Jan. 12, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" The Nittany Lion basketball team (10-7, 1-3) will begin a two-game road swing inside Mackey Arena against No. 24 Purdue (14-3, 2-2) on Wednesday (8:30 p.m. on BTN).
The Lions head to West Lafayette in advance of a Saturday tilt at Northwestern (8:30 p.m. on ESPNU). The key to a Big Ten schedule is taking things one game at a time and not letting one game impact the next game on the schedule. Every game on the calendar during Big Ten play presents its own unique challenge, and that was head coach Patrick Chambers' message following last Sunday's contest against No. 5 Michigan State.
"We've got to bounce back. We've got to play harder," said Chambers. "Purdue is, in my mind, a top 25 team. They had a tough loss at Illinois, but Illinois was desperate. So, it's going to be another great challenge for us. We knew the beginning of the season was going to be difficult. But we have to stick together and keep getting better."
Step one for Chambers is playing with more consistency on the defensive end of the floor. The Nittany Lions are allowing opponents to score 79.5 points per game and shoot 48.2 percent from the field during Big Ten play. Those are numbers that Coach Chambers is adamant about the team improving upon for the Lions to have success moving forward.
Communicating better and being sound in every rotation on the defensive end are two things Chambers pinpointed when he discussed the Nittany Lions before heading to Purdue. Penn State's youth certainly plays a role in learning how to defend and rebound with more consistency.
Sophomore guard Shep Garner is headed to Purdue after a strong two-game stretch in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Philadelphia native averaged 19.5 points per game last week, scoring 20 against Minnesota and 19 against Michigan State. He also had six assists in Penn State's win over Minnesota, marking a high for Garner in a Big Ten game.
Purdue enters the Wednesday night tilt with a 2-2 mark in conference play after falling to Illinois, 84-70, on Sunday in Champaign. Ranked as high as ninth in the nation, the Boilers started the season 11-0 before a 74-68 loss to in-state foe Butler. Purdue's only other loss prior to he Illinois game came at the hands of Iowa (70-63) inside Mackey Arena on Jan. 2.
The Boilermakers are among the top defensive teams in America. Purdue is No. 1 in defensive field goal percentage (35.9 percent) and No. 2 in defensive rebounds per game (31.1). Purdue is allowing 61.1 points per game (No. 13 nationally and No. 2 in the Big Ten).
"Defensively, they are one of the best in the league," said Chambers. "They are right up there with Michigan State. We've really got to share the ball. We've got to move them. We've got to continue to do different things, work inside-out, put pressure on the paint and do the little things that is going to take some of the pressure off (of the offense)."
Offensively, the Boilers are No. 7 nationally in assists (311). Purdue's towering front line of A.J. Hammons (7-0), Isaac Haas (7-2) and Caleb Swanigan (6-9) make up the team's leading scorers. Hammons is averaging 13.9 points and 7.8 rebounds, Haas is averaging 10.8 points and 5.0 rebounds and Swanigan is averaging 10.1 points and 8.6 rebounds. Guard Rapheal Davis is just shy of double-digits, averaging 9.5 points per game. Dealing with Purdue's size is atop the scouting report.
"We have to get stops this game," said Chambers. "We have to play tough. We have to play physical. We have to rebound the ball. They are huge. They have great shooters coming off the bench. Everybody knows their role."
This will mark Penn State's first trip to Mackey Arena since Jan. 18, 2014. The Lions played two very close games against the Boilers last year, including an 84-77 overtime setback in the BJC and a 64-59 setback in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
"It's a process. We've got to continue to get these guys better. Nothing changes," said Chambers. "That's the goal today in practice. That's the goal tomorrow night at Purdue."