MINNEAPOLIS — The Big Ten Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament isn’t scheduled to start for a few weeks in Indianapolis, Ind., but the Penn State Nittany Lions were playing for their playoff lives on Saturday.

Finding themselves in last place in the 18-team Big Ten and 1 ½ games behind 15th-place Iowa – only the top 15 teams make the Big Ten tourney – Penn State couldn’t afford a loss against host Minnesota at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on Saturday afternoon.

Things looked a bit bleak when the Nittany Lions trailed 24-15 with 9:01 remaining in the first half. Behind a strong showing from Yanic Konan Niederhauser and a 24-point effort, Penn State managed to keep its slim Big Ten tournament hopes alive with a 69-60 victory on the road against Minnesota. It marked Penn State’s first Big Ten road win of the season in seven outings and its first back-to-back wins since late December.

Penn State’s defense helped draw Minnesota into a couple of timely cold spells toward the end of the first half and again in the second half. Penn State went on a 13-0 run midway through the second half to gain the upper hand on the Golden Gophers, who won the previous meeting in Happy Valley earlier this season.

Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 10 points and dished out seven assists in the win, and he and Nick Kern came through on the free throw line down the stretch to help preserve the win for the Nittany Lions (15-13, 5-12 Big Ten).

Freddie Dilione V also added 10 points as Penn State erased the nine-point deficit with a 13-2 run to end the first half.

Konan Niederhauser hit 4-of-7 shots in the opening 20 minutes to score 10 points. Dawson Garcia, who torched UCLA for 32 points on Thursday in a 64-61 road win in Los Angeles, had nine first-half points for Minnesota (14-13, 6-10).

Most of Penn State’s scoring came from close range with layups and dunks as they struggled to make 1-of-8 three-point attempts. The Nittany Lions also turned the ball over on three of their first four possessions as Minnesota led 8-2 at the 17:45 mark.

A three by D’Marco Dunn on a fast break brought Penn State within 17-15 with 11:36 left in the first half. The Golden Gophers answered with a 7-0 spurt, keyed by a jumper by Garcia, driving layup by Mike Mitchell Jr. and three-pointer by Lu’cye Patterson.

The Nittany Lions took their first lead with 49 seconds to go in the first half when Konan Niederhauser connected on a pair of free throws to put Penn State up 28-26.

Konan Niederhauser continued his strong play in the second half, scoring 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Baldwin also came alive with eight points in the half, making all six of his free throws.

Minnesota took its last lead at 35-33 as Garcia drilled a jumper in the paint with 16:55 to play. The Nittany Lions responded with a 13-0 run as Konan Niederhauser sandwiched a pair of layups around a three-point jumper by Zach Hicks.

Konan Niederhauser made a pair of foul shots and Dunn made a jumper in the paint after a Golden Gopher turnover to make the score 44-35 at the 12:47 mark. Free throws by Nick Kern capped the rally.

A three by Jahvin Carter with 7:44 to play gave Penn State its largest lead of the game at 53-39. The closest the Golden Gophers got the rest of the way was four points on a couple occasions. A layup by Patterson made the score 64-60 with 35 seconds left. Free throws by Baldwin Jr. and Konan Niederhauser as well as a dunk by Konan Niederhauser sealed the win.

The Nittany Lions started hitting their shots from the field at 55 percent. They also made 3 of 6 threes. When the Golden Gophers closed the gap, Penn State stepped to the line and made its free throws, hitting 16 of 18 in the second half and 23 of 25 in the contest.

Minnesota shot a paltry 33.9 percent from the field in the game. Femi Odukale led the Golden Gophers with 15 points, while Mitchell, Patterson and Isaac Asuma each added 10 points.

MOVIN’ ON UP

Washington’s loss at Iowa left the Huskies in the Big Ten basement. At 6-10, the Hawkeyes are ahead of Penn State, but they might have an easier schedule with road games at Illinois, Northwestern and Nebraska and a lone home date with No. 14 Michigan State.

Penn State has tough road trips to Indiana and No. 11 Wisconsin sandwiched around a home game with No. 20 Maryland. The Nittany Lions will need some help to chase down Iowa and get into the field.

UP NEXT

Penn State: The Nittany Lions head to Bloomington, Ind. to take on the Hoosiers Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.