Pitt avoids letdown, outlasts PSU – PittsburghLIVE.com:
“For Carl Krauser, it was sort of a divine moment of inspiration.
Unlike the past three times the teams had met, Pitt’s swagger and gaudy record did not intimidate Penn State on Saturday.
“When the Nittany Lions grabbed a one-point lead late in the first half, jerking the half-capacity crowd at the Bryce Jordan Center to its feet, Krauser paused.
” ‘I had one of those Isiah Thomas flashbacks,’ Krauser said, grinning. ‘It was time to take over the game.’
Krauser and Chevon Troutman sparked a decisive run, and the No. 11 Panthers (7-0) hung on for an 84-71 victory.
“Penn State (5-4) became the first team this season to put up more than 60 points against Pitt. That’s especially stunning, considering the Panthers had beaten the Lions by an average of 28 points the past three seasons.
” ‘We weren’t scared at all,’ Penn State freshman guard Mike Walker said. ‘We just wanted to play.’
“Walker and Krauser, a junior, tangled the entire afternoon. Walker scored 16 points and won some battles, nailing four 3-pointers from way beyond the arc that caught Krauser by surprise.
” ‘I turned my head and I saw those 3-balls going up from yesterday,’ Krauser said, shaking his head and laughing. ‘If he gets hot, he can shoot from anywhere he wants to. I should’ve stayed up on him the whole game.’ …”