The Gophers' hot offensive start quickly seemed like a mirage, as they scored only two points in the final 9:01 of the first half. Penn State took advantage and carried a 28-26 lead into the locker room, behind impressive post-play and a game-high 10 first-half points from Yanic Konan Niederhauser.

After upsetting Southern Cal and UCLA on the road, the Gophers returned with a chance to essentially seal a Big Ten tournament bid against Penn State, another team fighting to extend its season

Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who missed the last meeting because of a sprained ankle, had 24 points, 7 boards and 5 blocks for the Lions

Minnesota is tied for 11th in the 18-team conference entering Saturday’s game vs. Penn State. The top 15 teams make it, and the top nine get a first-round bye.