Penn State Basketball: How to lose a game

Dec 6, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions forward John Harrar (21) loses control of the ball between Seton Hall Pirates guard Jared Rhoden (left) and center Ike Obiagu (21) during the first half at the Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions forward John Harrar (21) loses control of the ball between Seton Hall Pirates guard Jared Rhoden (left) and center Ike Obiagu (21) during the first half at the Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /
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Penn State Basketball
Penn State Nittany Lions guard Izaiah Brockington (Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports) /

Sluggish second half starts spell doom

Six seconds into the second half, John Harrar committed a foul.  The Pirates then made a layup and Penn State turned it over on the ensuing inbounds play.  In 28 seconds, the Pirates cut the Lions’ double digit lead to seven points.

In the last 29 seconds of game action, the Penn State lead was reduced by 7 points.

Although the Lions did maintain the second half lead for almost the whole game, the poor management at the end of the first half and beginning of the second half ensured the Pirates would keep the game close when Penn State potentially could have put them away.

However, neither of these situations are the reason Penn State lost …