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UNIVERSITY PARK (AP) -- Josh Reed scored 25 points and Penn State used a strong first half and dominance at the foul line to defeat Chattanooga 97-93 on Thursday night.
The Nittany Lions took a 54-31 lead at the half and made a record program record 43 free throws on 49 attempts (88%), led by Reed’s 15 of 16 and 10 of 14 from Ivan Juric, who finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Francois Wibaut scored 14 points, and Dasonte Bowen and reserve Roko Prkacin added 13 apiece for the Nittany Lions (2-0). Thomas Allard scored 11.
Kobe McDowell-White scored 28 points with eight assists for the Mocs (0-2) on 10-of-11 shooting, including 7 of 8 on 3-pointers. Matthew Hampton added 25 points and Lenny Anigbata had 19. Four Mocs fouled out.
Chattanooga made 6 of 12 3-pointers and shot 61% (22 of 36) in the second half. The Mocs scored the first eight points of the second half to cut into Penn State’s lead and kept chipping away until McDowell-White’s layup made it 71-62 just beyond the midpoint.
The Mocs never got it down to one possession until Anigbata hit a 3 with less than a second left before Prkacin made the final free throw for the school record.
Penn State shot 50% from the field and made 21 of 22 free throws to open a 54-31 lead at the half. Reed led the way with 11 points. McDowell-White hit 4 of 5 had four 3-pointers and 13 points for Chattanooga.
A 13-2 run just past the midpoint of the half broke the game open as the lead stretched from five to 38-22.
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Chattanooga: Home against Covenant on Monday.
Penn State: Home against Pitt on Sunday.