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Penn State staggered Northwestern with a quick start and the Wildcats couldn’t find their footing until too late Saturday night as the Nittany Lions snapped a two-game losing streak with a 71-62 victory at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

“I thought we got what we deserved,” Northwestern coach Chris Collins said. “They had better energy, they were more competitive and they brought the fight to the start of the game. It knocked us back a little bit and we weren’t ready to compete at that level.”

Penn State forward Brandon Taylor scored a team-high 19 points — including four 3-pointers — and the Nittany Lions led by as many as 18 points before a late Northwestern rally cut the lead to single digits.

The Wildcats shot just 26 of 67 from the field — 38.8 percent — and only 3 of 26 from 3-point range.

Tre Demps paced Northwestern (15-4, 3-3 Big Ten) with a game-high 22 points while Bryant McIntosh and Dererk Pardon each added 12.

“We didn’t do well on the defensive end and I think that’s why we missed shots ultimately,” Demps said. “It was a lack of togetherness tonight. I don’t know why or what, but everybody slipped.”

Northwestern trailed 30-23 at halftime and 48-31 with 10 minutes, 40 seconds left in the second half after an 8-0 Penn State (11-8, 2-4) run. The Nittany Lions lead hit a game-high 18 points with 8:06 remaining on Donovan Jack’s drive and soft 4-footer.

But a Wildcat rally trimmed deficit to single digits over a 1:27 span as Demps and freshman Aaron Falzon hit back-to-back 3 pointers and Demps drove for two with three minutes left to cut Penn State’s lead to 57-48.

Demps drove the lane for a bucket that trimmed the Nittany Lion led to 65-58 with 39 seconds showing but Northwestern never got any closer.

Northwestern center Alex Olah ended a six-game hiatus but his return couldn’t help jump start a lackluster attack.

Olah, sidelined since Christmas with a left foot injury, played seven minutes after entering the game at the 12:15 mark of the opening half.

He missed three shots in a two-minute appearance but returned later for another two-minute stint, hitting hit 3 of 4 free throws. In the second half, Olah hit first field goal of the new year with 13:30 showing.

“I know how badly he wanted to be out there,” Collins said. “He has been out for a while and he has to get his rhythm back. Hopefully with each game he can get a little healthier and get to the level he was playing before he got hurt.”

Jack McCarthy is a freelance reporter for the baiduhai.