Nov. 19, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Following a pair of wins to open the season, the Nittany Lion basketball team is set to embark on its first challenge away from the Bryce Jordan Center.
Penn State will kick off a span of three games in four days at the Charleston Classic on Thursday against Charlotte (ESPNU, 5 p.m.). While the Nittany Lions are pleased to notch two victories to begin the 2014-15 campaign, head coach Patrick Chambers knows what type of test lies ahead.
"Charlotte is going to be an incredible test for us," Chambers said. "They have a group of seniors, a great point guard, a great coach. I just want to see us go down there and compete, compete at a very high level against some of the best talent."
Penn State's depth played a big role in the opening two games on the schedule. No fewer than nine players enter the Charleston Classic averaging 11 minutes of playing time or more. Playing three games between Thursday and Sunday is something the Lions are looking forward to. And the schedule plays into the strength of the Lions' deep bench.
"It takes us all back to the good old AAU days where we play back-to-back games each and every day," senior forward Ross Travis said.
"When the opportunity presents itself that you can play more than one basketball game in a span of a few days, it's a lot of fun," guard John Johnson said.
The Lions enter the second weekend of the season with six players averaging at least 5.0 points per game. That list is topped by senior D.J. Newbill, who enters the Charlotte game averaging 17.5 tallies per contest. Freshman guard Shep Garner is averaging 13.0 points per game after his first two games in a Penn State uniform.
"I'm definitely pleased with the contributions that we have been getting from different guys," Chambers said. "That's a good thing. But now, we go on the road to a neutral site. We've got to see where we are. We will see who can step up in that type of environment."
The added depth has given the players on the floor a great deal of confidence.
"During the past three years, we haven't had that much depth," Travis said. "This year is different. We've got a whole bench that we can go to. We have guys ready to come in and contribute right away."
Communication is a big point of emphasis for Chambers and the Nittany Lions this week, particularly on the defensive end of the floor.
"I think our communication has been alright in the first two games," Travis said. "There is always room for improvement. I feel like communication is the key to our success this year. The more that we can communicate, the more of an impact we can have on a game."
Looking ahead to Thursday's contest, Penn State will meet a Charlotte team that is 1-0 after knocking off Elon (73-60) on the road. The Nittany Lions and 49ers have met just twice before (1981 and 1983).
"They have four starters back. They have a great coach," Chambers said. "They are tough, physical basketball team. They play in a great conference, so they know how to be successful. They had a successful year last year, so I expect a veteran team to come at us hard and try to take advantage of a neutral court game."
The winner of the Penn State-Charlotte game will play the winner of the South Carolina-Cornell contest on Friday at 7 p.m. (ESPNU). The two losing teams will meet in consolation action on Friday at 9 p.m. (ESPN3). Each team will also play on Sunday regardless of the outcomes on Thursday and Friday.