(Photo credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)

Kayden Mingo scored 19 points and Eli Rice pitched in with 18 as Penn State pulled away for a 90-67 victory over North Carolina Central on Monday afternoon in University Park, Pa.Dominick Stewart added 11 points for the Nittany Lions (9-4), who snapped a three-game losing streak in their final tuneup before full-time Big Ten play begins. The hosts only led by three points at halftime before shooting 67.7% from the field after intermission.Melih Tunca scored all 10 of his points after the break for Penn State, while Freddie Dilione V scored all 10 of his points in the first half.Khouri Carvey led North Carolina Central (4-11) with 13 points and nine rebounds. The Eagles shot 55.8% but committed 23 turnovers, falling to 0-9 on the road.Penn State opened the second half with a 10-3 run, including two 3-pointers by Mingo. North Carolina Central scored the next four points to get within 46-39, but Mingo answered with a bucket.The Nittany Lions' lead was similar (57-47) with 12:45 left when Stewart and Josh Reed each knocked down a 3-pointer during a quick 10-0 run that pushed the lead to 20.The scrappy Eagles recorded the next seven points, but the hosts countered with 14 of the next 17 points to end any threat of a comeback.Penn State led by as many as 25 points down the stretch.Carvey scored seven early points as North Carolina Central took a 9-3 lead en route to a 17-6 advantage. However, Penn State responded with 23 of the next 27 points - capped by two 3-pointers by Rice - to go in front 29-21.Stewart's 3-pointer gave the Nittany Lions a 10-point lead with four minutes left in the half, but the Eagles chipped away, closing to within 36-33 at the break on Dionte Johnson's 3-pointer in the final minute.Rice led all scorers with 14 points in the first half, while Carvey paced North Carolina Central with 11 points.--Field Level Media