Date: Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Mackey Arena (West Lafayette)
TV: BTN
Radio: Purdue Radio Network
Purdue Particulars: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
More: Purdue primer and GoldandBlack.com coverage
Penn State Particulars: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
GoldandBlack.com in-game updates: @GoldandBlackcom | @brianneubert
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NUMBERS AND SUCH
| Team | AP | Coach | NET | KenPom | KenPom - Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PUR | ARV | ARV | 26 | 13 | 63% |
PENN ST | 13 | 13 | 19 | 14 | 37% |
ABOUT THIS GAME
Penn State's headed to the NCAA Tournament, joining Illinois and Rutgers in flipping the Big Ten's bottom of recent years into its upper tier. The Lions are 13th nationally and riding a six-game winning streak, affording Purdue another marquee home game as it looks to solidify its own NCAA Tournament résumé.
The Boilermakers are riding a three-game winning streak themselves and trending well. Last time out at home, they scored 104 points in a rout of ranked Iowa; Saturday, they won their first road game of significance, at Indiana, and did so comfortably.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (14-10, 7-6 B1G)
PURDUE PROJECTED STARTERS (LAST GAME)
| # | Player | P | HT/WT/YR | STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
50 | F | 6-9/270/SO | PPG: 11.0 REB: 7.3 FG: 55.3% | |
20 | G | 6-7/225/JR | PTS: 5.0 REB: 4.2 AST: 2.7 | |
55 | G | 6-4/195/SO | PTS: 9.3 3-PT: 38.9% | |
2 | G | 6-4/175/SO | PPG: 10.4 REB: 3.5 AST: 2.9 3-PT: 39.8% | |
12 | F | 6-8/220/SR | PTS: 5.0 REB: 3.6 3-PT: 32.4% |
KEY PURDUE RESERVES
| # | Player | P | HT/WT/YR | STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
32 | F | 7-3/250/JR | PPG: 9.6 REB: 4.7 FG: 56.9% BLK: 2.0 | |
3 | G | 6-3/205/SR | PPG: 9.4 3-PT: 33.3% | |
11 | G | 6-1/165/FR | PTS: 5.4 3-PT: 37.2% | |
1 | F | 6-9/205/SO | PPG: 4.2 REB: 4.7 |
ABOUT PURDUE
• Purdue gets a chance for its second Quad 1 win in a matter of days against the Lions, who are top-20 in the NET rankings. Fresh off their first résumé-caliber road win of the season, the Boilermakers can be viewed as having moved now to the right side of the Bubble, though there's lot of basketball left to be played, but also lots of Quad 1 wins left on the schedule, starting with Penn State, against which a win would be no small feat.
• Forward Aaron Wheeler is among several Boilermakers playing their best basketball, but his breakout has been particularly significant given his struggles this season.
In Purdue's wins over Iowa and Indiana, he was a combined 8-of-9 from the floor, 4-of-5 from three-point range, with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
• During Purdue's three-game winning streak, guard Eric Hunter is averaging 12.7 points on 48.3-percent shooting — 3-of-5 from three-point range — and averaging 3.7 assists. He's loomed large in the improved decision-making Matt Painter cites as contributing to his team's offensive upswing.
• Jahaad Proctor is 7-of-13 from three-point range the past four games. He was shooting 28.8 percent for the season prior.
• Nojel Eastern is 4-for-4 from the floor with 11 assists to just two turnovers the past two games.
#22 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS(18-5, 8-4B1G)
Penn State Particulars: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
PENN STATE PROJECTED STARTERS
| # | Player | P | HT/WT/YR | STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
11 | F | 6-8/225/SR | PPG: 17.6 REB: 7.0 | |
21 | F | 6-9/240/JR | PPG: 3.4 REB: 3.6 FG: 66.7% | |
1 | F | 6-6/219/FR | PPG: 4.3 REB: 2.3 3-PT: 36.2% | |
5 | G | 6-1/170/JR | PTS: 3.7 REB: 2.8 AST: 3.0 STL: 1.7 3-PT: 44.4% | |
2 | G | 6-4/215/SO | PPG: 7.8 REB: 3.1 3-PT: 30.2% | |
G | 6-3/175/SO | PTS: 14.1 AST: 3.0 3-PT: 41.3% |
* Jones' status for the game is unknown after he missed Penn State's last game due to illness.
KEY PENN STATE RESERVES
| # | Player | P | HT/WT/YR | STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
12 | G | 6-4/200/JR | PTS: 9.0 3-PT: 21.6% | |
4 | G | 6-4/180/SR | PTS: 7.1 3-PT: 32.3% | |
24 | C | 6-9/257/SR | PPG: 9.6 REB: 7.9 FG: 55.1% |
ABOUT PENN STATE
• Power forward Lamar Stevens is one of the Big Ten's elite players, a first-team all-conference pick-to-be and the driving force behind Penn State's success this season.
The versatile 4 man averages 18.1 points and 6.7 rebounds in Big Ten games and has been carrying the Lions lately, scoring 24 In Penn State's win at Michigan State, then 33 in a win over Minnesota with second-leading scorer Myeron Jones sidelined by illness.
The 6-foot-8, 225-pound senior is the most versatile scoring forward Purdue has seen this season, capable of scoring in the post, from mid-range and three-point range and off the offensive glass.
• Myreon Jones' status for the Purdue game was unknown as of Monday. He's been a critical piece to Penn State's success and one of the most improved players in the Big Ten, averaging 13.2 points and shooting just under 40 percent from three-point range in Big Ten play, 41 percent for the whole season. He was a 28-percent shooter as a freshman a year ago.
• The Nittany Lions are No. 2 in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 73.2 points in conference play, but also allow 72.1 points.Tempo plays a role in those numbers.
• Penn State is one of the most disruptive teams in the Big Ten defensively, leading the conference by a wide margin in steals, averaging 7.2 in league games, a full steal more than second-place Nebraska.
The Nittany Lions' guards are solid defensively, led by Jamari Wheeler, the Big Ten's steals leader.
The Lions force or otherwise benefit from an average of 12.8 turnovers per game and commit only 10.3 themselves, putting them second in the Big Ten to Purdue in turnover margin.
Penn State is 16th nationally in defensive efficiency, per KenPom. (Purdue is 11th.)
• Reserve guard Curtis Jones began his college career at Indiana before transferring to Oklahoma State, then grad-transferring to Penn State.
THREE THINGS
| STRONG WITH BALL | PHYSICALITY | AGGRESSIVENESS |
|---|---|---|
Penn State's guards are going to be aggressive on D, a challenge for a corps of Purdue guards who've been playing really well. The Boilermakers' offensive execution has been very good lately and turnovers have been minimal, but Penn State is wired for disruption and that could be a handful. | The Nittany Lions have size in the middle in John Harrar and Mike Watkins, one of the Big Ten's top rebounders and a problem for Purdue at times in the past. Additionally, Purdue may have to run help at Lamar Stevens in the post and will want to keep him off his spots without fouling. | The Boilermakers' guards are playing with more confidence — swagger, if you will — than at any point this season, and the home floor normally amplifies it. Aggressiveness has suited them well lately, and they have reason to be confident right now. |
BOTTOM LINE
Purdue has destroyed people — good teams, too — at home for the most part this season, and Penn State is legitimately good, and wasn't fazed at all by Michigan State, albeit in the midst of this swoon for the Spartans, who just fell out of the top 25. But the Boilermakers are playing their best basketball of the season — and basically everyone is playing well — which should give good reason to like the Boilermakers' chances in Mackey Arena.
GoldandBlack.com Prediction: Purdue 72, Penn State 65
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