After Friday night’s drubbing of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Penn State demonstrated what it means to be a versatile team.
For starters, a team needs:
A coach that is willing to adapt to the modern demands of the game – Check
Players with the ability to fulfill multiple different roles – Check
To maintain lineup flexibility – Check
That last one is arguably PSU’s greatest strength coming into the 2024-25 season and has been on full display through the first two games.
SCHEMIN’ FOR SUCCESS
Last year, PSU lacked front-court depth and was heavily reliant on guard play.
Coming into this season, though, coach Mike Rhoades and his staff beefed up Penn State across the board, most notably with the signing of Yanic Konan Niederhauser.
Through the first two games, Niederhauser is averaging 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Those numbers shouldn’t jump off the page given that the first two opponents for Penn State didn’t have a player taller than 6-foot-9, but the numbers do pop because Niederhauser offers lineup versatility that will allow Penn State to bend and mold to any situation throughout the season.
.@YanicKonan 🫣
Watch on @BigTenNetwork #WeArePennState pic.twitter.com/sCEBLqnWyI
— Penn State Men’s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) November 9, 2024
Against smaller teams, Rhoades can feed Niederhauser in the paint and relentlessly attack the basket, like he did against UMBC where Penn State scored over half its points in the restricted area. Or, if the team wants to prioritize spacing and pick up the pace of play, the early returns are that Penn State will be a better shooting team than it was last year (43 percent on 54 attempts) and might be even more houndish on defense (19 forced turnovers and 26.5 points off per game).
The main idea is that Penn State is not restricted to playing one way like it was last year. The team has multiple points of attack, on both ends of the floor, and is showing early indications that it can counter any scheme with roster flexibility.
WHY POSTUP WHEN YOU CAN FACE UP?
During Friday night’s game, Niederhauser not only asserted himself as a roller and post-up threat but also showed flashes of his off-the-bounce creation.
Multiple times, the Swiss was granted the “gift of space”, as Rhoades would say, in the middle of the floor and was aggressive driving to the basket and abusing his smaller matchup.
While there is still room for him to grow as a finisher, he looks comfortable putting the ball on the deck and absorbing contact on the way to the rim. Granted, UMBC had no one to match Niederhauser’s physicality, so it will be interesting to see if he can continue to take advantage of mismatches, big or small.
But if he continues to be productive from the middle of the floor against most opponents, should Rhoades focus more on letting him create from around the free-throw line rather than throwing him into traditional post-ups?
Obviously, the closer he can get to the basket, the more efficient the shot will be. But Friday night showed an intriguing dimension to the big man’s game that could elevate this Penn State team, especially if he turns out to be the passer Rhoades has described.
With improved shooting though, even if Niederhauser isn’t an elite-level facilitator, putting him in the middle of the floor would make his reads much easier since he could see where double teams are coming from and make the simple play.
Only time will tell if this production is sustainable but Friday night looked promising for the junior transfer.
VERSATILITY EXTENDS BEYOND PLAYSTYLE
Versatility is a term that has been thrown around when describing this Penn State team, but in D’Marco Dunn’s case, that word describes the role he plays as a key reserve for this team.
Through two games, Dunn is averaging 14 points and two steals (shooting 56/50/100) in 17 minutes off the bench. While most players would argue they should start with that level of production (they wouldn’t be wrong), Dunn understands that his play may benefit his team more if he comes off the bench.
.@dmarcodunn turn from deep 🫰
Watch on @BigTenNetwork #WeArePennState pic.twitter.com/6xcGbVq4kl
— Penn State Men’s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) November 9, 2024
“[W]herever coach needs me coming [into the] line up… you could put me in for short bursts and I [can] kind of score instantly [or] I could bring [instant defense],” Dunn told the media Wednesday.
That instant offense and defense has been felt through the opening games, as Dunn recorded two steals and a made three in his first four minutes of action Monday. Then, Friday, he scored his first four points in under two minutes of play.
“I really feel right now we have seven starters, I really do,” Rhoades told the media Wednesday
“At any time, those two guys (Nick Kern Jr. and Dunn) could start, but coming off the bench with two seniors… gives us firepower, gives us impact…”
While Dunn has been productive on both ends of the floor, his versatility shows up as a team player willing to contribute to winning, even if that means not starting.
