No. 4 Michigan upset at Penn State 84-78

(AP Photo/Ralph Wilson)

By GENARO C. ARMAS

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) Michigan coach John Beilein left Happy Valley in a sour mood.

Squandering a 15-point lead with 10 minutes to go against the last-place team in the Big Ten might not look very good on the fourth-ranked Wolverines' postseason resume.

Jermaine Marshall scored 25 points to lead Penn State's furious comeback Wednesday night, and the Nittany Lions upset Michigan 84-78 for their first conference victory in more than a year.

"If you're going to win a championship in this league, you really have to complete games and beat teams on the road, especially if they're in the lower end of the division," Beilein said. "Will it be deflating? Yeah, it will be."

Just another rough night for the league's top teams in the rough-and-tumble Big Ten.

Top-ranked Indiana lost Tuesday at Minnesota to fall to 12-3 in conference play, so Michigan squandered a chance to move into a three-way tie for second with Michigan State and Wisconsin, a game back of the Hoosiers.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 19 points for the Wolverines (23-5, 10-5). Trey Burke had 18 points and six assists but also committed six turnovers.

Michigan had 15 turnovers in the game, six more than its season average.

And the Wolverines blew it down the stretch against a team that had lost 18 straight regular-season conference games dating to last season.

"They really tried to shut down Trey. We had some good shots, but not enough good ones," Beilein said. "They slowed us up with their press a little bit, but we couldn't stop them."

It was Penn State's first win over a top 5 team since defeating No. 5 North Carolina 82-74 in the second round of the 2001 NCAA tournament.

Penn State also got its first conference win since beating Iowa 69-64 on Feb. 16, 2012.

The Nittany Lions (9-18, 1-14) roared back from a 15-point deficit with 10:39 left behind the energetic play of Marshall. The junior guard scored 19 in the second half, including four 3s that whipped Jordan Center fans into a frenzy.

D.J. Newbill added 17 points for Penn State, which hit a season-high 10 3-pointers. Marshall's twisting drive to the basket gave the Nittany Lions a three-point lead before Michigan's Glenn Robinson III misfired on a 3 with 17 seconds left.

Sasa Borovnjak had a memorable Senior Night, hitting two foul shots with 15 seconds left to seal the win. Moments later, Penn State fans rushed the court in delight.

That wasn't the scene most were expecting after Hardaway hit two 3s during a run that helped give Michigan a 66-51 lead with 10:39 left.

But it was Penn State that made the clutch plays down the stretch. Marshall led the way, while Ross Travis provided the muscle up front with 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Penn State coach Patrick Chambers has been saying all season long that his rebuilding team was "so close" to getting a league win.

The Nittany Lions finally got one against one of the toughest foes they'll face all year.

The classy Beilein did offer heartfelt congratulations to his friend, Chambers, after the game.

"I think what you saw tonight is why we all love college basketball," Beilein said

Two foul shots by Marshall gave Penn State its first lead since the first half, 76-74, with 3:55 left. The Jordan Center rocked as if it were a Michigan-Penn State football game across the street at Beaver Stadium.

Burke hit two foul shots with 1:21 left to get Michigan within one before Marshall's layup that teetered on the rim before dropping in.

It was all Penn State from there.

All five of Michigan's losses have come on the road in the Big Ten - none worse than Wednesday night's defeat. Michigan finished February with a 3-4 record, heading into a showdown Sunday with the ninth-ranked Spartans.

Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

Updated February 28, 2013