Penn State Basketball Should Have Your Attention

The Lions have been among the Big Ten's most intriguing teams in January. Up next: A visit to No. 16 Ohio State.

Penn State received a deserved day off following its 66-49 win over Rutgers on Tuesday, though head coach Micah Shrewsberry wanted to keep playing.

"I wish we could play tomorrow because I know our guys would be ready," Shrewsberry said after the win. "They’d be ready to guard, they’d be ready to fight, they’d be ready to do what needs to be done to win on Sunday."

That's when the Lions will play next, visiting Ohio State for a Big Ten rematch. Since its 22-day break in December and early January, during which the team canceled three non-conference games, Penn State is 3-1 in the Big Ten. Dick Jerardi, Penn State's broadcast analyst, has been so impressed that he called the team "a factor" in the Big Ten.

Penn State gets an opportunity to test that theory Sunday.

Penn State (8-6, 3-3) vs. No. 16 Ohio State (10-4, 4-2)

• When: Noon Sunday EST
• Where: Columbus, Ohio
• TV: Big Ten Network
• Streaming: fuboTV
• Radio: Penn State Sports Network

The last time: Led by Jalen Pickett, Penn State cut an 18-point deficit to six with under 3 minutes to play, ultimately falling 76-64 to the Buckeyes at the Bryce Jordan Center. Pickett scored a season-high 23 points, 13 in the second half, as the Lions nearly rallied for the win.

Jalen Pickett leads Penn State in minutes played (36.1) and is second in scoring (13.4 ppg) this season. (Matthew O'Haren/USA Today Sports)

About the Lions: Shrewsberry has noted that, during his team's enforced break, he rewatched each of the first 10 games to glean any improvement space. What he discovered, with regard to defending and finishing smart possessions, has benefitted the Lions substantially. Penn State has played mostly tight, lower-scoring, low-possession games in January, even in a loss to then-No. 3 Purdue. The Lions held Rutgers, which has some good shooters, to 49 points, 20 below their per-game average. Pickett has become the team's breakout player, one of five transfer players making significant contributions. Pickett has started every game, ranks third in the Big Ten in minutes played (36.2) and averages 17.5 points and 4.2 assists per conference game. Jevonnie Scott, who missed the first 13 games with an injury, became the latest transfer to play for the Lions. He scored two points, and Shrewsberry beamed. "Jevonnie, you got your name in the paper," Shrewsberry said after the game, referencing the newspaper box scores he grew up reading.

About the Buckeyes: Penn State might be primed to win their first game in Columbus since 2018. Ohio State is 2-2 in January and coming off a 78-68 loss to Wisconsin this week. In their two January losses, the Buckeyes have averaged just 59.5 points, scoring a season-low 51 against Indiana. Further, the Buckeyes rank 12th in the Big Ten in scoring defense (70.4 per game), a statistic that might welcome the Lions to open up their offense a bit. E.J. Liddell is the heartbeat of Ohio State's offense, averaging 19.9 ppg and scoring a career-high 34 against Wisconsin. Penn State usually assigns Seth Lundy to defend the opponent's top scorer; Lundy held Liddell to 14 in early December. If that continues, it should be another fascinating matchup.

Lockdown Lundy 🔒

@llseth23's defense has been a problem for opposing team's offensive weapons 😤#WeAre pic.twitter.com/rAX8Gq9ik8

— Penn State Men’s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) January 14, 2022

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