Dec. 11, 2014
By Matt Allibone, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Eight...not five.
All season long, that has been Penn State men's basketball coach Pat Chambers' response to how many starters his team has. With capable bench players like Donovon Jack, John Johnson and Geno Thorpe, Chambers feels the Nittany Lions lose very little firepower when he makes substitutions.
That was certainly the case Wednesday night against Duquesne. During a game in which the Dukes refused to go away, Jack and Thorpe proved to be two difference makers in a 64-62 Penn State win.
"I thought our bench was huge in this victory," Chambers said. "Geno Thorpe obviously and Donovon Jack. Payton Banks I thought gave us great minutes. Our bench...they were the key tonight."
In a game in which the Lions needed every point they could get, Jack and Thorpe both registered double-digit scoring efforts, with Thorpe leading the team with a career-high 19 points and Jack chipping in with 11.
More importantly, both players scored in clutch moments, particularly from the free throw line. In the game's final 4:55, the pair combined to go 8-for-8 from the charity strip as the Lions held off a late Duquesne rally.
Overall, Penn State's bench finished 18-for-23 from the line and contributed 35 of the teams 64 points. Thorpe, who attacked the basket at will all night, finished 11-of-14 on foul shots while Jack was an efficient 5-for-6.
"Finally made our free throws," Chambers said. "Free throws won us the game tonight. [Duquesne] played great defense give [head coach] Jimmy [Ferry] a lot of credit. Donovon Jack and Geno Thorpe down the stretch there, they were huge. And we needed every point."
Though other bench players like Banks also contributed, Wednesday was really a banner game for Thorpe, who surpassed his previous career best of 14 points from earlier this season against Charlotte.
Arguably the best defender on the team, the Pittsburgh native is known for his non-stop energy and hustle. Although he showed plenty of that against the Dukes, he also exhibited a tremendous amount of poise.
On one hand, the 6-foot-3 guard zipped around the court like usual, leaping above taller players to grab four rebounds and getting a key steal that led to a dunk and a 25-24 Penn State lead with 2:21 remaining in the first half.
At the same time, Thorpe also was composed enough to convert his free throws and score when it was needed the most. After four consecutive Duquesne free throws whittled a 58-53 Penn State lead to 58-57 with 2:30 left in the game, Thorpe calmly hit two shots from the line to give his team breathing room.
"Every time I [play] that kid he does something positive," Chambers said. "He was jacked up, he did a lot of good things, a lot of extra effort plays, winning plays, culture plays to help his team win. When our top scorers are struggling a little bit, it's refreshing to know we can go to different guys and they can step up and make plays and help our team be successful."
On a night in which leading scorer D.J. Newbill got off to a slow start before rallying down the stretch to finish with 11 points, Thorpe's production during his 28 minutes of playing time were irreplaceable.
After averaging just 3.2 points as a freshman and reaching double digits just once, Thorpe has already reached double figures five times this season and has raised his scoring average up to 9.2 after Wednesday. Chambers was so impressed by his play before halftime, the coach made the decision to start the guard in the second half.
"I just try to let the game come to me and I just try to make the smart play," Thorpe said. "I don't try to force anything and if I'm open I'm a shooter.
"It's a team effort and we all had to pick it up as a unit. We were all in the loop to start the half and we all had to pick it up, not just D.J."
As for Jack, the 6-foot-9 forward was limited to only 12 minutes because of foul trouble yet finished third on the team in scoring with his first double-digit effort of the season. Besides his clutch free throws, the junior scored seven points on 3-4 shooting in the first half.
"For whatever reason, Donovon Jack's been playing really well in practice, "Chambers said. "It's a shame he got into some foul trouble but his go-to moves and catches and going up strong, making his free throws. It was critical."
Once again, the game came down to a last-second missed shot by Duquesne. Still, Chambers knows that if the Nittany Lions are going to take the next step as a program, learning to win close games is key.
"Those kids [at Duquesne] played really hard and tough," Chambers said. "It's not going to be pretty, it's going to be ugly and it's going to be close. Just get used to it."