Basketball Preview: Penn State
Time/Date: Wednesday, March 2nd 6:00 PM
Location: University Park, Pennsylvania
TV: BTN
Radio: KFAN 100.3
Net Rankings: Minnesota 70, Penn State 52
KenPom Rankings: Minnesota 57 Penn State 40
KenPom Prediction: Minnesota 73, Penn State 76
Minnesota enters Wednesday's matchup with Penn State on a five-game winning streak and will be in must-win mode for the rest of the season. Currently 0-9 on the road, this is the Gophers last chance to win away from home this season.
With Liam Robbins a gametime decision, Minnesota could be missing their starting center and leading shot blocker for the third straight game. Both Gach has had a foot injury that's been nagging him, and may require surgery, but will continue to play.
Penn State comes into the game having lost five of their last six, the win being an 86-83 victory against Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska.y
Penn State Interim Head Coach Jim Ferry
Alma Mater: Keene State (New Hampshire)
Overall Record: 218-259
Record at Penn State: 8-13 (5-12 in Big Ten)
Info: Ferry took over the Penn State basketball program following Pat Chambers sudden resignation before the start of the season. Ferry made two NCAA Tournament Appearances in 10 seasons at Long Island from 2002-2012. He became Duquesne's head coach in 2012-13 and was out after 2017. His best record there was 17-17.
Ferry has been an assistant on the staff at Penn State since leaving Duquesne in 2017, but he is not likely to remain as head coach next season.
Starting Lineups:
Penn State
#0 Myreon Jones - Junior - Guard - 6'3" - 180 pounds
Stats: 15.4 PPG, 1.9 APG, 2.7 RPG, 38.8% 3PT, 39.9% FG, 75.3% FT
Info: Junior guard Myreon Jones took his big jump from freshman to sophomore year, upping his scoring from four points to 13.3 per game, and now he's up to 15.4 as a junior. He'll launch about six three's per game and make a good percentage of them. He had a season high 29 against Nebraska on February 23rd, and has eclipsed 20 points six times this season.
#12 Izaiah Brockington - Junior - Guard - 6'4" - 200 pounds
Stats: 13.0 PPG, 1.9 APG, 4.5 RPG, 27.5% 3PT, 43.4% FG, 82.3% FT
Info: Brockington transferred from St. Bonaventure in 2018-19 and played his first season in the Big Ten last year. He's taken steady jumps every year and is having his best season to date as a scorer. He's scored double-figures in 16 of 21 games this season for Penn State, but hasn't scored more than 15 points in a game since January.
#2 Myles Dread - Junior - Guard - 6'4" - 220 pounds
Stats: 8.1 PPG, 1.1 APG, 1.7 RPG, 37.3% 3PT, 38.2% FG, 75.0% FT
Info: Jones is in his third year at Penn State and has always been a steady contributor, and has spent some of this year floating in and out of the starting lineup. He's started to pick up his play a bit since being entered as a starter the last five games, scoring 11.2 points per game in that stretch.
#21 John Harrar - Senior - Forward - 6'9" - 240 pounds
Stats: 9.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 56.4% FG, 72.2% FT,
Info: Senior John Harrar is having his best season at Penn State, more than doubling his 4.3 point per game average last year. He has started all 21 games for the Nittany Lions, and is averaging just under 25 minutes per game.
#5 Jamari Wheeler - Senior - Guard - 6'1" - 170 pounds
Stats: 6.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 38.8% FG, 36.9% 3PT, 63.0% FT
Info: Wheeler has started a majority of the last three seasons for Penn State as court general. He's improved his assist to turnover ratio every season, and made the jump from a sub 20% three point shooter as a freshman and sophomore, to just under 40% as a junior and senior.
Minnesota Gophers:
#5 Marcus Carr - Junior - Guard - 6'2" - 195 pounds
Stats: 20.0 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 33.5% 3PT, 40.6% FG, 80.5% FT
Info: Carr is fresh off a 41 point explosion in the Gophers loss to Nebraska. He made six three's, and was 13-16 from the foul line but it wasn't enough for Minnesota. The star junior also had four steals and three assists. His 41-point game was a career high and most in a game since Dre' Hollins did it against Memphis.
#1 Tre' Williams - Sophomore - Guard - 6'5" - 195 pounds
Stats: 4.5 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 30.2% 3PT, 37.1% FG, 34.6% FT
Info: Williams play improved when he was entered into the starting lineup, but the past few games he's struggled to find his shot and just when is the right time to attack.
#4 Jamal Mashburn Jr. - Freshman - Guard - 6'2" - 175 pounds
Stats: 7.6 PPG, 1.4 APG, 1.4 RPG, 36.6% FG, 29.6% 3PT, 82.9% FT
Info: Jamal Mashburn Jr. has been very good since entering the starting lineup. He's been the one to initiate offense and get his own shot when it's not Carr. He's still working on picking his spots and improving efficiency, but he can go on spurts and isn't afraid to be the one to take the shot. With his size, he struggles a bit defensively against guards with more size.
#23 Brandon Johnson - Senior - Forward - 6'8" - 220 pounds
Stats: 9.0 PPG, 6.1 PRG, 0.8 APG, 27.7% 3PT, 47.1% FG, 71.8% FT
Info: The Western Michigan grad transfer has been great this season for Minnesota. He's provided scoring and rebounding at the four-spot that they desperately needed, and had a magical 8/9 3PT shooting performance to take down Iowa. He's the highest rated offensive player on Minnesota at 117.0, according to KenPom, but has a usage of just 16.4% which ranks seventh on the team. He doesn't get the ball as much as some think he may deserve, but he does the dirty work and is one of Coach Pitino's top contributors.
#24 Eric Curry - Senior - Forward - 6'9" - 240 pounds
Stats: 3.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 49.4% FG, 26.7% 3PT, 66.7% FT
Info: In year five at Minnesota, Eric Curry continues to find ways to contribute despite two major leg injuries that derailed his career after a promising freshman campaign. Curry has lost his explosion but he's a veteran who can makes heady plays on both ends, and he likes to take faceup midrange jumpers when he can get the space to get them off.
Time/Date: Wednesday, March 2nd 6:00 PM
Location: University Park, Pennsylvania
TV: BTN
Radio: KFAN 100.3
Net Rankings: Minnesota 70, Penn State 52
KenPom Rankings: Minnesota 57 Penn State 40
KenPom Prediction: Minnesota 73, Penn State 76
Minnesota enters Wednesday's matchup with Penn State on a five-game winning streak and will be in must-win mode for the rest of the season. Currently 0-9 on the road, this is the Gophers last chance to win away from home this season.
With Liam Robbins a gametime decision, Minnesota could be missing their starting center and leading shot blocker for the third straight game. Both Gach has had a foot injury that's been nagging him, and may require surgery, but will continue to play.
Penn State comes into the game having lost five of their last six, the win being an 86-83 victory against Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska.y
Penn State Interim Head Coach Jim Ferry
Alma Mater: Keene State (New Hampshire)
Overall Record: 218-259
Record at Penn State: 8-13 (5-12 in Big Ten)
Info: Ferry took over the Penn State basketball program following Pat Chambers sudden resignation before the start of the season. Ferry made two NCAA Tournament Appearances in 10 seasons at Long Island from 2002-2012. He became Duquesne's head coach in 2012-13 and was out after 2017. His best record there was 17-17.
Ferry has been an assistant on the staff at Penn State since leaving Duquesne in 2017, but he is not likely to remain as head coach next season.
Starting Lineups:
Penn State
#0 Myreon Jones - Junior - Guard - 6'3" - 180 pounds
Stats: 15.4 PPG, 1.9 APG, 2.7 RPG, 38.8% 3PT, 39.9% FG, 75.3% FT
Info: Junior guard Myreon Jones took his big jump from freshman to sophomore year, upping his scoring from four points to 13.3 per game, and now he's up to 15.4 as a junior. He'll launch about six three's per game and make a good percentage of them. He had a season high 29 against Nebraska on February 23rd, and has eclipsed 20 points six times this season.
#12 Izaiah Brockington - Junior - Guard - 6'4" - 200 pounds
Stats: 13.0 PPG, 1.9 APG, 4.5 RPG, 27.5% 3PT, 43.4% FG, 82.3% FT
Info: Brockington transferred from St. Bonaventure in 2018-19 and played his first season in the Big Ten last year. He's taken steady jumps every year and is having his best season to date as a scorer. He's scored double-figures in 16 of 21 games this season for Penn State, but hasn't scored more than 15 points in a game since January.
#2 Myles Dread - Junior - Guard - 6'4" - 220 pounds
Stats: 8.1 PPG, 1.1 APG, 1.7 RPG, 37.3% 3PT, 38.2% FG, 75.0% FT
Info: Jones is in his third year at Penn State and has always been a steady contributor, and has spent some of this year floating in and out of the starting lineup. He's started to pick up his play a bit since being entered as a starter the last five games, scoring 11.2 points per game in that stretch.
#21 John Harrar - Senior - Forward - 6'9" - 240 pounds
Stats: 9.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 56.4% FG, 72.2% FT,
Info: Senior John Harrar is having his best season at Penn State, more than doubling his 4.3 point per game average last year. He has started all 21 games for the Nittany Lions, and is averaging just under 25 minutes per game.
#5 Jamari Wheeler - Senior - Guard - 6'1" - 170 pounds
Stats: 6.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 38.8% FG, 36.9% 3PT, 63.0% FT
Info: Wheeler has started a majority of the last three seasons for Penn State as court general. He's improved his assist to turnover ratio every season, and made the jump from a sub 20% three point shooter as a freshman and sophomore, to just under 40% as a junior and senior.
Minnesota Gophers:
#5 Marcus Carr - Junior - Guard - 6'2" - 195 pounds
Stats: 20.0 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 33.5% 3PT, 40.6% FG, 80.5% FT
Info: Carr is fresh off a 41 point explosion in the Gophers loss to Nebraska. He made six three's, and was 13-16 from the foul line but it wasn't enough for Minnesota. The star junior also had four steals and three assists. His 41-point game was a career high and most in a game since Dre' Hollins did it against Memphis.
#1 Tre' Williams - Sophomore - Guard - 6'5" - 195 pounds
Stats: 4.5 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 30.2% 3PT, 37.1% FG, 34.6% FT
Info: Williams play improved when he was entered into the starting lineup, but the past few games he's struggled to find his shot and just when is the right time to attack.
#4 Jamal Mashburn Jr. - Freshman - Guard - 6'2" - 175 pounds
Stats: 7.6 PPG, 1.4 APG, 1.4 RPG, 36.6% FG, 29.6% 3PT, 82.9% FT
Info: Jamal Mashburn Jr. has been very good since entering the starting lineup. He's been the one to initiate offense and get his own shot when it's not Carr. He's still working on picking his spots and improving efficiency, but he can go on spurts and isn't afraid to be the one to take the shot. With his size, he struggles a bit defensively against guards with more size.
#23 Brandon Johnson - Senior - Forward - 6'8" - 220 pounds
Stats: 9.0 PPG, 6.1 PRG, 0.8 APG, 27.7% 3PT, 47.1% FG, 71.8% FT
Info: The Western Michigan grad transfer has been great this season for Minnesota. He's provided scoring and rebounding at the four-spot that they desperately needed, and had a magical 8/9 3PT shooting performance to take down Iowa. He's the highest rated offensive player on Minnesota at 117.0, according to KenPom, but has a usage of just 16.4% which ranks seventh on the team. He doesn't get the ball as much as some think he may deserve, but he does the dirty work and is one of Coach Pitino's top contributors.
#24 Eric Curry - Senior - Forward - 6'9" - 240 pounds
Stats: 3.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 49.4% FG, 26.7% 3PT, 66.7% FT
Info: In year five at Minnesota, Eric Curry continues to find ways to contribute despite two major leg injuries that derailed his career after a promising freshman campaign. Curry has lost his explosion but he's a veteran who can makes heady plays on both ends, and he likes to take faceup midrange jumpers when he can get the space to get them off.
