Jan. 14, 2018
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January 14, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -The Penn State men's basketball team completes its two-game homestand in the Bryce Jordan Center with a 7 p.m. game vs. Minnesota on Monday, January 15.
GAMEDAY
Minnesota (13-6, 2-4 Big Ten) at Penn State (13-6, 3-3 Big Ten)
Monday, January 15
7 p.m. ET
Bryce Jordan Center (15,261)
WATCH: BTN and BTN2Go
Brandon Gaudin (pxp) and Robbie Hummel (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
TICKETS:
Tickets are available for Penn State's remaining Big Ten home games, including Monday's contest vs. Minnesota. Visit for more information.
MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS
RECORD: 13-6, 2-4 Big Ten
Coach: Richard Pitino (Fifth year at Nebraska)
2017-18 Leading Scorer
#3 Jordan Murphy, Jr., F - 17.9 ppg
2017-18 Leading Rebounder:
#3 Jordan Murphy, Jr., F - 11.7 rpg
2017-18 Assists Leader:
#2 Nate Mason, Sr., G - 4.2 apg
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
RECORD: 13-6, 3-3 Big Ten
Coach: Patrick Chambers (Seventh year at Penn State)
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/0
2017-18 Leading Scorer:
#10 Tony Carr, So., G - 18.8 ppg
2017-18 Leading Rebounder:
#24 Mike Watkins, RSo. F - 9.9 rpg
2017-18 Assists Leader:
#10 Tony Carr, So., G - 4.9 apg
NITTANY LION LAST GAME STARTERS
# / Name / Pos. / ELG. / Pts / REB / STAT / NOTES
11 / Lamar Stevens / F / So. / 15.9 / 6.7 / 2nd ppg/rpg | 3-consec games w/20+pts; 30-NU, 20-IU, 26-Neb
24 / Mike Watkins / F / R-So. / 13.2 / 9.9 / 82.8 FG% in Jan | 4-consec dbl-dbls, 16th car vs. Neb, 20pts/15 reb
5 / Jamari Wheeler / G / Fr. / 3.3 / 2.5 / 37 steals | "Instant defense;" 2nd in B1G in steals w/37
10 / Tony Carr / G / So. / 18.8 / 4.4 / ppg 2nd in B1G | Hit game-winner, scored 9 of 11pts in OT vs. Neb
33 / Shep Garner / G / Sr. / 9.8 / 2.0 / 267 career 3s | Needs 3pts to tie for No. 11 on PS career pts list
OPENING TIP
The Nittany Lions had a season-high 48 rebounds vs. Nebraska and registered its second Big Ten game this season and sixth overall with a double-digit rebounding advantage.
Penn State currently owns a +5.1 rebounding margin.
QUICK HITS
• With Friday's win over Nebraska, Penn State is now 6-0 in games following a loss this season.
• The latest kenpom.com rankings (1/14) place Penn State 46th overall with a No. 15 rating for adjusted defense.
• Redshirt sophomore forward Mike Watkins posted his fourth-straight double-double of the 2017-18 season with 20 points and 15 rebounds vs. the Huskers. The last Nittany Lion to accomplish this feat was Geary Claxton during the 2007-08 season.
• Senior guard Shep Garner needs three points to tie Jarrett Stephens (1996-2000) for the No. 11 spot on the Penn State career scoring list. Garner stands at 1,369 with Stephens at 1,372.
• Coach Patrick Chambers won his 100th game at Penn State vs. Nebraska. The game also marked his seventh overtime win with the Nittany Lions and 10th career overtime win.
SERIES VS. MINNESOTA
Penn State has won the last three games vs. Minnesota at home and four of the last five meetings in the series. The Gophers won the most recent meeting at the Williams Center 81-71 on February 25, 2017.
Minnesota was the first opponent and the first Penn State win in the Bryce Jordan Center on January 11, 1996.
Overall series: Minnesota leads 33-14
at Bryce Jordan Center: Tied at 9-9
at University Park: Penn State leads 11-10
at neutral sites: Minnesota leads 4-0
Big Ten games: Minnesota leads 33-13
20-POINT TANDEMS
Sophomores Tony Carr and Lamar Stevens had teamed up for four games with each having 20-plus point efforts with two in 2016-17 and two so far in 2017-18
Against Nebraska, Stevens and Mike Watkins added their names to the list of now five Penn State games with two 20-point scorers on the current roster.
| Date | Opponent/Game | Points | Nittany Lions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/12/18 | Nebraska (ot) | 26 | Lamar Stevens |
| 20 | Mike Watkins | ||
| 1/9/18 | at Indiana | 28 | Tony Carr |
| 20 | Lamar Stevens | ||
| 11/21/17 | vs. Texas A&M | 31 | Tony Carr |
| 25 | Lamar Stevens | ||
| 2/1/17 | at Indiana (3ot) | 26 | Lamar Stevens |
| 24 | Tony Carr | ||
| 11/13/16 | Duquesne | 24 | Lamar Stevens |
| 20 | Tony Carr |
MARGINS OF EXCELLENCE
In the Patrick Chambers era, steady progress has been made in increasing the Nittany Lions' scoring and rebounding averages. In the most recent NCAA statistical rankings, Penn State is ranked 42nd for scoring margin of +11.6. Its highest ranking was last month when the Nittany Lions were 35th with a +14.2. scoring margin.
On the rebounding side, the Nittany Lions improved to 56th with a +5.1 margin.
ON THE BOARDS
Penn State moved up to 56th in the national rankings in rebound margin with a +5.1 advantage over its opponents this season. In 13 games in which the Nittany Lions have outrebounded their opponents, they are 11-2.
So far in 2017-18, Penn State has a +1.5 margin in Big Ten games.
The +5.1 rebound margin would rank as Penn State's highest since the 1995-96 season when the Nittany Lions were +6.1.