UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's basketball team (3-4, 0-3) returns to Big Ten Conference play at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 17 against Purdue (9-5, 4-3) in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Big Ten Network will have the broadcast of game from Mackey Arena.
The Nittany Lions defeated the Boilermakers, 88-76, and earned a rare win in Mackey Arena in 2019-20 in the only meeting between the two teams. Penn State connected on 14 3-pointers, 10 coming in the first half, with a career-best six by freshman starter Seth Lundy.
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ROSTER: Penn State | Purdue
SCHEDULE: Penn State | Purdue
STATS: Penn State | Purdue
GAME NOTES: Penn State | Purdue
PURDUE
Coach: Matt Painter (Purdue, 1993)
Purdue Record: 346-179 (16th season)
Career Record: 371-184 (17th season)
2020-21 Record: 9-5, 4-3 Big Ten
Leading Scorer
#50 Trevion Williams, Jr., F – 15.5 ppg
Leading Rebounders
#50 Trevion Williams, Jr., F – 9.6 rpg
Assists Leader
#55 Sasha Stefanovic, Jr., G – 2.6 apg
#2 Eric Hunter Jr., Jr., G – 3.5 apg
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Interim Head Coach: Jim Ferry (Keene State, 1990)
Penn State Record: 3-4 (First season)
Career Record: 317-269 (20th season)
Top Scorer
#12 Izaiah Brockington, Jr., G – 15.1 ppg
Top Rebounder
#21 John Harrar, Sr., F – 6.6 rpg
Assists Leaders
#5 Jamari Wheeler, Sr., G – 4.3 apg
#3 Sam Sessoms, Jr., G – 3.0 apg
PENN STATE PROBABLE STARTERS
F -- 1 – Seth Lundy – So. | 12.6 ppg | 3.3 rpg
Note: Scored 10 points in second half at Indiana; His 32 points vs. VCU is tied for eighth-highest in Big Ten single-game scoring this season
F -- 21 – John Harrar – Sr. | 7.0 ppg | 6.6 rpg
Note: Scored nine points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds; Had six-straight points late in second half vs. Hoosiers to keep Nittany Lions in striking distance
G – 0 – Myreon Jones -- Jr. | 14.3 ppg | 2.7 rpg
Note: Led Nittany Lions with 20 points at Indiana for his first career back-to-back 20-point games; Shot 67 percent from field and beyond arc at IU; #10 in B1G conf-only scoring
G – 5 – Jamari Wheeler -- Sr. | 5.3 ppg | 4.0 rpg | 4.3 apg
Note: Had five points, two in overtime at Indiana; Tied for ninth on Penn State's career steals list with 158
G – 12 – Izaiah Brockington -- Jr. | 15.1 ppg | 4.7 rpg
Note: Had 13 of his 15 points at Indiana in second half; Penn State's top scorer who ranks 15th in scoring avg. in Big Ten and 12th in conference-only games
STARTING 5
The Nittany Lions returned to practice Monday and beginning with Sunday's game at Purdue, will play four games over seven days (Jan. 17-23) and seven games in 14 days (Jan. 17-30).
Penn State is among 10 Big Ten teams ranked in the top 50 of the NCAA's most recent NET ranking (1/15/2021). The Nittany Lions are No. 41.
Junior guard Myreon Jones had 20 points to lead Penn State at Indiana, posting back-to-back 20-point scoring games for the first time in his career (21 vs. No. 18 Illinois, 20 at Indiana). Jones became the third Nittany Lion with two 20-plus point games this season (Brockington, Lundy).
Senior guard Jamari Wheeler moved into a tie for ninth on Penn State's career steals list with 158.
Established as a program in 1897, Penn State's 2020-21 season marks its 125th year. Penn State is one of the 10 oldest programs in the nation and won its 1,500th game at No. 15 Virginia Tech.
SERIES vs. PURDUE
Penn State ended a nine-game losing streak vs. Purdue with a win at Mackey Arena last season.
In the last 10 meetings, the Nittany Lions and Boilermakers have played three overtime games (PU 3-0), most for both teams vs. any team in the Big Ten.
Series streak: Penn State, W1
Last game: West Lafayette, Ind.
No. 13 Penn State 88, Purdue 76, 2/11/2020
Overall series: Purdue leads 39-13 (PS A: 3-22)
Ferry vs. Purdue: First meeting
Series record and results from last 20 games are listed on page 5 of the game notes.
STARTING NEW YEAR ON THE ROAD
The Nittany Lions start 2021 a little later than planned, but they will still open the new year on the road. Last January's epic battle at the Palestra was Penn State's first "home" game to start a new year after nine seasons on the road.
FIRST GAME OF NEW YEAR
The Nittany Lions won their first game of 2020 over Iowa in the Palestra (Jan. 4), but since joining the Big Ten for the 1992-93 season, Penn State is 8-20 overall and 6-18 against conference opponents in the first game of the new year.
This is the first time Penn State will face Purdue as its first opponent of the new year. The earliest in January the two teams have met was on Jan. 5, both games played in the Bryce Jordan Center (2011-L, 2012-W).
B1G ROAD WINS
Penn State's four Big Ten road wins in 2019-20 were the most in program history and came at venues where victories had been rare for the Nittany Lions. Prior to 2020, Penn State's only other wins at Purdue were during the 2005-06 and 1998-99 seasons.
2019-20 B1G Road Wins
All-Time Away Wins (Visits) -- Opponent
3 (25) – Purdue
2 (25) – Michigan State
3 (24) -- Michigan
2 (10) -- Nebraska
SEVEN STRAIGHT FOR SAM
Junior guard Sam Sessoms has scored in double figures in seven-straight games to start this season, the only Nittany Lion with 10+ point efforts in every game in 2020-21. Fellow Philadelphians Lamar Stevens and DJ Newbill both posted double-digit season-opening streaks with double-digit scoring with Stevens accomplishing that feat in 2019-20 and 2018-19.
BY THE NUMBERS
0 – Number of times Penn State has scored 80 or more points in three consecutive regular-season Big Ten contests. The Nittany Lions have scored 80 or more points in two-straight B1G games five times.
8 – The Nittany Lions' +8 advantage on the glass at Indiana was its highest rebounding margin since a +11 total at Nebraska Feb. 1, 2020.
14 – Penn State's 14 3-point baskets at Purdue in 2019-20 were one shy of the program record. The Nittany Lions had 10 in the first half and shot 53.8 percent for the game (14-26)..
47 – Points scored in the second half at Indiana, Penn State's highest single-half point total in B1G play this season.
47 – Penn State's kenpom.com rating as of Jan. 15, 2021, highest of any team at or below .500.
78.4 – Penn State's current scoring average of 78.4 points per game would tie
the program record (1982-83). The current B1G scoring average (74.7) would rank second all-time.
FOLLOW PENN STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL VIRTUALLY
Please stay connected and follow Penn State men's basketball virtually throughout season. While we are unable to host fans this season due to COVID-19 protocols, fans are able to join the interest list for tickets for the 2021-22 men's basketball season. Sign up for the 2021-22 interest list by clicking here.
