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Penn State forward Zach Hicks gestures after making a 3-point basket against Michigan during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the Big Ten Conference men's tournament Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
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Hicks gets season highs with 3-pointers, points as Penn State downs Michigan in first round of Big Ten tournament

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Hicks gets season highs with 3-pointers, points as Penn State downs Michigan in first round of Big Ten tournament

MINNEAPOLIS — Zach Hicks posted season highs with six 3-pointers and 20 points and 11th-seeded Penn State defeated 14-seed Michigan 66-57 in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday.

The Nittany Lions (16-16) will play sixth-seeded Indiana in Thursday's second round.

Ace Baldwin Jr. added 17 points and six assists with Qudus Wahab scoring 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds for Penn State.

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Terrance Williams II scored 15 points, Tarris Reed Jr. added 12 points with eight rebounds and Nimari Burnett scored 11 points for Michigan (8-24), which lost for the ninth straight game. Leading scorer Dug McDaniel had seven points on 3-of-12 shooting with six assists.

Hicks' final 3-pointer, the Lions' final field goal, extended Penn State's lead to 11 with just under six minutes left and the Lions were up by 15 with a minute to go. Michigan went nearly eight minutes without a field goal except for a bucket as time ran out.

Michigan opened the second half scoring the first seven points to cut Penn State's lead to four but the Nittany Lions rebuilt a 12-point lead after Hicks hit a 3-pointer and added another bucket to finish a Penn State run of seven points.

Neither team reached 40% shooting, but Penn State outscored Michigan 17-6 off turnovers and made 23 of 29 free throws including 14 of 19 in the second half. The Wolverines were 13 of 18 at the line and just 4 of 18 from the arc.

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Penn State scored 10 straight points, including a pair of 3-pointers by Hicks, to snap a tie in the final four minutes of the first half. Another 3 by Hicks in the final minute gave him 11 points and the Lions a 33-22 lead at the half.

Penn State beat Michigan 79-73 in its regular-season meeting on Jan. 7.

First Published: March 14, 2024, 3:37 a.m.
Updated: March 14, 2024, 3:39 a.m.

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Penn State forward Zach Hicks gestures after making a 3-point basket against Michigan during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the Big Ten Conference men's tournament Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)  (AP)
Penn State forward Puff Johnson (4) works toward the basket as Michigan forward Terrance Williams II (5) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the Big Ten Conference men's tournament Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)  (AP)
Penn State forward Zach Hicks (24) points after making a 3-point basket against Michigan during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the Big Ten Conference men's tournament Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)  (AP)
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