After the Penn State men’s basketball team’s 98-71 loss to Wisconsin Thursday night at Rec Hall, players Mason Blackwood and Josh Reed got on the podium after the game and answered some tough questions.
“How are you guys going to stay together when things are as tough as they are right now?
“How are you dealing with this adversity?”
“How do you guys keep belief and just buying in to Penn State when you guys are off to a Big Ten start like this?”
Penn State is currently 9-10 overall with a conference record of 0-8. For such a young squad, one would think this team of eight freshmen, two sophomores, two juniors and one senior would just call it a year and start building for next season.
But Blackwood, a 6’7″ freshman forward from Rochester, New York spoke on his team’s mindset.
“This is why we came here,” he said. “We all came here to play basketball. We all committed to Penn State for a reason, and that was basketball. So there’s no better way to go through it than together. The season is not over. We have to keep a high head. Just keep pushing toward our goal.”
Blackwood’s playing time has increased due to his rotational depth and solid play when given opportunities. Against Wisconsin, Blackwood registered a career-high 14 points and added 6 rebounds in just over 22 minutes played.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“I think I’m dealing with it just like how everybody else is,” Blackwood said. “I feel we’re all on the same page here. We’re on the same team. One team. Our record isn’t the best so we’re just trying to move forward, reflect and just come back the next day better.”
Reed, the team’s lone senior, also had a solid night against Wisconsin, tallying a team-high 18 points and adding 6 rebounds. The 6’8″ forward from Atlanta was also a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point range and shot 5-of-7 from the field.
“The biggest thing is staying together,” Reed said. “We’ve had a rough few weeks but just trying to get better everyday and staying together as a team and learn from each loss.”
Penn State’s next game is Monday, Jan. 26 on the road in Columbus, Ohio against Ohio State.
The Nittany Lions and Buckeyes will tip-off at 7:00 P.M. and the game will air live on Fox Sports 1 (FS1).
Stay with Nittany Sports Now for all of your Penn State men’s basketball coverage and updates.
