Huddle_A_22_Iowa_MS_7293Huddle_A_22_Iowa_MS_7293
Penn State Athletics

Nittany Lions Head to #20 Illinois Thursday Night

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men's basketball team hits the road for the final week of the regular season, beginning with a Thursday night road showdown at #20/17 Illinois. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT on FS1. The 2021-22 Penn State men's basketball season is presented by Highmark Health.
 
FOLLOW ALONG

 
OPENING TIPS

  • Penn State and #20/17 Illinois meet for the only time this season Thursday night when the Nittany Lions kick off a stretch of two-straight road games to close the regular season.
  • Penn State has won three of its last five games.
  • Four Nittany Lions are averaging double-digit points, led by Jalen Pickett's 12.8 ppg. Seth Lundy (12.3 ppg) and Sam Sessoms (11.6 ppg) follow, while John Harrar is averaging a double-double with 10.6 ppg and 10.2 rpg.

 
IF PENN STATE BEATS ILLINOIS

  • Penn State would beat a top-20 Big Ten team on the road for the first time since Feb. 4, 2020 (75-70 at #16 Michigan State).
  • The Nittany Lions would earn their second road win of the season.

 
SCOUTING THE ILLINI

  • The #20/17 Fighting Illini own a 20-8 overall record and 13-5 mark in Big Ten play.
  • Illinois is 11-3 at home this season and 6-2 in Big Ten home games.
  • The Illini lead the Big Ten in rebounding with 38.93 boards per game, due in large part to All-American center Kofi Cockburn.
  • Cockburn and Penn State's John Harrar are the only two Big Ten men's basketball players averaging a double-double at this point in the season. Cockburn leads the Illini with 21.48 ppg and 10.65 rpg.
  • Three other Illini are averaging double figures in Alfonso Plummer (15.5 ppg), Trent Frazier (12.6 ppg) and Jacob Grandison (10.3 ppg).

 
AGAINST ILLINOIS

  • Illinois owns a 31-19 advantage in the all-time series, including a 15-8 mark in Champaign.
  • The Illini have won the last three matchups, but Penn State had six-straight before the Illini started their streak.
  • Illinois swept last seasons regular-season series. The Illini earned a 79-65 win at the State Farm Center on Jan. 19, 2021 and a 98-81 win in the Bryce Jordan Center on Dec. 23, 2020.

 
BATTLE OF THE B1G MEN

  • Thursday night's game features a battle between the Big Ten's only two players that are averaging a double-double on the season in Penn State's John Harrar (10.6 ppg, 10.2 rpg) and Illinois All-American Kofi Cockburn (21.5 ppg, 10.7 rpg).
  • Cockburn and Harrar rank first and second in the Big Ten in rebounding, respectively. Harrar leads the league and ranks eighth in the nation with 3.62 offensive rebounds per game.

 
BIG BAD JOHN

  • Penn State graduate student John Harrar is averaging a double-double with 10.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. His 10.2 rebounds per game rank second in the Big Ten and 13th in all of Division I.
  • The Wallingford, Pa. native has tallied 10 double-doubles thus far, pulled down double-digit rebounds in 13 contests, and is shooting 65.5 percent (108-165) from the field. His 65.6 percent clip tracks to be the second-best season percentage in program history, behind only Mike Watkins' mark of 68.5 percent in 2017-18.
  • Harrar owns 16 career double-doubles, tied for eighth most in Penn State history. He leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally with 3.62 offensive rebounds per game.
  • Harrar has notched a double-double in four of the last five games, including 11 points and a staggering 20 rebounds on Feb. 25 against Northwestern. He became the first Nittany Lion since 2005 to pull down 20 boards in a game.
  • Harrar has played in 141 games throughout his Nittany Lion career, and is now tied with Julian Moore (2013-18) for most career games played at Penn State. Harrar will take sole possession of the Penn State career games played record when he suits up for the 142nd time Thursday night.

 
CLOSE BATTLES

  • The Nittany Lions have consistently found themselves in close games as 11 of Penn State's 18 Big Ten contests have been decided by seven points or less.
  • Five of Penn State's seven Big Ten wins have come by seven points or less: Indiana (61-58), at Northwestern (74-70), Iowa (90-86, 2OT), #19 Michigan State (62-58), and Northwestern (67-60).
  • Six of Penn State's 11 Big Ten losses have come by seven points or less: #3 Purdue (67-74), at #16 Ohio State (56-61), at #11 Wisconsin (49-51), Michigan (57-58), at Minnesota (70-76), and at Maryland (61-67).

 
DE-FENSE!

  • The Nittany Lions own the Big Ten's third-best scoring defense overall, allowing just 65.7 points per game. Penn State sits 0.4 ppg behind Indiana's league-best mark of 65.3 ppg.
  • Penn State has limited its opponents to 66.9 points per conference game, which is tied with Rutgers for the best mark in the Big Ten
  • The Nittany Lions have held three opponents to under 50 points this season - Jan. 17 vs. Minnesota (67-46 Win), Jan. 11 vs. Rutgers (66-49 Win), and Nov. 27 vs. Oregon State (60-45 Win). Penn State has held its opponent under 60 points 10 times this season.
  • Penn State's current mark of 65.7 points per game allowed tracks to be the Nittany Lions' best defensive season since 2010-11 when Penn State surrendered just 62.5 ppg. The 2010-11 team made an NCAA Tournament appearance.

 
UP NEXT

  • Penn State plays its final game of the regular season Sunday at Rutgers. Tipoff is set for noon on the Big Ten Network. The Nittany Lions then turn their attention to next week's Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.