Jan. 27, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - For the better part of three weeks, the Nittany Lion basketball team (13-7, 1-6 Big Ten) team had been on the brink of scoring its first Big Ten win of the season.
Thanks to 40 minutes of consistent effort on both ends of the floor, the Lions cruised past Rutgers (79-51) on Saturday afternoon in the Bryce Jordan Center. Now, the challenge for head coach Patrick Chambers and the Nittany Lions is building on the dominant performance against the Scarlet Knights.
That challenge will commence on Wednesday when the Lions cap off a two-game homestand against Minnesota (13-8, 2-6 Big Ten).
"The Rutgers game is behind us now," Chambers said. "Now, we are back to creating better habits and getting better. We are going to start working on Minnesota things today (Monday) in practice. We will watch film, a little bit of the Rutgers game, to continue to get better. We made too many mistakes. We got away with them because we made shots. Making shots really cures a lot of ailments. So, if we are not making shots on Wednesday, we need to continue to develop those good habits."
Penn State shot 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc against Rutgers, continuing a string of solid offensive outings. The Nittany Lions have shot better than 42 percent in each of the last five games, including three games at 46 percent or better.
D.J. Newbill has been lights out for the Nittany Lions during the last three games. Averaging 29 points per contest in the last three, the senior guard has moved into seventh on the all-time scoring list with 1,548 years. Newbill's rise on the career scoring chart has come in just two and a half seasons (sat out in 2011-'12 after transferring).
The Nittany Lion guard has his focus on what lies ahead. Newbill knows that the Nittany Lions have a lot of basketball to play, but he likes the way the Lions have approached the past few weeks.
"We knew it was a marathon race," senior Newbill said. "We have to have a short memory. We can't dwell on the games that we lost. We have to try to learn from them...We've got to keep it moving. We've got a lot of games left."
Junior forward Brandon Taylor has been hot of late, as well. The New Jersey product has averaged 11.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in Penn State's last four games. However, Taylor is listed as day-to-day with a mild knee sprain (Rutgers game). Should Taylor not be able to play on Wednesday against Minnesota, Chambers is confident that the Lions will be able to adapt.
"Everybody's got to step up, and everybody's got to do their job - next man up," Chambers said. "I don't want to put pressure on any one kid. I don't think that is fair to them. I think they are playing with a lot of energy and a lot of confidence. We've all got to step up, if that is the case."
Look for a continuation of the increased playing time for guard Devin Foster. A transfer from Vincennes College, Foster has come on strong during the past two games, playing 22 and 15 minutes, respectively. A pass-first player, the Ohio native has been productive in his opportunities on the floor. Foster has averaged 5.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists in the last two.
"I think he deserves it," Newbill said. "He has worked extremely hard since the day he got here."
With Foster on the floor, Shep Garner will slide to the two-guard spot, with Newbill moving to the three spot. The rotation gives Penn State good speed in the backcourt, and it opens up opportunities for Garner and Newbill to score on the wing.
"I like it," Newbill said. "It gives us good opportunities to score on the wings instead of just coming off ball screens. So, I think Dev just adds another dimension to our team."
Minnesota enters Wednesday's game following a 79-71 victory over Illinois at home. The Golden Gophers have two of their last three games, following a 0-5 start to Big Ten play.
"They are very talented. They have some youth. Andre Hollins has had it going these last three games," Chambers said. "They inserted DeAndre Mathieu back into the starting lineup. With his speed, it's a great challenge. (Maurice) Walker is playing well. He's averaging double-figures right now. (Carlos) Morris is playing really well. He is averaging 12 or 13 points right now. They have some options. They have three guys in double-figures. They are mixing it up on defense - pressing, zone, man-to-man - trying to keep other teams off balance."
Six Gopher players are averaging 8.7 points or more per contest. Senior Andre Hollins leads the team in scoring at 14.5 tallies per game. The Gophers are ranked third in the Big Ten in scoring at 77.5 points per game. Minnesota is second in three-point shooting percentage at 39.5. Thanks to its pressing defense, the Gophers are leading the Big Ten in steals at 10.7 per game.
The Nittany Lions and Gophers will meet on the final Sunday of the regular season (March 8) in Minneapolis. Penn State is 8-10 all-time in home games against the Gophers.
"When you defend and rebound and do the right things and be great teammates, then good things will happen," Chambers said. "...For me, I'm really optimistic about how we can play the next 11 games here."