Penn State men’s basketball looks to improve to 7-1 Tuesday night against Clemson. Here are five things to know before the game.
RETURN TO REAL COMPETITION
Let’s face it, Lafayette wasn’t a test for Penn State.
Lafayette is a mid-major program that’s 1-6, and Penn State took care of it last week.
Clemson is a respectable Power Five school, and Penn State basketball hasn’t beaten a Power Five school thus far.
TABLE FOR 3
It feels like I write about Penn State’s outside shooting a lot, but that’s because Penn State’s outside shooting is quite good. In fact, Penn State is one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country. Penn State makes more than 42% of its three-point attempts, good for ninth in the land.
Penn State’s outside shooting is its bread and butter, so I’ll keep talking about it until it isn’t.
HOLD THAT TIGER
Clemson is the second ACC team Penn State has faced this year. Penn State played Virginia Tech in the Charleston Classic Nov. 18, and fought hard, but fell, 61-59. Clemson is ranked No. 65 in KenPom.Com’s Pomery Rankings, 32 spots behind Penn State. Clemson is 5-2 with losses to South Carolina and Iowa. The Tigers have three players averaging in double digits scoring-wise. Guard Chase Hunter (16.6 PPG), forward Hunter Tyson (12.7) and guard Brevin Galloway (11.1) are pacing Clemson.
THE CHALLENGE
Penn State and Clemson are playing as part of the ACC/Big Ten challenge. Penn State is 11-10 all-time in the challenge but 1-3 against Clemson. All four prior meetings between the two teams have been in the challenge, and the most recent one took place in 2005. This will the last year of the challenge, and Penn State wants to go out with a bang.
HOW TO WATCH
Penn State and Clemson is scheduled for 7 on ESPNU. Here’s some more information.
TV Announcers: Wes Durham (pxp), Dan Bonner (color)
Radio: Penn State Sports Network
Radio announcers: Steve Jones (pxp), Dick Jerardi (color)
SiriusXM: Channel 383, 973 (app)