UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's basketball team (8-12, 5-11) welcomes Purdue (15-8-15, 10-6) to the Bryce Jordan Center for a Friday, Feb. 26 contest. The Nittany Lions and Boilermakers get underway on FS1 at 7 p.m.
The last three games in the series have been played at Purdue with the Boilermakers' last visit to Happy Valley in January 2019.
WATCH: FS1 and Fox Sports mobile app
Kevin Burkhardt (pxp) and Steve Lavin (analyst)
LISTEN: Penn State Sports Network
Steve Jones (pxp) & Dick Jerardi (analyst)
Affiliates: GoPSUsports.com/affiliates2021
Listen online: GoPSUsports.com/lionvision
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LIVE STATS: Penn State vs. Purdue
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ROSTER: Penn State | Purdue
SCHEDULE: Penn State | Purdue
STATS: Penn State | Purdue
GAME NOTES: Penn State | Purdue
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS
Coach: Matt Painter (Purdue, 1993)
Purdue Record: 352-182 (16th season)
Career Record: 377-187 (17th season)
2020-21 Record: 15-8, 10-6 Big Ten
Leading Scorer
#50 Trevion Williams, Jr., F – 16.0 ppg
Leading Rebounders
#50 Trevion Williams, Jr., F – 9.1 rpg
Assists Leader
#2 Eric Hunter Jr., Jr., G – 3.2 apg
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Interim Head Coach: Jim Ferry (Keene State, 1990)
Penn State Record: 8-12 (First season)
Career Record: 322-277 (20th season)
Top Scorer
#0 Myreon Jones, Jr., G – 15.6 ppg
#12 Izaiah Brockington, Jr., G – 13.4 ppg
Top Rebounder
#21 John Harrar, Sr., F – 8.8 rpg
Assists Leaders
#5 Jamari Wheeler, Sr., G – 3.5 apg
PENN STATE LAST GAME STARTERS
F -- 21 – John Harrar – Sr. | 9.0 ppg | 8.8 rpg
Note: Averaging a double-double with 10.1 points, 10.0 rebounds over last 13 games (since restart); Leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounds per game (3.85) and ranks eighth nationally in that category
G – 0 – Myreon Jones -- Jr. | 15.6 ppg | 2.7 rpg
Note: Scored game- and career-high 29 points at Nebraska off career-best-tying 6 treys for his 12th career 20-point game
G -- 2 – Myles Dread – Jr. | 8.0 ppg | 2.2 rpg
Note: Scored 11 of his 16 points in Nebraska win in second half; connected on four treys and initiated an 11-0 run, accounting for 5 points; made fourth start of season at Nebraska
G – 5 – Jamari Wheeler -- Sr. | 6.1 ppg | 4.3 rpg | 3.5 apg
Note: Floor general dictates pace; Has 313 career assists for 15th on Penn State's all-time list; moved to No. 6 on career steals list with 4 at Nebraska for 183 total
G – 12 – Izaiah Brockington -- Jr. | 13.4 ppg | 4.7 rpg
Note: Team's second-leading scorer and rebounder who is third on team in assists and steals; has scored in double figures in 7 of last 9 games
STARTING 5
Penn State's current 71.4 scoring average in Big Ten games would rank sixth among its list of averages since joining the league in 1992-93.
According to kenpom.com calculations, Penn State's current strength of schedule rating is +19.22, second overall nationally. Of the top 10 SOS ratings, eight are held by Big Ten teams. Purdue's SOS is just outside the top 10 at No. 11.
Penn State snatched 14 steals at Nebraska Tuesday night, its highest total in B1G play since recording 15 vs. Indiana (1/29/20).
The Nittany Lions took over the Big Ten's top spot in team steals per game in all games (8.2) and Big Ten contests (7.8). Penn State is ranked 38th nationally in steals per game.
Senior forward John Harrar collected eight offensive rebounds at Nebraska, his second-highest total (10 at Purdue, 1/17/21). He leads the Big Ten and is ranked eight nationally with 3.85 per game. In the last 13 games (since restart), he is averaging 4.46 per game.
SERIES vs. PURDUE
Purdue makes its first trip to Happy Valley since escaping with a 99-90 overtime win in the Bryce Jordan Center on on Jan. 31, 2019. In each of the last three odd-numbered years (2015, 2017 & 2019), the two teams have engaged in an overtime game, all at home in the BJC.
Series streak: Purdue, W1
Last game: West Lafayette, Ind.
Purdue 80, Penn State 72, 1/17/21
Overall series: Purdue leads 40-13 (PS H: 10-14)
Ferry vs. Purdue & Painter: 0-1
Series record and results from the last 20 games are on page 5 of the game notes.
NET & KENPOM.COM
The Feb. 25, 2021 NCAA NET ranking has Penn State at 39, one of nine Big Ten teams in the top 40. Penn State is 36 on kenpom.com, one of 10 Big Ten teams in the kenpom.com top 40. The Nittany Lions are only team among those top 40 lists at or below .500.
Feb. 25, 2021
NCAA NET – 39
Kenpom.com – 36
FOR 3!
Penn State is averaging 9.1 3-point field goals per game, good for second in the Big Ten. Penn State has connected for at least nine 3-point field goals in 12 games this season and has eight games in double figures.
Over the last five years, the 3-point field goals made per-game average has increased. The highest final team average in the Nittany Lions' Big Ten era is 8.4 (278 in 33 games) by the 2000-01 Sweet Sixteen squad.
BY THE NUMBERS
1.8 – Senior guard Jamari Wheeler captured the top spot in the Big Ten Conference's steals category with a 1.8 steals-per-game average in all games and league-only games.
9 – Nine of the Nittany Lions' games this year have been decided by five points or less, 13 by eight points or less.
14 – Penn State connected on a season-high 14 treys at Nebraska, one shy of tying the single-game record (15). The Nittany Lions have eight double-figure 3-pointer totals in 2020-21 including the last three games.
14.55 – The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in turnovers forced with a 14.55 per game average. PSU also tops the league with a 2.9 turnover margin, good for 39th nationally.
85.6 – Senior forward John Harrar is fourth nationally in free-throw rate at 85.6, the percentage of free-throw attempts to field goal attempts.
86 – Penn State's 86-point total at Nebraska marked its highest Big Ten game total in 2020-21 and highest total for a road game since an 88-76 win at Purdue last year (Feb. 11, 2020).
LAST TIME OUT: JONES' CAREER HIGH LEADS NITTANY LIONS TO B1G ROAD WIN
Penn State relied on a career night from Myreon Jones for an 86-83 Big Ten road win at Nebraska. Jones finished with 29 points on 8-18 shooting with six 3-pointers.
Penn State withstood the top scoring performance in the Big Ten Conference this year as Husker Teddy Allen scored 41 points, with 28 in the first half.
Jamari Wheeler hit two clutch free throws with 12 seconds remaining to seal the victory after Jones made five from the line in the previous 41 seconds. After not attempting a free throw in the first half, the Nittany Lions made 15 of their 18 free throws in the final 12 minutes of play.
The Nittany Lions scored 25 points off 18 Huskers turnovers and outrebounded Nebraska 42-29, allowing only two rebounds on the offensive glass.
Penn State led by seven with 53 seconds left, but free throws and a couple of baskets by the Huskers in the final 21 seconds trimmed the PSU lead to one, 84-83, before Wheeler's final points from the line. Nebraska had a long 3-point attempt to tie the game in the final seconds, but it was off the mark.
The Nittany Lions trailed by one, 48-47, with 14:57 to play, but a basket by junior guard Myles Dread started an 11-0 run that saw three-straight 3-pointers fall from Jones, Wheeler and Dread. Penn State's lead went to 10, 58-48, by 12:39, but Allen scored eight of the Huskers' next 12 points to pull within three, 62-59.
Treys by Dread and free throws by Harrar kept Penn State ahead after back-to-back 3-pointers by Thorir Thorbjarnarson clipped the lead to three. Trey McGowens tied the game at 70 with 6:20 to play before Wheeler connected on a critical 3-pointer for a 73-30 lead. The Nittany Lions maintained their lead until the end even when the Huskers trimmed their deficit to one inside the final 21 seconds.
Five Nittany Lions scored in double figures with Jones contributing six to Penn State's 14 3-pointers, its season-high to date. Dread finished with a season-best 16 points, Wheeler scored 13 points, Izaiah Brockington added 11 and John Harrar finished with his fifth career double-double (10 pts, 14 reb), tying his career rebounds high and posting the game-high total for the 12th time in 2020-21.
Jones had the hot hand with five triples in the opening half, three in the game's first three minutes. Allen offset the Nittany Lions' scoring with 28 first-half points on 11-14 shooting. His 41-point total set the Penn State opponent record for scoring in a Big Ten contest.
Penn State grabbed eight offensive rebounds and capitalized with eight second-chance points. Penn State limited Nebraska's chances and did not allow for a Huskers offensive rebound in the first half.
The Nittany Lions combatted Allen's furious scoring effort by knocking down seven 3-pointers in the first half and recorded eight steals that led to 14 points. Penn State had a 39-38 lead at the half led by Jones' 17.
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.
