Nittany Lions Travel to #12 Michigan State Wednesday NightNittany Lions Travel to #12 Michigan State Wednesday Night
Mark Selders

Nittany Lions Travel to #12 Michigan State Wednesday Night

Penn State looks to hand 12th-ranked Spartans first Big Ten loss of season

TV - Big Ten Network Listen Live Stats Game Notes

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men’s basketball team plays its third-straight game against a top-15 ranked opponent Wednesday night when the Nittany Lions head to East Lansing, Mich. Looking to hand #12 Michigan State its first Big Ten loss of the season. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.

FOLLOW ALONG

OPENING TIPS

  • Penn State plays its third of three-straight games against top-15 opponents Wednesday night when the Nittany Lions travel to #12 Michigan State.
  • The Nittany Lions rank top 20 in the nation in points per game (84.4), turnovers forced per game (11.0) and steals per game (9.6).
  • Six Nittany Lions are averaging double-digit points, led by Ace Baldwin Jr.'s 13.9 ppg.

IF PENN STATE BEATS #12 MICHIGAN STATE

  • The Nittany Lions would win just their third-ever road game in East Lansing.
  • Penn State would earn its fourth win over a top-15 ranked opponent in the Mike Rhoades era and its highest-ranked road win since Feb. 1, 2009.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

  • #12 Michigan State is one of two Big Ten teams that has yet to lose in conference play as the Spartans are 14-2 overall and 5-0 in B1G action.
  • Michigan State is a perfect 8-0 at home this season and the Spartans ride a nine-game win streak into Wednesday night's game, the third-longest active winning streak in Division I.
  • Seven Spartans are averaging seven-plus points per game in Michigan State's balanced offensive attack, led by Jaden Akins' 14.1 points per contest.

AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE

  • The Nittany Lions will be looking for just their third-ever road win against Michigan State Wednesday night. The Spartans lead the all-time series 45-10, including a 26-2 mark in East Lansing.
  • Penn State’s two previous road wins over Michigan State came in 2020 (2/4/20 - 75-70) and 2009 (2/1/09 - 72-68).
  • Six of the last eight matchups between Penn State and Michigan State have been decided by single digit margins.
  • Michigan State swept last season's series, earning an 80-72 win in Happy Valley on Feb. 14 and a 92-61 victory in East Lansing on Jan. 4.

IN SEARCH OF ANOTHER

  • The Nittany Lions are looking for their fourth win over a top-15 ranked opponent in Mike Rhoades' tenure when Penn State travels to #12 Michigan State Wednesday night.
  • The Nittany Lions three previous wins over top-15 ranked opponents during Mike Rhoades tenure came against #8 Purdue (81-70, 12/5/24), #12 Illinois (90-89, 2/21/24) and #11 Wisconsin (87-83, 1/16/24).
  • Penn State is seeking its highest-ranked road win since Feb. 1, 2009 when the Nittany Lions took down #9 Michigan State 72-68 in East Lansing.
  • The Nittany Lions are playing their third-straight game against a top-15 ranked opponent.

REWRITING HISTORY…ALREADY

  • The Nittany Lions have accomplished the following Penn State milestones through just the first 17 games of the season:
    • Finished non-conference play at 10-1, marking just the sixth time since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1992-93 that the Nittany Lions have finished regular-season non-conference action with one or fewer losses.
    • Big Ten-opening win over #8 Purdue was Penn State's first win over a team ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll since Dec. 2019.
    • Started the season 6-0 for the first time in 25 years (since the 1999-2000 season).
    • Started the season 8-1 for the first time in 10 years (since the 2014-15 season).
    • Scored 100+ points in back-to-back games for the first time in program history (108 vs. Binghamton, 103 vs. UMBC).
    • Scored 80+ points in six-consecutive games for the first time in program history.
    • Scored 100+ in three games in the same season for just the second time in program history. The 1954-55 team scored 100+ on three occasions.

NATIONAL NUMBERS

  • The Nittany Lions currently rank in the top 25 in the country in a number of statistical categories through games on Jan. 13:

Team Stat

Value

National Rank

Turnovers forced per game

16.4

11

Turnover margin

4.8

16

Points per game

84.4

20

Steals per game

9.6

20

Individual Stat

Value

National Rank

FT% - Ace Baldwin Jr.

94.5%

2

Assists per game – Ace Baldwin Jr.

8.0

4

Blocks – Yanic Konan Niederhauser

38

13

HIGH OCTANE

  • Penn State is averaging 84.4 points per game, a mark that ranks 20th in the country.
  • The Nittany Lions have scored 80-plus points in 12 of their 16 games this season.
  • Penn State's 84.4 points per game currently tracks to best the program record for single-season scoring average of 78.7 ppg that was set by the 1994-95 team.

BALANCED ATTACK

TURNING DEFENSE INTO OFFENSE

  • Penn State ranks 11th in Division I in turnovers forced per game (16.4) and 20th in steals per game (9.6).
  • The Nittany Lions have owned a 342-192 advantage in points scored off turnovers through the first 17 games of the season.

ONE OF ONE

  • Graduate student Ace Baldwin Jr. is the ONLY active Division I player and one of just nine Division I players since the 1947-48 season (77 years) with 1,500+ career points (1,519), 700+ career assists (746) and 300+ career steals (303).
  • Baldwin Jr. is Division I's active career leader in steals (303) and his 746 career assists are second amongst active Division I players.

GOT AN ACE UP OUR SLEEVE

  • Ace Baldwin Jr. currently ranks fourth in the country with his 8.0 assists per game and second in free throw percentage (94.5%). He is averaging stellar marks of 13.9 points, 8.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. He's notched five points-assists double-doubles and has tallied double-digit assists in more games (6) than he did all of last season (4), including a single-game school record 16 helpers on Dec. 14 vs. Coppin State.
  • The reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Baldwin Jr. earned a spot on the Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Watch List this preseason, in addition landing on the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List and being named a Preseason All-Big Ten selection.

BIG FELLA BURSTING ONTO THE SCENE

  • Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Penn State's mobile and versatile seven-foot forward, is averaging 12.1 points and team-best marks of 6.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. The Switzerland native transferred to Penn State ahead of the 2024-25 season following two years at Northern Illinois.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser

PSU (2024-25)

NIU (2022-24)

Points per game

12.1 ppg

5.1 ppg

FG%

60.6%

51.4%

Rebounds per game

6.6 rpg

3.2 rpg

ZACH ATTACK

  • Senior Zach Hicks leads Penn State in 3-point shooting percentage (42.4%) and his 2.47 triples ranks fourth in the conference. Hicks is Penn State's second-leading scorer in conference play, averaging 13.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per Big Ten game.

KERN COMING ON

  • Senior Nick Kern Jr. has scored in double figures in 13 of the last 14 games, including two 20-plus point efforts. He has shot 60.4 percent (84-139) from the field this season while averaging 12.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

CONSISTENCY

  • Puff Johnson has been a consistent threat for the Nittany Lions this season, averaging career-best marks of 10.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 54.9% from the field. He's already tallied more double-digit scoring games this season (9) than all of last year (7).

READY FREDDIE

Dilione V

Nov.

Dec.-Jan.

PPG

8.1

12.0

FG%

39.2%

48.1%

Assists/game

1.0

2.3

FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

  • Head Coach Mike Rhoades has inked the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history and the 21st-ranked class in the country as three highly-touted prospects signed to join the Nittany Lions during the November early signing period.
  • Penn State's three-member class ranks 21st in the nation per 247 Sports. The three-member class is comprised of Mason Blackwood (Rochester, N.Y.), Justin Houser (Camp Hill, Pa.) and Kayden Mingo (Farmingdale, N.Y.). The three new Nittany Lions join the program as the Class of 2029 and bring accomplished athletic and academic pedigrees to Penn State.

The 2024-25 Penn State men’s basketball season is presented by Highmark Health.