December 21, 2017
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's basketball team plays the second game of its three-game homestand on Friday, December 22 vs. Rider. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center. This is the first meeting between the two programs since 2007.
GAMEDAY
Rider (6-5, 0-0 MAAC) at Penn State (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten)
Friday, December 22
7 p.m. ET
Bryce Jordan Arena (15,261)
WATCH: BTN and BTN2Go
LISTEN: Penn State Sports Network, Steve Jones (pxp) and Dick Jerardi (analyst)
2017-18 Affiliates and free online at GoPSUsports.com/lionvision
Sirius XM Sirius 135 | XM 380 | Internet 957
FOLLOW: Twitter @PennStateMBB & @Coach_Chambers | Facebook | Instagram @PennStateMBB.
TICKETS:
Tickets are available for all Penn State home games, including the two final nonconference games to close out 2017: Rider (Friday, Dec. 22) and Coppin State (Saturday, Dec. 30). Please note the Coppin State game time has moved to 1 p.m. Visit for more information.
RIDER BRONCS
RECORD: 6-5, 0-0 MAAC
Coach: Kevin Baggett (6th year at Rider)
Starters Returning/Lost: 1/4
2017-18 Leading Scorer:
#2 Jordan Allen, RFr., G - 16.6
2017-18 Leading Rebounder:
#13 Frederick Scott, RFr., F - 6.9
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
RECORD: 10-3, 1-1 Big Ten
Coach: Patrick Chambers (7th year at Penn State)
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/0
2017-18 Leading Scorer:
#10 Tony Carr, So., G - 19.5 ppg / 4.8 apg
2017-18 Leading Rebounder:
#24 Mike Watkins, RSo. F - 8.6 rpg
NITTANY LION PROBABLE STARTERS
NITTANY LION PROBABLE STARTERS
# / Name / Pos. / ELG. / Pts / REB / STAT / NOTES
11 / Lamar Stevens / F / So./ 14.6 / 7.0 / 2nd ppg/rpg | Led Lions w/16 pts & had 8 reb vs. Bearcats
24 / Mike Watkins / F / R-So. / 12.7 / 8.6 / 42 blks | 3rd-straight dbl-dbl vs. Binghamton, 12 pts/11 r
10 / Tony Carr / G / So. / 19.5 / 4.8 / ppg 2nd in B1G | 15pts & tied reg game career best w/9 assts
23 / Josh Reaves / G / Jr. / 10.8 / 4.0 / B1G steals leader | Nationally ranked for steals & A:T ratio
33 / Shep Garner / G / Sr. / 10.6 / 2.0 / 253 career 3s | Season-high 5 FG from beyond arc vs. Binghamton
OPENING TIP
The Nittany Lions had their highest three-point field goal percentage of the year against Binghamton, connecting on 10 of 17 attempts for 58.8 percent.
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN
The 10 three-pointers made against the Bearcats is the second-highest total of the year with 12 at Iowa earlier this month.
WORKING ON THE WEEKEND
Penn State is a combined 7-0 on week-end days with a 3-0 mark on Fridays and identical 2-0 records on Saturdays and Sundays.
MOVING UP
Penn State moved up a spot to 37th in the kenpom.com rankings after a ranking of 38th earlier this week. The Nittany Lions were 40th in the preseason kenpom.com ranking.
RIDER SERIES RECORD
Penn State and Rider meet on Friday for the fifth time with Penn State holding a 3-1 series advantage. Rider won the last meeting 92-73 in 2007 at the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla. The other three meetings were played at Penn State. This is coach Patrick Chambers' first-ever game against Rider.
All Meetings vs. Broncs
1/10/1981 H 67 59 W
11/30/1981 H 70 54 W
3/11/1998 H 82 68 W
11/23/2007 N 72 82 L
FIVE FOR FIVE
The Nittany Lion starters all scored in double figures against Binghamton and all five had five or more field goals (6 FG - Stevens, Carr, Reaves; 5 FG - Garner, Watkins) for the first time since a November 19, 2013, game vs. La Salle at the Bryce Jordan Center. Against the Explorers on that date, Donovan Jack, Brandon Taylor and Ross Travis each had six field goals and Tim Frazier and D.J. Newbill had five each.
NITTANY LIONS TESTED AFTER FINALS
Penn State men's basketball finished finals last week, but Binghamton put the Nittany Lions to the test in a nonconference contest December 19. Penn State outscored Binghamton 41-29 in the second half on the strength of 65.2 percent accuracy from the field for the 80-65 victory and Nittany Lions' 10th win of the season.
The Nittany Lions opened the second half with a 16-5 run, connecting on five field goals in eight attempts while the Bearcats went 2-9 from the floor during the same timeframe. Penn State parlayed two Garner three-pointers into a double-digit lead and back-to-back baskets by Stevens offset two Bearcat threes.
Redshirt sophomore forward Mike Watkins recorded his third double-double in as many games. Sophomore forward Lamar Stevens led all scorers with 16 points with Tony Carr, Josh Reaves and Shep Garner each tallying 15 points.
ALUMNI WEEKEND FESTIVITIES PLANNED FOR FEBRUARY 2-4, 2018
The Penn State men's basketball program will celebrate alumni weekend Friday-Saturday, February 2-4, 2018. Mitch Stover, who has served as the equipment manager for the Nittany Lion basketball program for 23 years, has been selected as the honorary captain for the Penn State-Iowa game on February 3. All former Penn State men's basketball student-athletes and their families are invited back to campus for this fun-filled weekend. For more information or to register, contact Wendy Miller at 814-865-5494.