HERSHEY, Pa. — With 16:07 left in the second half and Penn State still in a competitive game with Pitt, freshman 7-footer Justin Houser was checking into the game.
Houser had yet to see meaningful minutes this season, but Mike Rhoades was trusting him with the Nittany Lions looking to slim the Panthers' lead early in the second half, 41-24. Houser helped provide some spark as Penn State cut the lead down to 42-30 despite an 80-46 loss to Pitt in the Giant Center.
“(Houser) was great. I was really proud of him,” Rhoades said postgame. “(He) played harder than his teammates today.