Penn State is heading into the new calendar year in impressive fashion, but one final challenge awaits as the Nittany Lions square off against Penn on Sunday afternoon in University Park, Pa.
The Nittany Lions (10-2) have enjoyed a strong season to this point, highlighted by a win over then-No. 8 Purdue earlier this month. Most recently, the team topped Drexel 75-64 last weekend as Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 18 points and Ace Baldwin Jr. chipped in 15 points and six assists.
Penn State outrebounded Drexel 40-31 and grabbed 19 offensive boards, including six by Puff Johnson and three by Konan Niederhauser.
“Offensive rebounds are extra possessions,” Nittany Lions coach Mike Rhoades said. “That gets us to where we want to go to. Number of possessions, it’s a better chance to win all the time.”
Konan Niederhauser has shot at least 50 percent from the floor in every game except one this season and enters Sunday’s clash averaging 13.0 points, which is second-best on the squad. Baldwin comes in with 14.2 points to go along with 8.5 assists, which ranks among the top marks in the nation.
That duo, in addition to Penn State’s bevy of 3-point shooters, should give Penn plenty to handle defensively.
The Quakers (4-8) have allowed at least 80 points five times this season, including in Sunday’s 85-53 trouncing at the hands of George Mason. Offense was another major issue in that game, as Penn shot just 32.2 percent from the floor and committed 15 turnovers.
“We played 3 1/2 games of really good defense over the last three weeks and the defense was poor in the second half (against George Mason),” Penn coach Steve Donahue said. “On the defensive end, making sure late in the clock we don’t let our guard down, keep guys in front, and limit them to one shot … when we do those things — those simple things — we’re a good basketball team.”
Penn and Penn State have met six times previously, but not since 2017. The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series 4-2.
–Field Level Media
