Penn State has a 41-36 halftime lead over Iowa in a must-win game for the Nittany Lions’ NCAA Tournament chances.

PSU entered this game with a 4-10 record in conference play, but still a slight chance to make the Big Dance thanks to analytics models. The Nittany Lions entered this game ranked No. 41 nationally according to NET and No. 34 according to KenPom.

Starting guard Myles Dread led the way with 10 points on four shots, including three made 3-pointers.

The unsung hero for Penn State in the first half was bench guard Sam Sessoms. He scored just six points on seven shots in the first half, but finished the stanza as a +15. No other PSU player finished the half better than +6.

While Iowa’s place as an NCAA Tournament team isn’t in doubt, there’s still plenty on the line for the Hawkeyes. Iowa is fighting for a No. 2 seed in the Big Dance, and center Luka Garza is currently the favorite for National Player of the Year.

However, losing games like this one could jeopardize both of those pursuits. Garza scored 12 points on 11 shots in the first half.

Penn State is looking to snap a three game losing streak.