PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — Rutgers used a dominant first-half performance to build a substantial lead and then withstood a determined second-half push from Penn State to secure a 74-62 victory in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball game Sunday at a sold-out Louis Brown Athletic Center.

The Scarlet Knights, improving to 13-18 overall, seized control early with a blistering offensive display, shooting over 50% from the field in the opening period to take a 43-21 lead into halftime. The Nittany Lions, who fell to 12-19, mounted a significant rally after the break but could never close the gap to single digits, hampered by frigid perimeter shooting throughout the contest.

The most critical phase of the game was unquestionably the first half, where Rutgers established a commanding 22-point advantage that Penn State spent the entire second half trying to overcome. The Scarlet Knights’ efficiency was stark, scoring 43 points on just 32 possessions before halftime, an offensive rating of 134.4. They were fueled by balanced scoring and superior ball security, committing only three turnovers while forcing six from Penn State.

Tariq Francis led all scorers with 18 points for Rutgers, including three 3-pointers, while Angelino Mark added 16 points. The backcourt duo provided consistent scoring punch, but it was the interior presence of Darren Buchanan that anchored the effort. Buchanan controlled the glass, pulling down a game-high 13 rebounds to go with eight points, two assists, a steal and a block. His work on the defensive end, including two first-half blocks, helped stifle Penn State’s early attempts to score inside.

Penn State’s offensive struggles were epitomized by a 3-for-22 performance from beyond the arc. Despite outscoring Rutgers 41-31 in the second half and shooting 48.5% from the field after halftime, the deep first-half hole proved insurmountable. The Nittany Lions also struggled at the free-throw line, making only 13 of 22 attempts.

Ivan Juric, the 7-foot sophomore from Croatia, led Penn State with 16 points and six rebounds. Freddie Dilione V contributed 14 points and six boards, while Kayden Mingo filled the stat sheet with 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Josh Reed added 12 points and eight rebounds. Their second-half effort, which saw the team cut a 24-point deficit down to 12 on multiple occasions, was fueled by a more aggressive defensive approach that generated eight of their 15 points off turnovers after the break.

Rutgers, however, consistently answered every Penn State run. After the Nittany Lions closed to within 58-46 with just over nine minutes remaining following a Reed 3-pointer, the Scarlet Knights responded with a quick 6-0 spurt, capped by an Emmanuel Ogbole dunk off a feed from Mark, to push the lead back to 18 and effectively seal the game.

The Scarlet Knights excelled in transition, outscoring Penn State 22-14 on fast breaks, and capitalized more effectively on mistakes, turning nine Nittany Lion turnovers into 15 points. Penn State managed only eight points off six Rutgers turnovers.

The victory gave Rutgers a regular-season sweep of Penn State, having also won 85-72 in University Park on Feb. 18. It marked a measure of consistency for the Scarlet Knights in conference play, while Penn State’s loss extended a difficult close to its season, having dropped three of its last four games.

The game was played in front of a capacity crowd of 8,000, providing a energetic atmosphere for the regular-season finale for both teams. The result positioned Rutgers ahead of Penn State in the conference standings as both programs now look ahead to the Big Ten Tournament.