I may have overreacted a bit in my last column. The 4-0 start got to me and gave me ample amounts of faith in this team. This is not to say I lost faith – as a matter of fact, I am still buying in heavily to Penn State basketball this year. 

Since the 4-0 start the Lions are 3-1, with the single loss coming to Ole Miss. Penn State has proven through eight games to be a legit team at the defensive end. Currently they rank 23rd in the nation in total steals (82) and 13th in total blocks (50). The team’s grit on defense has paid off with Chambers’ team earning the 10th-best defensive rating in all of college hoops. Defense has been carrying some of the weight lately as a few offensive struggles have made their way to the surface. 

Fans must remember the backcourt for this squad is young and still has much to learn. That being said, in recent matchups there has been a definite uptick in turnovers. The good news is that there is plenty of season left for this to be cleaned up. On the other side of that, two of the most pivotal matchups on the calendar are up next with games against No. 6 Ohio State and No. 3 Maryland. 

Despite no longer being undefeated, Penn State is gaining recognition around the sports world. Its BPI rank has risen to 17th (four spots up from the last rankings). Not to mention the current projections for the NCAA Tournament have the Nittany Lions at a possible four seed. Last year they only made the NCAA projections once, as a projected 16 seed. Now I won’t be reviewing the Yale or Ole Miss games,  as they are long gone, but let us delve into the most recent two contests, Syracuse and Wake Forest. 

Penn State vs. Syracuse: 85-64 W

After a devastating loss in the first round of the NIT Tip Off tournament (they blew a 21-point lead to Ole Miss) the Lions bounced back soundly against the Orange. Despite allowing Syracuse to make a little run to begin the second half, PSU was able to handle Jim Boeheim’s squad with relative ease. 

This game marked Lamar Stevens’ third 20-point outing of the season. Stevens’ play has been growing more consistent, something his teammates will need going forward. 

Behind Stevens were blooming sophomore guard Myreon Jones (16 pts) and senior forward Mike Watkins (15 pts). Penn State’s bench was also productive in this one as both Curtis Jones and Seth Lundy managed double-digit scoring. 

The Lions were able to limit Syracuse’s best player, Elijah Hughes, to only 3-11 from the field. Although Hughes did have a productive day from the charity stripe, it seemed his inability to get in a rhythm slowed down the rest of the Syracuse offense. 

It certainly wasn’t the most efficient game from PSU as they only shot 40 percent from the field. But it was a good win against a very respectable Syracuse team coached by one of college basketball’s all time best, Jim Boeheim. 

Penn State vs. Wake Forest: 76-54 W

Another dominant performance from Penn State’s defense as for the third time this season they have held an opponent under 60 points. This was also the first game in which the Lions held their opponent below 30 percent shooting. Penn State also forced 20 turnovers, 12 coming from steals. 

Mike Watkins was the silent MVP of this one as he stuffed the stat sheet across the board. Watkins finished with 7 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals, and 5 blocks. It was a productive game to say the least for the big man. 

As usual, Myreon Jones and Lamar Stevens led in the scoring department, putting up 22 and 14 respectively. This was Jones’ second 20-point outing of the season. He is averaging 16 points per game this year. 

Pat Chambers needed the past two wins to get his team back in a confident state of mind. Now the real test starts. Penn State enters BigTen play this Saturday, December 7th, in their matchup against Ohio State. Maybe they can do what Penn State football could not and solidify themselves as a legit tournament team team. 

Up Next: @ No. 6 Ohio State 12/7, vs No. 3 Maryland 12/10

State Leaders (per game)

• Points – Lamar Stevens (17.5)

• Assists – Myreon Jones (3.4)

• Rebounds – Mike Watkins (10.0)

• Steals – Jamari Wheeler (2.5)

• Blocks – Mike Watkins (4.1)