Penn State will look to remain undefeated in nonconference play this year as it takes on the Drexel Dragons (8-4, 0-0). This will be the seventh matchup between these two programs, with PSU owning a 6-0 all-time series lead.
The last game between both teams was nine years ago when the Nittany Lions won 63-57 at the Palestra. This next showdown will be in another Philadelphia staple, the Wells Fargo Center.
PENN STATE’S OUTLOOK
With a win, Penn State could move to 10-2 on Saturday, the team’s best record through 12 games since the 2019-20 season.
As the first semester comes to a close, Mike Rhoades has implored his guys to finish strong so they can take some momentum into the full slate of conference play in the new year.
“I told these guys that if you make a commitment this first semester all the way to Dec. 21 on getting better and being all about the team, the right stuff, you’re going to have success, but you’re going to continue to build momentum going into the rest of the season.”
Fortunately, this Drexel matchup should serve as a primer for what lies ahead for the Nittany Lions once Big Ten play picks up.
“They’re going to try to really control the pace of the game … They do, you know, fast break at times and push when they have numbers … but they do really run their half court stuff … So you know they’re like a Big Ten team in the sense of trying to control the pace and play differently than us. So it’s a great time to play this game for us, moving into the Big 10 play …”
DREXEL (8-4, 0-0)
HEAD COACH
Zach Spiker (121-134)
Spiker is in his ninth season at the helm of the Dragons. Last year was one of Drexel’s best, as it won 20 games for the first time in more than a decade and only the 11th time in school history. Additionally, the 2023-24 season was the third straight winning season for the Dragons, which hadn’t been done since the 2004-05 season.
In 2021, Spiker led Drexel to its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship, earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
KEY PLAYERS/STATS
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Kobe MaGee, 6-foot-6, Guard
MaGee’s 15.3 points per game are eighth in the CAA and lead the Dragons. He is the conference’s top 3-point shooter, by percentage, and is coming off a nine-point, four-assist outing against Howard. The 6-foot-6 guard is posting 48/45/78 shooting splits and averages a team-high 1.2 steals.
Yame Butler, 6-foot-5, Guard
Butler is the second leading scorer on Drexel, averaging 13.7 points on 50/39/73 efficiency. His career high came against Bryant this year when he scored 28 points on 5-of-6 shooting. In his most recent game against Howard, Butler scored 16 points.
Cole Hargrave, 6-foot-8, Forward
Hargrave averages a CAA-best 9 rebounds per contest. He is third on the team in scoring with 11.2 points and has four double-doubles. The junior forward is one of the best shot blockers in the conference, averaging 1.5 per game. He sent away two shots and grabbed 10 rebounds against Howard on Tuesday.
(Slow) Pace and Space
Per kenpom.com, Drexel plays at the 336th slowest pace per 40 minutes. This deliberate playstyle makes them an efficient shooting team, ranking in the 70th percentile in both field goal and 3-point percentage.
METRICS
Penn State enters Saturday ranked 32nd in KenPom and 28th in the NCAA’s NET Rankings. Drexel is 179th in KenPom and 148th in NET.
GAMETIME
Tip off is scheduled for noon on Saturday at the Wells Fargo Center. Penn State’s full schedule is available here.
SPREAD
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Nittany Lions are 15-point favorites over the Dragons. The over-under total is 147.5 and the Moneylines are Penn State -1450 and Drexel +850.
RADIO
You can listen to Saturday’s game on the Penn State Sports Network or Sirius XM channel 389. It is also available on the Sirius XM app on channel 979.
