Penn State Basketball: An Intriguing Big Man Debuts for the Nittany Lions

Yanic Konan Niederhauser, a 7-foot forward, made a strong introduction in the Nittany Lions' win over Binghamton.

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Mike Rhoades gestures from the bench during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins in 2023 at Bryce Jordan Center. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State's basketball core this season will revolve around point guard Ace Baldwin Jr. and the four seniors who returned with him last season. But in their season-opener Monday night, the Nittany Lions introduced a compelling player to the floor.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser, a junior transfer from Northern Illinois by way of Europe, had 16 points and seven rebounds in his Penn State debut as the Nittany Lions overwhelmed Binghamton 108-66 at the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State's returning talent certainly ran the game: Zach Hicks scored 22 points, going 9-for-12 from the field, and Baldwin added 15 points and four assists. But the 7-foot, 255-pound Niederhauser introduced an interior presence that Penn State often lacked last season while also finding his way in coach Mike Rhoades' press defense.

Penn State made 16 steals, forced 21 turnovers and scored 31 points off those turnovers, playing the kind of pressure defense that Rhoades wants to run. Niederhauser was part of that, adding two blocks and a steal to his opening-night box.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Rhoades said of Niederhauser.

The forward transferred to Penn State after two seasons at Northern Illinois, where he started 26 games as a sophomore. Niederhauser averaged 7.3 points and 4.4 rebounds last season and had nine double-digit games.

Niederhauser, who is from Switzerland, played professionally in Germany, seeing action in six games in the country's Pro A League. Rhoades said he wants to nurture that experience out of Niederhauser this season.

"He's got so much more potrential and so much more ability," Rhoades told reporters in State College after the game. "If he hangs out with Ace and Nick [Kern] and those guys, he's only going to get better and better. ... As he continues to get our mentality and our grit, the sky's the limit for the kid. If he doesn't get in his own way and plays with a clear mind, I just think he's scratching the surface."

Penn State didn't have the greatest shooting night (50.7 percent) but went 13-for-31 from 3-point range and went 25-for-32 from the foul line. The 108-point game was Penn State's first over 100 since 2017 and the program's fourth-highest scoring total.

Six players scored in double figures, with Freddie Dilione V and Dominick adding 10 apiece.

"We're trying to create a Penn State mentality, how we go about things no matter who we play against," Rhoades said. "That was my challenge to the guys today. No matter what the score was, play to the mentality we want to have at all times."

Noteworthy

Penn State was without forward Miles Goodman and guard Eli Rice. Rhoades said he expects both back "sooner rather than later."

The 42-point margin of victory is Penn State’s seventh-largest in its history.

Penn State’s 16 steals were its most since making18 against VMI in 2020.

Penn State held a 30-9 edge in second-chance points, a 31-7 advantage in points scored off turnovers and 25-8 edge in fastbreak points.

Up next

Penn State hosts UMBC, coached by former Nittany Lions interim coach Jim Ferry, on Friday night at the Bryce Jordan Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.

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