Penn State looking for complete performance at No. 5 Iowa

Even after Michigan withstood Penn State’s rally and regained control, Brandon Taylor and the Nittany Lions kept fighting.

With the Wolverines up by 11 with less than two minutes to play, Taylor became a force around the rim. The senior forward was in perfect position in the paint to tip in a missed 3-pointer over Michigan guard Derrick Walton Jr.

Taylor offered a clap as he went to the sideline for a timeout, trying to help his team make one final push with 98 seconds left.

He beat Michigan’s D.J. Wilson for another offensive rebound and layup as the clock ticked under 30 seconds. And he crashed the boards to secure a missed layup on the next possession and finished inside to make it a six-point game with 12 seconds to go.

The Nittany Lions battled for the final nine minutes, pulling within five points in the final five minutes, but fell short against the Wolverines. Penn State coach Patrick Chambers wants to see that kind of effort from his team when it takes on two teams that started the week tied atop the Big Ten standings.

Penn State (11-11, 2-7) plays at No. 5 Iowa (17-4, 8-1) at 7 p.m. Wednesday before hosting No. 22 Indiana on Saturday.

“If we fight like we did on Saturday, we’re going to be in a lot of games,” Chambers said. “But I’d like to see us play 40 minutes. It’s not about Iowa. It’s not about their record. It’s not about Indiana. It’s not about their record. It’s really not. It’s about Penn State.”

The Nittany Lions fought to get back into the game against Michigan on Saturday, but they couldn’t overcome a 17-point deficit with less than 10 minutes to play. It was the second time in three games that Penn State fell behind by 17 points late in the second half.

Penn State is looking to avoid the lapses that have contributed to those deficits.

“I think it’s staying focused throughout the whole game and just continue throwing them punches when they punch you,” Taylor said.

The senior led Penn State’s run in the final minutes.

He pulled down five rebounds, including four offensive rebounds, in the last two minutes. He finished with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, his fourth double-double this season.

Penn State guard Shep Garner added 22 points, and Payton Banks was the Nittany Lions’ only other player to reach double figures with 11 points.

The rest of the team combined to go 4 for 15 from the field for 15 points.

“We can’t expect Brandon Taylor and Shep to do that every night,” Chambers said. “We can’t. So we’re really going to need other guys to start stepping up.”

Though he wants to see more firepower offensively, Chambers liked his team’s defensive effort against the Wolverines.

Michigan, one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country, shot 30 percent from beyond the arc. Michigan attempted 20 3s, about six fewer than its season average.

Chambers also credited the Wolverines for hitting some tough shots.

“I felt like our half-court defense was terrific, so if it continues to get better, we’re going to be in a lot of games,” Chambers said. “And I know these next two teams are very good.”

Iowa has won 14 of its last 16 games, with its losses coming to then-No. 4 Iowa State on the road and then-No. 8 Maryland on the road. The Hawkeyes are led by senior forward Jarrod Uthoff, who leads the Big Ten in scoring with 18.6 points per game and blocked shots with 2.9 per game.

Taylor said he and his teammates need to be prepared mentally against the Hawkeyes, who are 11-0 at home.

“It’s always good to have a good road attitude and not worrying about if there’s a bad call or a missed call or if your shot’s not falling because everything’s dictated off our energy,” Taylor said. “And the team that goes out there and throws the most punches is usually the team that gets the win.”

Notes: Penn State’s Julian Moore is leading the team in rebounding (5.4 per game) in the last five games. ... Iowa is second in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 81.2 points per game. The Hawkeyes also lead the league in turnover margin (plus-3.8). ... Indiana played at Michigan on Tuesday night. The game started at 9 p.m. The Hoosiers went into the game at 18-4 overall and 8-1 in the Big Ten.

This story was originally published February 2, 2016 at 7:16 PM with the headline "Penn State looking for complete performance at No. 5 Iowa."