Penn State has most likely punched its ticket to the NCAA tournament but their job isn’t done as the team would love to win its first-ever Big Ten Tournament Championship. Standing in its way is Indiana who is the second seed in the Big Ten Tournament and defeated Maryland 70-60 on Friday night.
Here are five things to know before the Penn State -Indiana matchup on Saturday afternoon.
Penn State is Locked In for The Big Dance
Penn State is in the field and off the bubble with the win on Friday night against Northwestern. Penn State has seven quad-one wins this season and is looking for an eight on Saturday. Beating Indiana would strengthen its case for being in the 8-9 matchup in the tournament that’s next week.
Penn State was electric in its last matchup
Penn State matched a school record when it made 18 three-pointers in its last matchup on Jan. 11 in its 85-66 victory over the Hoosiers. Penn State would like to have similar success on Saturday. Penn State defeated Indiana by the largest margin in school history.
Is Fatigue Setting In?
Saturday will be the third game in as many days and the fourth game in six days. The all senior lineup of Pickett, Funk, Lundy, Wynter, and Dread has carried the load for the past week and wonder if and when they will run out of gas, especially after playing completive games over the past three weeks.
Two Wooden Award Finalists Square Off
Penn States Jalen Pickett and Trace Jackson-Davis are John Wooden Award Finalists, and this is a potential swing game on a big stage to convince the voting committee. Jackson-Davis was held to 14 points and four rebounds in its last matchup, and it will be interesting when they play small how will match up.
Kanye Clary’s growth
Clary has come on the last month of the season, highlighted by Friday night’s performance when he scored 11 points and gave Jalen Pickett much-needed rest in the second half from the Under-12 media timeout until the Under-8 media timeout. Clary along with Kebby Njie will be freshmen to watch for as they make a potential Cinderella run.
Radio: Steve Jones and Dick Girardi
Broadcast: Gametime: 3:30 on CBS
Sirius XM: Channel 84
