Rutgers beats Penn State 74-62 to sweep season series

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers Defeats Penn State 74-62 in Big Ten Finale

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Tariq Francis and Lino Mark were instrumental in leading Rutgers to a 74-62 victory over Penn State in the Big Ten Conference regular-season finale.

Rutgers (13-18, 6-14) completed a sweep of the season series against the Nittany Lions, earning their second win in the last three games. On the other hand, Penn State (12-19, 3-17) has struggled, losing five of their last six matchups.

Tariq Francis showcased his shooting skills by making three 3-pointers and scoring a total of 18 points. Lino Mark contributed 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while Darren Buchanan Jr. grabbed 12 rebounds and added eight points for the Scarlet Knights. Jamichael Davis also made an impact off the bench with 11 points.

For Penn State, Ivan Juric and Freddie Dilione V each scored 16 points, but the team struggled from long range, making just 3 of 22 attempts, and from the free-throw line, making 13 of 22 shots.

Rutgers dominated early in the game with a 16-0 run that gave them a 37-14 lead. They maintained control and headed into halftime with a comfortable 43-21 lead. Francis and Mark led the scoring for the Scarlet Knights in the first half, while Dilione contributed eight points for the Nittany Lions.

In the second half, Rutgers continued to extend their lead with back-to-back 3-pointers from Mark and Francis. They eventually secured a 58-38 lead after Emmanuel Ogbole’s dunk with 9:36 remaining in the game.

With this victory, Rutgers looks ahead to the upcoming Big Ten Conference Tournament, which is set to start in Chicago on Tuesday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball