Despite a winless Big Ten record, Penn State is determined to turn things around entering Saturday’s tilt with No. 5 Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind.
“Go into every game, play as hard as you can no matter who the opponent is,” Nittany Lions freshman forward Ivan Juric said.
That approach nearly paid dividends for Penn State (9-6, 0-4 Big Ten) at No. 2 Michigan on Tuesday, much like its recent results in league play.
After absorbing a 41-point rout at Indiana on Dec. 9, Penn State has lost to ranked foes Michigan State, Illinois and Michigan by a combined 14 points.
Trailing Michigan by 15 with 10:41 remaining, the Nittany Lions scored 24 of the game’s final 35 points. While that left them just shy of the unbeaten Wolverines in a 74-72 defeat, it reinforced a toughness and resourcefulness the team will need with leading scorer Kayden Mingo sidelined with an undisclosed injury.
Penn State coach Mike Rhoades said Tuesday that Mingo, a freshman guard averaging 14.9 points, will “be out for a little bit.”
Purdue (14-1, 4-0) enters on a six-game winning streak. The Boilermakers continued rolling with an 81-73 home victory against Washington on Wednesday.
After leading by 23 in the second half, the Boilermakers saw the Huskies rally down the stretch in what Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn called “a really weird game all-around.”
Kaufman-Renn contributed 14 points and 14 rebounds and has three double-doubles in four conference games. Point guard Braden Smith led all scorers with 23 points but his first-half foul trouble created the opportunity for freshman reserve Omer Mayer to lead the offense for 16 minutes. Mayer finished with eight points.
“I know what I’m capable of, and with that being said, I know my role on the team,” Mayer said. “And I think being a winning team and being part of a winning team is to know exactly what’s your role.”
In this case? Channeling Smith, who last week became the Big Ten’s all-time assists leader.
“Step in and organize the team while he’s on the bench,” Mayer said. “Just basically making sure we’re still playing the same level.”
Purdue knows that cultivating its depth can only help in the long run.
“Obviously, it takes some pressure off of us when we go to the bench, whether it be foul trouble or just throwing out another look, and so that’s freeing,” Kaufman-Renn said. “But also, it’s just cool to watch your teammates be successful and be on a successful team. I know from guarding other teams that we’ve played, when everybody is a threat at all times, it’s very difficult to stop.”
Host Penn State topped then-No. 8 Purdue 81-70 during last season’s meeting on Dec. 5, 2024. It marked the Nittany Lions’ first victory against a top-10 program since December 2019.
The Boilermakers have won 17 of the past 19 matchups with the Nittany Lions.
–Field Level Media
