Tag: Ace Baldwin Jr.

With loss of Kanye Clary, Penn State must lean even more on Ace Baldwin Jr. in 2024

Penn State basketball could really use Ace Baldwin Jr. back on the court in 2024-25.

Penn State had a disappointing first season under coach Mike Rhoades in 2023, finishing ninth in the Big Ten and 16-17 overall. Despite bringing in a robust transfer class that included two of his former VCU players [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] and Nick Kern, the team never fully gelled together.

It didn’t help that sophomore guard and leading scorer [autotag]Kanye Clary[/autotag] was dismissed from the team by Rhoades in mid-February. With his transfer to Mississippi State ending his time in Happy Valley, it will fall to returning players to pick up the scoring slack left behind.

Penn State returns five of their top seven scorers from last season, but only one who averaged double digits. Ace Baldwin Jr. was the focal point of Penn State’s defense, earning him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. He also served as their primary playmaker and secondary scorer, averaging 14.2 points and 6.0 assists. In 2024, they may need him to take on even more.

Rhoades has dipped into the transfer portal again with the addition of Xavier big man Kachi Nzeh, but he is unlikely to make a huge impact offensively.

There are serious questions about whether Baldwin Jr. can handle much more as a scorer, especially with his already poor shooting splits. Similar questions surround the other top returning scorers, however, with just forward Puff Johnson and guard Nick Kern shooting above 40% from the field this season.

Rhoades will need multiple players to step up their shot-making ability in 2024 to take pressure off of Baldwin Jr., but the bulk of the responsibility still falls on him. 2024 will be his final college season, and I know he has his eyes set on making a return to the NCAA tournament. To do so, he must become a more efficient and consistent offensive threat.

I think he has the talent to make it happen, but he may need to sacrifice some of his energy on defense to do it. Will the trade-off be worth it? That’s what he and coach Rhoades will need to determine this offseason. Maybe one or more of their complementary scorers take a huge leap, but there’s no guarantee of that happening. I know I will be looking forward to seeing how they fair in 2024.

Best photos from the Penn State 2023-24 men’s basketball season

Let’s take a look back at some of the best photos we gathered from throughout the men’s basketball season.

Penn State came into the 2023-24 season with a new head coach and a reworked roster, but the goal remained the same; to make it back to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. That goal ultimately was unfulfilled as Penn State went through a challenging year without much luck on the road or on a neutral court, and the first season under new head coach Mike Rhoades has come to a close.

But the season was not without its bright spots and moments worth cherishing and remembering moving into the offseason. It was unexpected Penn State would have much success this year given the circumstances, but the work is already being done to build a program that will be more competitive in the years to come with more frequent trips to the NCAA postseason hopefully on the horizon. But before we look ahead, let’s take a few moments to look back.

Here is a look back at some of the best photos we gathered from this past men’s basketball season.

Penn State seniors surge past Maryland in regular-season finale (photos)

Check out the best photos from Penn State basketball’s regular-season finale and senior night victory over Maryland.

Penn State honored its seniors on the basketball court on Sunday night and the seniors led the way to a home win against Maryland with a massive second-half effort. Penn State led Maryland by four points at halftime but pulled away in the second half as the regular season came to a close with a 49-37 scoring advantage in the second half of an 85-69 victory over the Terrapins.

Penn State’s seniors combined for 65 points in the win powered by a double-double from [autotag]Qudus Wahab[/autotag] (19 points, 15 rebounds) and [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] (17 points, 11 assists). [autotag]RayQuawndis Mitchell[/autotag] (14 points), [autotag]Puff Johnson[/autotag] (13 points), and [autotag]Nick Kern Jr.[/autotag] (10 points) all scored in double figures for the Nittany Lions.

This marked the seventh straight home win for Penn State over Maryland. Now both teams will be heading off to the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament this week in Minnesota, with each being paired up in a first-round matchup.

Next up for Penn State is a first-round matchup in the Big Ten conference tournament against Michigan on Wednesday, March 13. A win will set up a second-round matchup with Indiana. Maryland will face Rutgers in the first round with the winner set to face Wisconsin in the second round.

Here are some of the best photos from the regular-season finale against Maryland.

Penn State vs Maryland men’s basketball: How to watch on TV and live stream on Sunday

Penn State looks for a win in their final home game of the season

Penn State men’s basketball is looking to avoid limping into the Big Ten Tournament after dropping their last two games. The Nittany Lions welcome in the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday evening, hoping to keep hold of the Big Ten Tournament’s No. 11 seed and possibly move up a seed line if other games fall Penn State’s way.

Maryland sits right behind Penn State in conference standings, making the matchup that much more impactful.

It is senior night in Happy Valley, and the Nittany Lions will honor seven seniors, including players like [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag], [autotag]Qudas Wuhab[/autotag], and [autotag]Puff Johnson[/autotag].

Baldwin Jr. looks like the frontrunner for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. He leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the country in steals (83) and fifth in the country in steals per game (2.77). His 2.77 steals per game rank second amongst Power Six conference players and track to be the most by a Big Ten player in a single season in the last 31 years (since 1993 – Pat Baldwin (Northwestern) 2.96 steals per game).

Baldwin Jr.’s defensive matchup this evening will be Maryland star guard Jahmir Young, who leads the Terps, scoring 20.9 points per game and 28 points in the two program’s matchup earlier this season.

A win would mark nine conference wins for the Nittany Lions under first-year head coach [autotag]Mike Rhoades[/autotag] and would give Penn State a much-needed boost entering the Big Ten Tournament.

Penn State vs. Maryland Men’s Basketball

  • Date: Sunday, March 10
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Channel: Big Ten Network
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)

Follow Charlie Strella on Twitter, Threads, and Instagram.

Penn State basketball runs out of steam in latest road loss at Minnesota

Penn State led Minnesota by 12 at halftime but returned home with another frustrating road loss.

It was quite the tale of two halves for Penn State men’s basketball on Saturday afternoon at Minnesota. After leading the Gophers by 12 points at halftime, Penn State was outscored 45-28 in the second half and returned home with a tough 75-70 loss to close out the road schedule for the regular season.

Despite getting a career-best 19 points from [autotag]Puff Johson[/autotag] and a 17-point effort from [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] but the Gophers went on a sizzling 21-5 run to take a lead and begin setting the pace for the remainder of the season.

Penn State losing on the road in a key game coming down the final stretch fell in sync with the theme of the season for the Nittany Lions on the road. Penn State won just two road games all season this. They also dropped both regular season meetings with Minnesota.

Penn State will have one final game to play before heading off to the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament as they look to try and stay out of the bottom four seeds in the Big Ten standings. Penn State

Penn State will host Maryland for the final game of the regular season on March 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Penn State at Minnesota men’s basketball: How to watch on TV and live stream on Saturday

Penn State looking for a bounce back win against Minnesota in final road test of season

Penn State fell to a tough defeat against the Iowa Hawkeyes in a game that saw them leapfrog the Nittany Lions into 7th place in the Big Ten standings. Penn State now sits in ninth in the standings ahead of a pivotal matchup against Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.

The Nittany Lions fell to the Golden Gophers at home in late January and are looking for revenge and their third road win of the season, with much more at stake in the regular season’s penultimate game.

Last time out against Minnesota, Penn State could not convert on enough possessions to grab the win despite receiving double-digit performances from four players.

Against Iowa, Penn State was massively outperformed at the free-throw line. The Hawkeyes hit 32 free throws compared to the Nittany Lions 13. Iowa is the best free-throw shooting team in the Big Ten at 78.5%, and on Saturday, Penn State will face the conference’s third-worst team at the charity stripe (68.8%).

Point guard [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] paces Penn State with 14.1 points per game and a Big Ten-best 2.8 steals per contest. The Nittany Lions will need one or both of [autotag]Zach Hicks[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Kern Jr.[/autotag] to step in and carry some of the scoring load.

Minnesota is led by the Big Ten’s sixth-leading scorer forward, Dawson Garcia, who averages 17.8 ppg on 46.9% shooting. Wing defense against the 6-foot-11 forward will be critical in this matchup, especially after Garcia scored 22 in the last meeting.

Here is how to catch Penn State’s last true road game of the season against the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Penn State at Minnesota Men’s Basketball

  • Date: Saturday, March 2
  • Time: 3:15 p.m. ET
  • Channel: Big Ten Network
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)

Follow Charlie Strella on Twitter, Threads, and Instagram.

Best photos as Penn State basketball tops Indiana in the Bryce Jordan Center

Take a look at some of the best photos as Penn State completed a regular-season sweep of Indiana.

Penn State continued to frustrate Indiana on the basketball court on Saturday with an 83-74 victory in the Bryce Jordan Center. The win was a pivotal one for the Nittany Lions as they continue to fight to improve their seeding situation in the upcoming Big Ten men’s basketball tournament. The win was fueled by a balanced scoring effort from the entire starting lineup and led by Ace Baldwin Jr.’s 23 points and solid defensive efforts.

Penn State has now won four consecutive games against the Hoosiers, which is pretty remarkable given the two histories between the two programs overall and in head-to-head meetings over the years. After taking an earlier road game in Bloomington, Penn State has its first sweep of the Hoosier sin a regular season since 2009.

Here are some of the best photos from Saturday’s latest win against the Hoosiers.

Hoosier daddy? Penn State continues winning ways against Indiana

Penn State basketball picked up another big home win with a victory over Indiana.

Maybe Penn State men’s basketball has one more run in them right before the end of the regular season. Days after pulling an upset of Illinois in Rec Hall, Penn State continued their winning ways at home on Saturday afternoon with an 83-74 victory over Indiana in the Bryce Jordan Center. [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] led the way with 23 points and 9 assists with four rebounds and four steals.

The two teams played a back-and-forth first half for the most part, but the Nittany Lions went on a timely 8-1 run to close out the first half and managed to keep Indiana at bay for the remainder of the afternoon. The visiting Hoosiers did pull to within two points in the second half but a [autotag]Zach Hicks[/autotag] three-pointer and a basket by [autotag]Puff Johnson[/autotag] gave Penn State some breathing room and allowed them to put the game in a comfortable spot the rest of the way.

Penn State got a balanced offensive outing from its starting lineup with each starter scoring in double figures. [autotag]Qudus Wahab[/autotag] had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Penn State basketball has now found the upper hand against Indiana on the basketball court it would seem. Penn State has won four in a row and five of the past six meetings with the Hoosiers, including a Big Ten tournament matchup last season.

This marks the first time since 2009 that Penn State completed a regular season sweep of Indiana. It also helped move Penn State up into 8th place in the updated Big Ten standings. Along with Iowa losing to Illinois on Saturday, the Nittany Lions moved up a spot ahead of the Hawkeyes.

And that sets up Penn State’s next game, which will carry a little more weight in the Big Ten tournament seeding outlook down the final stretch. Penn State visits Iowa on Tuesday evening.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Penn State vs Indiana men’s basketball: How to watch on TV and live stream on Saturday

Penn State vs. Indiana: Two teams jockeying for Big Ten Tournament seeding tipoff Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center

The Penn State men’s basketball team is coming off arguably their best win of the season against 12th-ranked Illinois. It was a thriller of a game that took three clutch [autotag]Zach Hicks[/autotag] free throws to seal the Nittany Lions’ 90-89 win.

With the addition of another top-15 win under its belt, Penn State will be back in action against the Indiana Hoosiers at home this weekend. This time, though, the game will be at the Bryce Jordan Center instead of Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions hope to recreate the magic and atmosphere on Saturday that was present Wednesday evening during their defeat of the Illini.

A win would mark a regular season sweep of the Hoosiers after beating them in Bloomington earlier this month. Penn State sits at 7-9 in the Big Ten Conference after Wednesday’s thriller and looks to improve their conference tournament seeding.

Defensive Player of the Year candidate [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] leads the Nittany Lions with 13.9 points per game and a Big Ten-best 2.78 steals per contest. Last time out against Indiana, Baldwin Jr. dropped 22 points and 8 eight assists to spur the Nittany Lions to victory. With Indiana on Penn State’s heels regarding conference tournament seeding, a repeat performance from Baldwin would go a long way in separating the Nittany Lions from the last five seeds.

Scoring 90 points against Illinois and 85 against Indiana on February 3 has Penn State entering Saturday’s game averaging 75.3 points per game in head coach Mike Rhoades’ debut season. Another solid offensive output from the Nittany Lions could extend the Hoosiers losing streak to four games.

Here is how to watch Saturday afternoon’s Big Ten contest from the Bryce Jordan Center.

Penn State vs. Indiana Men’s Basketball

  • Date: Saturday, Feb. 24
  • Time: 12 p.m. ET
  • Channel: Big Ten Network
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)

Follow Charlie Strella on Twitter, Threads, and Instagram.

What a rush! Best photos from Penn State basketball’s upset of Illinois

Penn State basketball gave fans a memorable experience in Rec Hall. Here are some of the best photos from the night.

Penn State basketball has been enjoying quite the up-and-down regular season but the emotional highs have been plentiful when playing at home and even more so in historic venues. Earlier this season Penn State came away with a win in The Palestra in Philadelphia, but on Wednesday it played in a venue molded in the style of The Palestra that it once called home, Rec Hall. And the Rec Hall setting was perfect for what transpired Wednesday evening.

Penn State took on no. 12 Illinois with the Illini trying to keep pace and setup a possible opportunity to grab the top seed in the Big Ten basketball tournament. And for a while in the second half, it appeared Illinois was going to leave Rec Hall with an expected win, but the Nittany Lions turned on the defensive pressure to a level Illinois was not equipped to handle and Penn State stormed back in the final minutes for a stunner. Zach Hicks drained three free throws in the final seconds to complete a memorable comeback for the Nittany Lions and the defense prevented a good look for a last-second basket by the Illini, leading to a good old-fashioned court storming by the whiteout crowd in Rec Hall.

Here are some of the best photos from a memorable evening in Rec Hall.