederhauser scored 10 with seven boards to help the Nittany Lions outscore Fordham 43-32 in the second half.
Penn State came into the game averaging 98.2 point per game - second most in the nation. The Nittany Lions shot 52.6% from the floor, made 5 of 14 from beyond the arc and 20 of 32 at the free-throw line.
Fordham shot 48.1%, made 4 of 18 from distance and 10 of 20 at the foul line.
Keith Urgo, who was an assistant coach at Penn State from 2012-21, is in his third season leading the Rams.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Yanic Konan Niederhauser vs. Abdou Tsimbila (Nittany Lions gains possession) | |||
19:47 | +2 | Zach Hicks makes two point jump shot (Ace Baldwin Jr. assists) | 2-0 | |
19:16 | Abdou Tsimbila turnover (lost ball) (Zach Hicks steals) | |||
19:01 | Ace Baldwin Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
18:59 | Romad Dean defensive rebound | |||
18:42 | Yanic Konan Niederhauser personal foul (Will Richardson draws the foul) | |||
18:27 | Will Richardson turnover (back court violation) | |||
18:06 | +3 | Zach Hicks makes three point jump shot (Kachi Nzeh assists) | 5-0 | |
17:53 | Will Richardson misses three point jump shot | |||
17:51 | Freddie Dilione V defensive rebound | |||
17:39 | Freddie Dilione V misses two point jump shot | |||
17:37 | Rams defensive rebound | |||
17:27 | +2 | Japhet Medor makes two point jump shot | 5-2 | |
17:07 | Kachi Nzeh misses two point layup | |||
17:05 | Romad Dean defensive rebound | |||
16:55 | Romad Dean offensive foul (Puff Johnson draws the foul) | |||
16:55 | Romad Dean turnover (offensive foul) | |||
16:30 | Abdou Tsimbila shooting foul (Ace Baldwin Jr. draws the foul) | |||
16:30 | +1 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 6-2 | |
16:30 | +1 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 7-2 | |
16:12 | Jackie Johnson III turnover (traveling) | |||
16:03 | Ace Baldwin Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Jackie Johnson III steals) | |||
15:59 | Zach Hicks shooting foul (Jackie Johnson III draws the foul) | |||
15:59 | TV timeout | |||
15:59 | +1 | Jackie Johnson III makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 7-3 | |
15:59 | +1 | Jackie Johnson III makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 7-4 | |
15:39 | Yanic Konan Niederhauser misses two point jump shot | |||
15:37 | Romad Dean defensive rebound | |||
15:30 | Abdou Tsimbila offensive foul (Yanic Konan Niederhauser draws the foul) | |||
15:30 | Abdou Tsimbila turnover (offensive foul) | |||
15:14 | +2 | Yanic Konan Niederhauser makes two point layup (Ace Baldwin Jr. assists) | 9-4 | |
14:58 | Yanic Konan Niederhauser personal foul (Abdou Tsimbila draws the foul) | |||
14:48 | D'Marco Dunn personal foul (Joshua Rivera draws the foul) | |||
14:41 | Nick Kern Jr. shooting foul (Joshua Rivera draws the foul) | |||
14:41 | Joshua Rivera misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
14:41 | Joshua Rivera misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
14:41 | Nick Kern Jr. defensive rebound | |||
14:24 | +2 | Freddie Dilione V makes two point jump shot | 11-4 | |
14:00 | Japhet Medor misses two point jump shot | |||
13:58 | Ace Baldwin Jr. defensive rebound | |||
13:52 | Freddie Dilione V turnover (lost ball) (Joshua Rivera steals) | |||
13:42 | Romad Dean misses three point jump shot | |||
13:40 | Nick Kern Jr. defensive rebound | |||
13:32 | +2 | Nick Kern Jr. makes two point jump shot | 13-4 | |
13:05 | Joshua Rivera misses two point layup | |||
13:03 | Ace Baldwin Jr. defensive rebound | |||
12:59 | D'Marco Dunn misses two point layup | |||
12:57 | Nick Kern Jr. offensive rebound | |||
12:57 | +2 | Nick Kern Jr. makes two point layup | 15-4 | |
12:57 | Matt Zona shooting foul (Nick Kern Jr. draws the foul) | |||
12:57 | +1 | Nick Kern Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 16-4 | |
12:42 | Jump ball. (Rams gains possession) | |||
12:38 | +2 | Jackie Johnson III makes two point jump shot | 16-6 | |
12:16 | Jahmere Tripp flagrant 1 (Puff Johnson draws the foul) | |||
12:16 | TV timeout | |||
12:16 | +1 | Puff Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-6 | |
12:16 | +1 | Puff Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 18-6 | |
12:11 | Ace Baldwin Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
12:09 | Zach Riley defensive rebound | |||
11:57 | D'Marco Dunn personal foul (Jackie Johnson III draws the foul) | |||
11:55 | Joshua Rivera turnover (lost ball) (Nick Kern Jr. steals) | |||
11:40 | Puff Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
11:38 | Rams defensive rebound | |||
11:21 | +2 | Jackie Johnson III makes two point layup | 18-8 | |
11:05 | Ace Baldwin Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jahmere Tripp steals) | |||
10:56 | Jackie Johnson III misses three point jump shot | |||
10:54 | Puff Johnson defensive rebound | |||
10:40 | Puff Johnson misses two point layup | |||
10:38 | Jaden Smith defensive rebound | |||
10:29 | Ace Baldwin Jr. personal foul (Zach Riley draws the foul) | |||
10:29 | Zach Riley misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
10:29 | Nick Kern Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:09 | +2 | Zach Hicks makes two point layup | 20-8 | |
10:08 | Jaden Smith shooting foul (Zach Hicks draws the foul) | |||
10:08 | +1 | Zach Hicks makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 21-8 | |
10:00 | Jackie Johnson III turnover (bad pass) (Nick Kern Jr. steals) | |||
9:52 | Kachi Nzeh offensive foul | |||
9:52 | Kachi Nzeh turnover (offensive foul) | |||
9:44 | Jackie Johnson III misses two point layup | |||
9:42 | Romad Dean offensive rebound | |||
9:36 | Jackie Johnson III misses three point jump shot | |||
9:34 | Nick Kern Jr. defensive rebound | |||
9:33 | Jaden Smith personal foul (Nick Kern Jr. draws the foul) | |||
9:33 | Nick Kern Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
9:33 | Romad Dean defensive rebound | |||
9:23 | +2 | Jahmere Tripp makes two point layup | 21-10 | |
9:07 | +2 | Nick Kern Jr. makes two point layup (Ace Baldwin Jr. assists) | 23-10 | |
8:40 | +2 | Joshua Rivera makes two point jump shot (Matt Zona assists) | 23-12 | |
8:17 | Zach Hicks misses three point jump shot | |||
8:15 | Freddie Dilione V offensive rebound | |||
8:11 | +2 | Freddie Dilione V makes two point layup | 25-12 | |
7:49 | +2 | Matt Zona makes two point layup (Japhet Medor assists) | 25-14 | |
7:27 | Ace Baldwin Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Japhet Medor steals) | |||
7:22 | +2 | Joshua Rivera makes two point dunk (Japhet Medor assists) | 25-16 | |
7:00 | Matt Zona shooting foul (Nick Kern Jr. draws the foul) | |||
7:00 | TV timeout | |||
7:00 | +1 | Nick Kern Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-16 | |
7:00 | Nick Kern Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
7:00 | Romad Dean defensive rebound | |||
6:39 | +3 | Japhet Medor makes three point jump shot (Will Richardson assists) | 26-19 | |
6:13 | +2 | Puff Johnson makes two point jump shot (Jahvin Carter assists) | 28-19 | |
5:52 | +2 | Joshua Rivera makes two point jump shot | 28-21 | |
5:32 | Freddie Dilione V misses three point jump shot | |||
5:30 | Will Richardson defensive rebound | |||
5:23 | +3 | Romad Dean makes three point jump shot (Will Richardson assists) | 28-24 | |
4:59 | Zach Hicks misses three point jump shot | |||
4:57 | Joshua Rivera defensive rebound | |||
4:53 | Joshua Rivera turnover (bad pass) | |||
4:39 | +2 | Puff Johnson makes two point jump shot (Ace Baldwin Jr. assists) | 30-24 | |
4:22 | Ace Baldwin Jr. shooting foul (Jackie Johnson III draws the foul) | |||
4:22 | +1 | Jackie Johnson III makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 30-25 | |
4:22 | +1 | Jackie Johnson III makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 30-26 | |
4:02 | +2 | Freddie Dilione V makes two point jump shot | 32-26 | |
3:43 | Nick Kern Jr. personal foul (Romad Dean draws the foul) | |||
3:43 | TV timeout | |||
3:43 | Romad Dean misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
3:43 | +1 | Romad Dean makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-27 | |
3:32 | Ace Baldwin Jr. turnover (bad pass) | |||
3:23 | Romad Dean misses two point layup | |||
3:21 | Zach Hicks defensive rebound | |||
3:12 | Ace Baldwin Jr. misses two point layup | |||
3:10 | Freddie Dilione V offensive rebound | |||
2:50 | Will Richardson personal foul (Ace Baldwin Jr. draws the foul) | |||
2:50 | +1 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 33-27 | |
2:50 | +1 | Ace Baldwin Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 34-27 | |
2:39 | Joshua Rivera misses two point jump shot | |||
2:37 | Ace Baldwin Jr. defensive rebound | |||
2:28 | Puff Johnson misses two point layup | |||
2:26 | Kachi Nzeh offensive rebound | |||
2:25 | +2 | Kachi Nzeh makes two point layup | 36-27 | |
2:25 | Will Richardson shooting foul (Kachi Nzeh draws the foul) | |||
2:25 | +1 | Kachi Nzeh makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 37-27 | |
2:16 | Jackie Johnson III misses three point jump shot | |||
2:14 | Kachi Nzeh defensive rebound | |||
1:57 | +2 | Zach Hicks makes two point jump shot (Ace Baldwin Jr. assists) | 39-27 | |
1:55 | Freddie Dilione V personal foul (Jackie Johnson III draws the foul) | |||
1:55 | Jackie Johnson III misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
1:55 | +1 | Jackie Johnson III makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 39-28 | |
1:32 | +2 | Puff Johnson makes two point jump shot | 41-28 | |
1:06 | Puff Johnson personal foul (Jahmere Tripp draws the foul) | |||
1:06 | +1 | Jahmere Tripp makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 41-29 | |
1:06 | +1 | Jahmere Tripp makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 41-30 | |
1:02 | Freddie Dilione V turnover (bad pass) (Jahmere Tripp steals) | |||
0:51 | +2 | Jackie Johnson III makes two point jump shot (Jahmere Tripp assists) | 41-32 | |
0:41 | Japhet Medor personal foul (Puff Johnson draws the foul) | |||
0:41 | +1 | Puff Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 42-32 | |
0:41 | Puff Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
0:41 | Joshua Rivera defensive rebound | |||
0:37 | Rams 30 second timeout | |||
0:12 | Japhet Medor misses three point jump shot | |||
0:10 | Joshua Rivera offensive rebound | |||
0:04 | Joshua Rivera misses two point layup | |||
0:02 | Zach Riley offensive rebound | |||
0:00 | +2 | Joshua Rivera makes two point layup | 42-34 | |
0:00 | End of period |