By Andre Monroe
Penn State erases a two-game losing streak in its 85-66 win over the Indiana Hoosiers. The Nittany Lions improved to 12-5 on Wednesday, getting its win on an Indiana team that was previously ranked this season.
Importance of Help Defense
A lot has been discussed about Penn State’s height or lack thereof. Penn State plays in the Big Ten Conference, a conference led by prominent big men. In this situation, it can be easy to exploit the painted area. Penn State has had its up and downs dealing with such so far this season. The Nittany Lions are coming off a loss against Big 10 opponent Purdue, where they had trouble containing 7-4 Zach Edey. Edey finished with 30, and Mich Shrewsberry tried every adjustment to no avail. In other instances, they’ve done a tremendous job of swarming to the ball when it gets in both the high and low post. Help defense will be crucial to Penn State’s continued success, as height is an impossible problem to solve. However, Penn State faced an Indiana team that isn’t much taller than them, making it easier to avoid getting punished in the paint.
Seth Lundy reaches 1,000 career points
You should almost expect at least one Penn State player to have an impressive shooting performance each game. Seth Lundy answered the call against Indiana, scoring 14 points in the first half and 4-7 from beyond the arc. Lundy didn’t allow the halftime break to slow him down, finishing with 25 points and six rebounds. A late dunk netted Lundy’s thousandth career point and a deserved standing ovation. Penn State now has five thousand-point scorers on the same team. Seth Lundy was complemented in a big way by teammate Andrew Funk who finished with 23 points and 7-12 from three. The Nittany Lions tied its record for most three-pointers made in a game with 18 tonight, a record they broke earlier in the season against Winthrop.
An offensive balance
The key to life, for many, is balance. And like many coaches and players throughout the league have echoed, balance is also the key to a successful team. Penn State has done a great job of staying level on the balance scale. They are statistically one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country, especially regarding volume, but they also have a two-point field goal percentage of 53%. Camren Wynter’s ability to drive and finish has improved immensely. Wynters’ growth is understated in how it contributes to a much more successful offense. Wynter is another ball-handler who takes the ball out of Jalen Pickett’s hand, easing the weight off his shoulder and giving the offense another option while Pickett is on the bench. When Pickett and Wynter are on the floor, it allows Pickett to spot up. This is another offensive advantage, as Pickett is shooting 34% from the perimeter this season.
Andre Monroe covers Penn State Basketball for Insider Institute. Follow him on Twitter @amonroe_ and Contact him at andremonroe03@gmail.com.
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