November 28, 2017
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's basketball team travels to North Carolina State for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Tipoff is set for 7:15 p.m. from PNC Arena.
GAMEDAY
Penn State (6-1) at N.C. State (5-2)
Wednesday, November 29
7:15 p.m.
PNC Arena, Raleigh, N.C.
WATCH: ESPNU
Anish Shroff (pxp) & Debbie Antonelli (analyst)
LISTEN: Penn State Sports Network, Steve Jones (pxp) and Dick Jerardi (analyst)
2017-18 Affiliates and free online at GoPSUsports.com/lionvision
FOLLOW: Twitter @PennStateMBB & @Coach_Chambers | Facebook | Instagram @PennStateMBB.
N.C. STATE WOLFPACK
RECORD: 5-2, 0-0 Atlantic Coast
Coach: Kevin Keatts (1st year at N.C. State)
Starters Returning/Lost: 2/3
2017-18 Leading Scorer:
#12 Allerick Freeman, GS, G - 15.9 ppg
2017-18 Leading Rebounder:
#00 Abdul-Malik Abu, Sr., F - 6.7 rpg
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
RECORD: 6-1, 0-0 Big Ten
Coach: Patrick Chambers (7th year at Penn State)
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/0
2017-18 Leading Playmaker:
#10 Tony Carr, So., G - 20.0 ppg / 4.8 apg
2017-18 Leading Rebounder:
#11 Lamar Stevens, So. F - 6.7 rpg
TICKETS
Tickets are available for Penn State home games, including the Monday, December 4 Big Ten season home opener vs. Wisconsin. Visit gopsusports.com/tickets/m-baskbl-tickets.html for more information.
OPENING TIP
The November 29 game at N.C. State is Penn State's first trip to the state of North Carolina for under coach Patrick Chambers and the first away game against a team in North Carolina since 2002 (at UNC, 11/18/2002).
One of the most notable games in Penn State history came against a North Carolina team, UNC, when the Nittany Lions upset the fifth-ranked and second-seeded Tar Heels 82-74 in the Superdome in second round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
SERIES HISTORY
This is the 20th meeting between the Penn State and N.C. State with the Wolfpack holding a 16-3 advantage in the series. The last meeting came in 2012 when the two teams met in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on November 15, 2012. Penn State's last win in the series was a 74-72 victory in the consolation game of the 2000 NIT at Madison Square Garden.
Penn State is 1-0 against Atlantic Coast Conference teams in 2017-18 with an 85-54 victory over Pittsburgh November 20 in the Legends Classic games at the Barclays Center.
Of the current roster of teams in the ACC, following the Pittsburgh and Syracuse series, the 19 games between Penn State and N.C. State are the most. The Panthers and the Nittany Lions have met 148 times and Penn State and Syracuse 105 times, but the last contest between the two was in 1982.
IN THE B1G/ACC CHALLENGE
Penn State has won three-straight Big Ten/ACC Challenge games and seven of its last 10 meetings vs. ACC institutions in this event. The Nittany Lions hold an 8-8 record in 16 Challenge appearances. Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball teams won five of the six final games in the 18th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge in 2016 to win the Commissioner's Cup. Chambers is 4-2 in Big Ten/ACC Challenge games.
N.C. State is the eighth different ACC team the Nittany Lions will face in the Challenge and the fifth involved in multiple meetings. The last Challenge game between the Penn State and N.C. State occurred in 2000.
AGAINST THE ACC
Penn State is 148-191 in meetings with the current roster of Atlantic Coast Conference teams, which includes a 76-72 mark against Pittsburgh and 48-62 record against Syracuse, with both institutions joining the league in 2013.
The Nittany Lions faced three ACC teams in 2016-17 with games against Georgia Tech (2017 Big Ten/ACC Challenge, W, 67-60), No. 1 Duke (Hall of Fame Tip-Off -- L, 68-78) and Pittsburgh (Never Forget Tribute Classic, L 73-81).
POINTS RISING
Just one of the indicators of Penn State's increase in its offensive output was the setting of the program's record for points scored in the Big Ten (1,262) and finish in the top 10 for total points (2,367) in 2016-17.
In comparing the season's figures after seven games, the current 82.0 points per game is second, so far, to the 2013-14 season, and nearly a nine-point difference from the 2016-17 and 20-point difference from Chambers' first season in 2011-12.
Scoring
7-game Final
Season Record FG% Avg. Avg.
2017-18 6-1 47.9 82.0
2016-17 4-3 41.8 73.1 71.7
2015-16 5-2 39.5 66.6 65.8
2014-15 6-1 45.1 76.0 66.9
2013-14 6-1 48.0 83.1 70.9
2012-13 4-3 36.5 59.1 61.6
2011-12 5-2 37.5 62.6 61.8
HOLDING OPPONENTS UNDER 60 POINTS
Oral Roberts became the fourth team in 2017-18 to be held to fewer than 60 points by the defensive-minded Nittany Lions and the 48-point total is the lowest total of the year so far. Pittsburgh scored 54 while consecutive opponents Fairleigh Dickinson and Montana were both held to a total of 57 points, that total ranking as the lowest by Montana since February 27, 2016 (54).
The 2015-16 season was the last time Penn State allowed less than 60 points to consecutive opponents against Bucknell (58) and Boston College (58).
Penn State is was 11-0 in 2016-17 when keeping its opponents below 70 points and all six Big Ten wins came when opponents were kept at or below 70 with two teams held under 60 points.
REAVES, PRINCE OF THIEVES
Junior Josh Reaves leads the Big Ten and currently ranks in the NCAA top 10 individually for total steals (10th-18) and steals per game (8th-3.0). His defensive contributions have helped Penn State to a No. 4 national ranking with 77 total steals and No. 5 rank in steals per game (11.0).
BLOCK PARTY
Redshirt sophomore Mike Watkins has 21 of the Nittany Lions' 42 blocked shots on the year, a total that has Penn State ranked 10th nationally for total blocked shots and 22md for blocked shots per game (6.0).
Individually, Watkins is second among active career leaders with 2.84 per game. His 2017-18 totals place him fifth nationally (21) and sixth with his average of 3.50 per game.
PENN STATE SPORTS NETWORK
More than 40 radio stations in Pennsylvania and New York will carry Nittany Lion Basketball games during the 2017-18 season. Radio announcer Steve Jones, in his 36th year with Penn State, will handle the play-by-play with USBWA Hall of Famer Dick Jerardi of the Philadelphia Daily News serving as analyst. Broadcasts begin 30 minutes prior to tip-off with the "Penn State Bookstore Pregame Show." Broadcasts conclude with the PA Propane Association Postgame Show post-game show featuring coach and player interviews, game statistics and scores from around the nation.
Broadcasts are also available on SiriusXM with specific channels for each game announced in game notes.
THE PENN STATE COACHES SHOW PRESENTED BY PEPSI
"The Penn State Coaches Show -- Featuring Pat Chambers and Presented by Pepsi" with Steve Jones and Roger Corey, airs live from Primanti Brothers in State College Thursday nights from 6:05-7:00 pm beginning this Thursday, November 30, 2017, and ending in early March. "The Penn State Coaches Show" and game broadcasts can also be heard for free via www.GoPSUsports.com/lionvision. The Penn State Sports Network is syndicated by Penn State Sports Properties, a property of Learfield.