IUFLA Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 (edited) When: Sunday, January 2nd 4 PM EST Where: Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA TV: BTN So far, Penn State is 5-5 under new head coach and former Purdue assistant, Micah Shrewsberry...0-2 in the Big 10 after facing 2 of the tougher teams in the conference... Here are the results so far... A lot of guys we're already familiar with...Seth Lundy can be quite a player, but he's very inconsistent and can shoot the Nittany Lions out of games...If he gets on a roll though, he can be a handful...Sam Sessoms and Miles Dread are two burly guards that can take it to the hoop, and pretty good from the 3 line. And John Harrar is a big, strong, unathletic center that is a real blue collar guy. Penn State lost 3 key player in Isaiah Brockington (transfer to Iowa State), Jamari Wheeler(Ohio State), and Myreon Jones (Florida), and replaced them with Jalen Pickett (13 ppg last year at Siena), Jalanni White (4 ppg last year at Canisius), and Jaheam Cornwall (14 ppg at Garner-Webb). You can see they go about 8 deep, but they're thin in the front court. Highlights of their games vs Michigan State Road test. We can beat this team, but we have to bring our A game defense for 40 minutes. Harrar is very strong, and you're not going to push him around, but he's slow and isn't the most athletic guy...But he's one of the harder workers in the Big 10. Trayce had 21 points and 6 boards in our only game against them last year, an 87-85 OT win in Bloomington. As long as we don't let Lundy go off, and he's gonna be a tough match-up for Stewart or Kopp, I think we can do well here...Harrar isn't a shot blocker, so our guards can do some things on the dribble drive. Sessoms had 17 points against us last year, but I think both XJ and Rob match up well on him...Pound them inside and play defense and we'll come home with a win... Edited December 29, 2021 by IUFLA 2 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parakeet Jones Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 (edited) Glad you went ahead and started this thread. Thank you. This is our biggest game of the year so far. We are playing a team we should beat and we are on the road. We’ve got to pick up all the road Ws we can. If we win this one, I’ll feel like we are off and running and should not drop below 0.500 in conference all year. If we lose, I’ll probably get that here we go again feeling. Having said all that, I think we win. I don’t know by how much. I don’t care by how much. Edited December 29, 2021 by Parakeet Jones 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaloisGroupe Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 This is pretty close to a must win. PSU is not a good team and they do not have a particular home court advantage. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FritzIam4IU Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 I think IU wins this game but I expect it to be close. I am concerned the Hoosiers will come out slow/rusty from the long delay between games and holidays. I am hopeful with the long delay everyone will be healthy and ready to suit up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parakeet Jones Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 5 minutes ago, FritzIam4IU said: I think IU wins this game but I expect it to be close. I am concerned the Hoosiers will come out slow/rusty from the long delay between games and holidays. I am hopeful with the long delay everyone will be healthy and ready to suit up. Thankfully PSU has had a longer layoff than us. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indykev Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 40 minutes ago, FritzIam4IU said: I think IU wins this game but I expect it to be close. I am concerned the Hoosiers will come out slow/rusty from the long delay between games and holidays. I am hopeful with the long delay everyone will be healthy and ready to suit up. PSU hasnt played since Dec.11th. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUFLA Posted December 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 Not that it means all that much, since both teams have some different parts now, but here are the highlights (if you want to call them that) of IU's OT win in Bloomington versus the Nittany Lions last year... 3 things stood out to me...Our defense was poor, we had success going to the hoop, especially Galloway, who had one of his better games...He was 4-4 from 2 and they were all of the dribble drive variety...I'm not sure Trey will play, but I think this sets up well for XJ and Rob... The last thing, and I say this after listening to both Coach Woodson and Don Fischer talk about it this week...at the 14:30 mark of the first half, we had a 29-20 lead...By halftime, it was down to 5...In the first 5 minutes of the second half, the lead was gone and it was back and forth from then on...We actually got bailed out a little at the end... Both Coach Woody and Fisch talked about RMK's thought that the two most important times in a ball game are the last 5 minutes of the first half, and the first 5 minutes of the second...that surely seemed to be the case in this ballgame... I think Coach kinda knew what he was talking about... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyhoosier29 Posted December 29, 2021 Report Share Posted December 29, 2021 We’re the better team and should win, but I don’t expect us to. 🤷🏻♂️ 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euroclydon Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 A winnable road game. Better make it count. Nothing dynamic about PSU but they can be physical. Harrar is a bear - was hoping he might be a transfer to IU just for the physical style he plays, but he stayed. If IU plays defense and doesn't hand the game over (turnovers, missed free throws, chucking up needless shots) it's hard to imagine they lose this game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUFLA Posted December 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 (edited) This has been the Penn State starting lineup for the past 2 games... J. Cornwall ·6'0 so I'm thinking XJ on him M. Dread ·6'4 Parker? J. Harrar ·6'9 Trayce S. Lundy ·6'6 Race? J. Pickett-6'4 Kopp? Kinda strange matchup for us, but I think if we see any defensive breakdown on Pickett or Dread, Rob will be in quickly... And I know Race has the athleticism to guard the perimeter, but we absolutely cannot let Lundy get a good start, especially at home...Our depth might prove to be a difference maker here as well...if they play like they can... Edited December 30, 2021 by IUFLA 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdue7 Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 Dread is a SG/PF combo love Harrar who is a LT playing center there is nobody on Penn state who really scares you. Lundy can get hot but isn’t a great defender IU should win by by 15+ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdhoosier Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 55 minutes ago, IUFLA said: This has been the Penn State starting lineup for the past 2 games... J. Cornwall ·6'0 so I'm thinking XJ on him M. Dread ·6'4 Parker? J. Harrar ·6'9 Trayce S. Lundy ·6'6 Race? J. Pickett-6'4 Kopp? Kinda strange matchup for us, but I think if we see any defensive breakdown on Pickett or Dread, Rob will be in quickly... And I know Race has the athleticism to guard the perimeter, but we absolutely cannot let Lundy get a good start, especially at home...Our depth might prove to be a difference maker here as well...if they play like they can... Initially I thought that it might be a good game to start Leal or Scoop for either Kopp or Stewart, but then I thought it may be better to stand strong. We're the better team; let's play to our advantage, make them adapt to our size and see how it goes. If unsuccessful, the lack of mobility in our starting 2/3 spots will be a defensive problem all year. At least we have some depth with Leal, RP and hopefully (soon) Scoop. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyhoosier29 Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 4 hours ago, Euroclydon said: A winnable road game. Better make it count. Nothing dynamic about PSU but they can be physical. Harrar is a bear - was hoping he might be a transfer to IU just for the physical style he plays, but he stayed. If IU plays defense and doesn't hand the game over (turnovers, missed free throws, chucking up needless shots) it's hard to imagine they lose this game. Hard to imagine? I’m thinking, it’s hard to imagine us NOT disappointing in a road game we SHOULD win. Hate to be pessimistic, but we just haven’t proven we’re capable of that toughness yet. Didn’t show up early at Syracuse and fell HORRIBLY apart at Wiscy in the second half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IowaHoosierFan Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 55 minutes ago, kyhoosier29 said: Hard to imagine? I’m thinking, it’s hard to imagine us NOT disappointing in a road game we SHOULD win. Hate to be pessimistic, but we just haven’t proven we’re capable of that toughness yet. Didn’t show up early at Syracuse and fell HORRIBLY apart at Wiscy in the second half. I expect it to be close the whole game. they haven't played for almost a month, that just mean someone on their team will have a career night per usual. Probably win, but i highly doubt we own them 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUFLA Posted December 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 2 hours ago, tdhoosier said: Initially I thought that it might be a good game to start Leal or Scoop for either Kopp or Stewart, but then I thought it may be better to stand strong. We're the better team; let's play to our advantage, make them adapt to our size and see how it goes. If unsuccessful, the lack of mobility in our starting 2/3 spots will be a defensive problem all year. At least we have some depth with Leal, RP and hopefully (soon) Scoop. Good point. Who, on their end, is going to deal with Race Thompson inside? They try to double too much and hopefully Stewart and Kopp can make them pay... They're very thin up front past Harrar...get him sitting with fouls and we can cash in... Like Coach Woody says...Inside out... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lostin76 Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 Very winnable game. I don’t think they can handle Race and Trayce. If they try to lock them down, then let the threes rain down on them. Feels good to think we are capable of the latter again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWatShot Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 I don't know how anyone who's followed this program in recent memory would be expecting anything but a struggle. My biggest fear is we get an early lead, PSU starts getting chippy, then we get soft and come unraveled. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lostin76 Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 20 minutes ago, TheWatShot said: I don't know how anyone who's followed this program in recent memory would be expecting anything but a struggle. My biggest fear is we get an early lead, PSU starts getting chippy, then we get soft and come unraveled. Hopefully not this team, but yes I’m sure we’ve all been conditioned to have this exact fear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrflynn03 Posted December 30, 2021 Report Share Posted December 30, 2021 I will wait until the game is over to believe it was actually played. Also, hope one day we aren't worried about beating Penn State of all teams. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fundamentals Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 18 hours ago, IUFLA said: This has been the Penn State starting lineup for the past 2 games... J. Cornwall ·6'0 so I'm thinking XJ on him M. Dread ·6'4 Parker? J. Harrar ·6'9 Trayce S. Lundy ·6'6 Race? J. Pickett-6'4 Kopp? Kinda strange matchup for us, but I think if we see any defensive breakdown on Pickett or Dread, Rob will be in quickly... And I know Race has the athleticism to guard the perimeter, but we absolutely cannot let Lundy get a good start, especially at home...Our depth might prove to be a difference maker here as well...if they play like they can... Sounds like a game Jordan Geronimo could make in impact with their smaller front line. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fundamentals Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 Ohio State won @ Penn State by 12. Probably a reasonable barometer for us, so maybe a 7-10 pt win? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IUFLA Posted December 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 3 hours ago, Fundamentals said: Sounds like a game Jordan Geronimo could make in impact with their smaller front line. He could...I'm not convinced on JG as a perimeter defender yet, but he could be effective on interior defense and getting some putbacks... I even think Michael Durr might get some quality minutes in...I think Harrar is a good match-up for him... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyhoosier29 Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 3 hours ago, Fundamentals said: Ohio State won @ Penn State by 12. Probably a reasonable barometer for us, so maybe a 7-10 pt win? You’re thinking logically / what SHOULD happen. Not what is LIKELY to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking6 Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 No easy layups from here on in but games vs Penn St, Nebraska, Northwestern,etc...have to be won regardless of location. The team we have should beat this Penn St team...but I also acknowledge the last few years has caused my brain some expectation damage. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobSaccamanno Posted December 31, 2021 Report Share Posted December 31, 2021 Not crazy about the start time. A football Sunday during the playoff push? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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