Nittany Lions Head to Iowa for Saturday Afternoon ClashNittany Lions Head to Iowa for Saturday Afternoon Clash
Jaydyn Isiminger

Nittany Lions Head to Iowa for Saturday Afternoon Clash

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's basketball team hits the road once again Saturday afternoon when the Nittany Lions travel west to take on Iowa at 4:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network. The 2021-22 Penn State men's basketball season is presented by Highmark Health.
 
FOLLOW ALONG

 
OPENING TIPS

  • Penn State plays its second of three-straight road games Saturday when the Nittany Lions travel to take on Iowa.
  • PSU has won three of its last five games, with the two losses coming in tight decisions against nationally ranked teams in #3 Purdue and #16 Ohio State.
  • Four Nittany Lions are averaging double-digit points, led by junior Seth Lundy's 14.1 ppg. Seniors Jalen Pickett (13.3 ppg) and Sam Sessoms (12.1 ppg) follow, while grad student John Harrar is nearly averaging a double-double with 10.8 ppg and 9.9 rpg.

 
IF PENN STATE BEATS IOWA

  • The Nittany Lions would earn just their second win in Iowa City in the last 21 years.
  • Penn State would hand Iowa its second home loss of the season.
  • Penn State would even its Big Ten record at 4-4.

 
SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES

  • The Hawkeyes are the top receiving votes team in this week's AP Poll and own a 13-5 overall record and 3-4 mark in Big Ten play.
  • Iowa ranks second in the Big Ten and fifth in the nation in scoring offense with 83.9 points per game. The Hawkeyes have averaged 90.8 points per game in their 13 wins, compared to 66.0 points per game in their five losses.
  • The Hawkeyes have won Big Ten games against Maryland (80-75), Indiana (83-74) and Minnesota (81-71), while dropping conference contests to Purdue (70-77), Illinois (83-87), Wisconsin (78-87) and Rutgers (46-48).
  • Hawkeye sophomore Keegan Murray is the nation's second-leading scorer with 23.3 points per game.

 
AGAINST IOWA

  • Iowa holds a 32-18 all-time advantage in a series that dates back to 1955, but the Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes have split the last 10 meetings at 5-5.
  • The Nittany Lions will be looking for their fifth-ever road win in Iowa City and just the second in the last 21 years. Penn State won on the road at Iowa in 2017 for the first time since 2001.
  • The two teams met once last season, a 74-68 Iowa win in Iowa City on Feb. 21, 2021. Myles Dread scored 10 points.

 
ROAD WARRIORS

  • Due to the postponement of Wednesday Jan. 19's home game vs. Minnesota, Penn State is now playing three-straight road games. The Nittany Lions will be away from the Bryce Jordan Center for four of five contests ranging from Jan. 16 at Ohio State to Feb. 5 at Wisconsin.

 
20-PLUS…TWICE!

  • Penn State will now go 20 days between home games - Jan. 11 vs. Rutgers to Jan. 31 vs. Iowa.
  • It's the second time this season that the Nittany Lions will go 20 or more days between playing a game in the BJC, as Penn State went 25 days from Dec. 8 vs. Wagner to Jan. 2 vs. Indiana due to game cancellations in December.

 
DEFENSE VS. OFFENSE

  • Penn State vs. Iowa offers an interesting matchup of team's with opposite strengths.
  • Penn State's stingy defense has held its opponents to an average of 64.7 points per game this season, the third-lowest by a Big Ten team.
  • Iowa owns the Big Ten's second-highest scoring offense with an average of 83.9 points per game. The Hawkeyes' point production ranks fifth in the nation.

 
THREE OF FIVE

  • Penn State returned from a 22-day layoff from game action to play some of its best basketball yet, earning three Big Ten wins during a five-game stretch. The Nittany Lions' only two losses since the turn of the calendar year were narrow defeats to #3 Purdue (seven-point home loss) and #16 Ohio State (five-point road loss).
  • The Nittany Lions earned a home win over Indiana (61-68) on Jan. 2, a road win at Northwestern (74-70) on Jan. 5, and a home victory against Rutgers (66-49) on Jan. 11.
  • The Penn State defense has been the catalyst over the last five games as the Nittany Lions are holding their opponents to 62.4 ppg since the turn of the calendar year. Jalen Pickett has led Penn State offensively, averaging 16.0 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game over the last five games.

DE-FENSE!

  • Penn State's defense has held nine of its last 12 opponents at least 10 points under their season scoring averages entering the game.
  • Penn State has held its opponents to a dismal average of 58.5 points per game in its eight wins. Nittany Lion opponents have shot just 38.1 percent (74-194) from the floor and 31.0 percent (53-171) from 3-point range in Penn State's eight wins.
Team Season Avg. Vs. PSU Margin
#16 Ohio St. 75.6 61 -14.6
Rutgers 70.4 49 -21.4
#3 Purdue 85.9 74 -11.9
Indiana 77.2 58 -19.2
Wagner 69.0 54 -15
Miami 73.3 63 -10.3
Oregon State 69.2 45 -24.2
LSU 85.4 68 (OT) -17.4
Cornell 87.8 74 -13.8

 
UP NEXT

  • Penn State remains on the road Wednesday when the Nittany Lions travel to Indiana. Penn State won the season's first matchup with the Hoosiers, 61-58, on Jan. 2 in Happy Valley.
  • The Nittany Lions and Hoosiers tip off at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night on the Big Ten Network.