Tag: Puff Johnson

Photos from Penn State basketball’s home win vs. Le Moyne

Penn State continued to thrive at home in a win over Le Moyne to get back to .500. Here are the best photos from the game.

Penn State men’s basketball evened its record on Thursday night with a 72-55 victory over visiting Le Moyne. Kanye Clary’s 20-point effort helped lead the way to the win as Penn State improved to 6-6 on the season and rebounded from a weekend loss to Georgia Tech in Madison Square Garden.

Penn State led by as many as 21 points in the first half before a Le Moyne run cut into the lead. Le Moyne got as close as 10 points in the second half before Penn State pulled away down the stretch.

Next up for Penn State is one final non-conference game on the schedule before continuing the rest of the year in Big Ten play. Penn State will host Rider on Friday, Dec. 29 for a mid-afternoon contest in the Bryce Jordan Center at 2:00 p.m. ET.

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Penn State basketball loses heartbreaker at Madison Square Garden

Penn State basketball lost a tough one in the Big Apple.

Every game at Madison Square Garden feels a little bit different. The aura of the arena and the basketball history that has taken place there makes games there much more special than at other places.

For Penn State, the game against Georgia Tech also had a different feel to it after completely an improbable comeback against Ohio State on Dec. 9.

That win against the Buckeyes stopped a five-game skid and gave the Nittany Lions new life on the season ahead of this matchup against Georgia Tech and games versus Le Moyne and Rider on the horizon.

However, the same things that have plagued Penn State during this difficult stretch were present.

Their defense is a legitimate issue.

They’ve allowed their opponents to shoot 45% or higher from the field in seven of the last eight games, including a 45.1% by Georgia Tech on Saturday.

That’s one of the reasons why the Yellow Jackets went into halftime with a 39-37 lead.

Penn State came out of the locker room ready to play and things started seesawing a big after [autotag]Kanye Clary[/autotag] tied things up at 39. They took a 45-43 lead with 16:56 remaining in the second half, but the defense was an issue again, getting them into a 63-54 hole with around 10 minutes left.

The biggest lead of the game happened at the 8:38 mark following a Dallan Coleman made three to extend Penn State’s deficit to 10 points. But instead of rolling over, the Nittany Lions made a big push.

They clawed their way back to make it 71-69 with 3:49 remaining that seemed to last forever. The next points weren’t scored until [autotag]D’Marco Dunn[/autotag] made a free throw. Penn State then took a 72-71 lead with 1:19 to go after a [autotag]Puff Johnson[/autotag] layup.

Ultimately, the Nittany Lions were able to force overtime after trailing by double digits in the second half.

How many Penn State fans will remember this one was by them being on the wrong side of a horrendous call.

With 23 seconds left, Clary made a jumper to give the Nittany Lions a 81-80 lead and needing just one stop to get this victory. After a [autotag]Qudus Wahab[/autotag] block, Miles Kelly of Georgia Tech rebounded the ball but was falling backwards.

The officials called a foul on [autotag]Ace Baldwin[/autotag] although there was no contact made.

Kelly made two free throws since they were in the bonus and Penn State missed a desperation heave as time expired to lose the game 82-81.

It’s a tough pill to swallow considering this might have been the best game the backcourt has played together. Clary finished with a game-high 23 points and added seven rebounds. Baldwin had 18 points, seven assists, four steals and made four threes. Dunn added 17 points off the bench and Johnson scored 15, all in the second half, which was his highest mark of the year.

Now, the Nittany Lions will look to build upon this with two easy games coming up before hitting conference play full time.

ESPN Events Invitational: Best photos from Penn State’s game vs. VCU

Penn State came up short against VCU in their final game in the ESPN Events Invitational. Here are the best photos from the VCU game.

Penn State’s Thanksgiving weekend did not offer too many things to be thankful for. Penn State went 0-3 in the ESPN Events Invitational this weekend after losing the 7th-place game on Sunday morning against VCU. VCU celebrated a win over their former head coach, [autotag]Mike Rhoades[/autotag], and former teammates [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Kern Jr.[/autotag] as the Nittany Lions were left looking to regroup back at home after a rough weekend.

Penn State lost to VCU by a final score of 86-74 in a game where leading scorer [autotag]Kanye Clary[/autotag] left early due to an injury. Baldwin scored a game-high 27 points against his former teammates from VCU, but VCU got a big game off the bench from guard Alphonzo Billups III who scored 23 points in 27 minutes on the court.

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State’s most recent setback against VCU from the ESPN Events Invitational.

ESPN Events Invitational: Best photos of Penn State vs. Butler

Ka-chow! Butler’s mascot was entertaining fans at the ESPN Events Invitational by riding Lightning McQueen.

For the second time in as many days over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Penn State fell short in the ESPN Events Invitational. Penn State was defeated by Butler in a consolation round game of the weekend tournament at the Walt Disney World Wide of Sports complex on Friday, 88-78.

Kanye Clary scored a career-high 28 points in the losing effort as Penn State went cole with its shooting to close the first half and could not answer a critical run by Butler in the second half.

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State’s second game in the ESPN Events Invitational.

ESPN Events Invitational: Best photos of Penn State vs. Texas A&M

Check out the best photos from Penn State’s ESPN Events Invitational opener against Texas A&M.

Penn State came up short in the opening game of the 2023 ESPN Events Invitational down in Florida on Thanksgiving, losing to no. 13 Texas A&M by a score of 89-77. It was a good test for the new-look Nittany Lions and despite coming up with the first loss of the season, Penn State showed some good fight against the Aggies.

Penn State will take on Butler in the consolation round on Friday afternoon. Butler was defeated by FAU, a Final Four team from last season. It will also be the second year in a row Penn State will face Butler. The Nittany Lions topped the Bulldogs in last year’s Gavitt Tipoff Games

Here are some of the best photos available from Penn State’s basketball game against Texas A&M in the ESPN Events Invitational.

ESPN Events Invitational: Penn State vs. No. 13 Texas A&M preview

Penn State plays Texas A&M in the opening round of the ESPN Events Invitational.

[autotag]Mike Rhoades[/autotag] and the Nittany Lions are off to a hot start in State College, bringing a 4-0 record to the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Florida. The Nittany Lions will play three games in four days, beginning with a rematch of last year’s NCAA Tournament first-round game against Texas A&M at noon on Thanksgiving.

Penn State has played its first four games at the Bryce Jordan Center, making this tournament the Nittany Lions’ first real challenge of the season. The 13th-ranked Aggies also hold a 4-0 record with wins over Ohio State and Oral Roberts. Texas A&M and Penn State have similar offensive numbers, averaging 76 and 77.5 points per game, respectively. Defensively, the Nittany Lions come into the game with the fourth-ranked scoring defense in the country, only allowing 53.5 ppg. The Aggies give up 61 ppg, albeit against more challenging opponents.

Early into this season, you can already tell this squad’s calling card is its defense and ability to create turnovers, with steal artist [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] leading the way. Penn State forces opponents into 21.5 turnovers per game, good for second in the country. Against Morehead State last week, the Nittany Lions forced a whopping 29 turnovers.

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A deciding factor for Penn State on Thursday will be on the glass, especially limiting the Aggies’ second-chance points. Texas A&M is one of the best rebounding teams in the country, averaging 47 per game (11th in the nation) and 19.3 offensive rebounds (2nd in the nation). [autotag]Qudus Wahab[/autotag] and Aggie center Henry Coleman III are both in the top 15, and whoever has the better afternoon might prove decisive.

The point guard battle between Ace Baldwin Jr. and Wade Taylor IV is a storyline to watch, with both guards being terrific defenders. On the offensive side of the ball, Penn State’s [autotag]Kanye Clary[/autotag] (17.5 ppg) and Tyrece Radford (15.5 ppg) are two scorers shooting better than 43% from the field and 35% from the 3-point line.

Another strength of the Nittany Lions’ is their 3-point defense, only allowing their opponents to shoot 19.7% (2nd in the nation) from behind the arc. The Aggies aren’t a great shooting team (29.6 3P%), but they are shutting down formidable shooters like Radford, and fellow guard Hayden Hefner will be critical.

To pull off the upset, Penn State must show up again on the defensive end, especially rebounding. Forwards [autotag]Puff Johnson[/autotag] and [autotag]Zach Hicks[/autotag] have struggled so far this season, and getting them going would be huge against Texas A&M.

The Nittany Lions will play Florida Atlantic or Butler on Friday, depending on the outcomes of both games. Penn State’s final game will be on Sunday, with the championship game being at 1 p.m. VCU, Iowa State, Boise State, and Virginia Tech make up the other half of the bracket. All games will air on ESPN’s network of stations.

Here is the full schedule for the 2023 ESPN Events Invitational.

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Penn State basketball is 3-0 after dominant win over St. Francis

Kanye Clary led a balanced scoring attack and the Nittany Lions defense clamped down on St. Francis in a lopsided home victory.

After getting a bit of a battle from one in-state opponent Friday night against Lehigh, the Penn State men’s basketball team wasted no time in setting the tone against St. Francis (Pa.) on Tuesday night in the Bryce Jordan Center. [autotag]Kanye Clary[/autotag] led the Nittany Lions with 14 points in an 83-53 victory over the Red Flash.

Penn State had a balanced attack from start to finish. Four players ended in double figures. [autotag]Zach Hicks[/autotag] and [autotag]Qudus Wahab[/autotag] each had 12 points and [autotag]Ace Baldwin Jr.[/autotag] added 11 points. Wahab also had 6 rebounds to lead the Nittany Lions. [autotag]Demetrius Lilly[/autotag] picked up four offensive rebounds in his 10 minutes of game time. He also scored a career-high 8 points.

Penn State saw the debut of North Carolina transfer [autotag]Puff Johnson[/autotag]. Johnson came off the bench and scored 6 points and 4 rebounds in 16 minutes.

Penn State jumped all over St. Francis from the opening tipoff by running out to a 10-2 lead in the opening minutes. After St. Francis finally put some point son the scoreboard four minutes in, Penn State went on an 18-2 run. The defense was masterful against the Red Flash and never allowed for a chance to crawl back into this one.

Next up for Penn State is one final home game before heading to Florida for a Thanksgiving weekend tournament. Penn State hosts Morehead State on Friday night. Morehead State will come to State College with a 2-2 record that includes losses to Alabama and Purdue and wins over Shawnee State (Ohio) and Mercer.

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Penn State looks to start 3-0 as Saint Franicis (Pa.) comes to town

Penn State hosts Saint Francis in their third game of the season looking to imporve on their strong start.

The [autotag]Mike Rhoades[/autotag] era in Happy Valley is off to a flying start with two wins, where the Nittany Lions offense scored over 70 points in both games. Penn State will welcome in the St. Francis Red Flash, who began the season in California and return to Pennsylvania with an 0-3 record. Despite only being 62 miles apart, it will be the first time the two programs have met since 2012 and the 13th all-time meeting.

The Nittany Lions have been led by sophomore guard [autotag]Kanye Clary[/autotag], averaging 21 points on a scorching 60% shooting. While Clary has been the breakout star, the defense has been everything you’d expect from a Mike Rhoades-coached team. Led by point guard [autotag]Ace Baldwin[/autotag], who leads the Big Ten with 3.5 steals per game, Penn State’s defense has held its two opponents to a 33% FG and a 13% 3FG%.

In Saint Francis’ three games, they have failed to eclipse 60 points, so the Nittany Lions should be able to put together another strong defensive performance. Qudus Wahab has been a menace on the glass and leads the Big Ten with 15.5 rebounds per game, only behind North Carolina big man Armando Bacot in the national rankings.

Alongside Clary, fellow sophomore [autotag]Jameel Brown[/autotag] has averaged 14 points per game, and the duo has already combined for 70 points in Penn State’s two games. One thing to watch for tonight is whether North Carolina transfer Puff Johnson suits up for the first time this season. Rhoades plans on relying on Johnson heavily, but the forward has been nursing an injury.

After beating Delaware State and Lehigh in the first week of the season, Penn State hopes to continue their strong start against the Red Flash this evening and begin 3-0 for the third time in the last five years. Tipoff at the Bryce Jordan Center is set for 7 p.m. and will air on the Big Ten Network.

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What to watch for in Penn State basketball’s season opener vs. Delaware State

Key storylines to look for in Penn State basketball’s season opener against Delaware State.

Mike Rhoades begins his first season with Penn State tonight as the Nittany Lions host the Delaware State Hornets to open the 2023-24 season.

It’s always exciting when the college basketball season tips off, and for Penn State, the amount of intrigue couldn’t be higher with a new coach and a revamped roster. A year ago, the Nittany Lions beat the Hornets 60-46 at the Bryce Jordan Center to extend their all-time series record to 4-0.

With Delaware State coming off a disappointing season that saw the Hornets go 6-24 overall and 4-10 in Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference play, Penn State can look to implement Rhoades style and get into a rhythm as a team with ten new players. 

VCU transfer and reigning Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Ace Baldwin Jr. figures to be the lead man for a Nittany Lions team looking for a star after the departure of Jalen Pickett to the NBA. Baldwin’s experience with Rhoades’ system and fellow VCU transfer Nick Kern Jr. should be extremely beneficial in quickly getting the team up to speed.

Baldwin’s knack on the defensive end is something to watch for tonight. The former Ram was 19th in steals per game (2.23) last season and is one of the premier on-ball defenders in the country. An aggressive and turnover-forcing defense is exactly the type Rhoades wants to run. If the 16 turnovers forced in the exhibition against Robert Morris is any indication, the unit should show off tonight.

Another thing to watch for tonight is whether North Carolina transfer Puff Johnson suits up for the opener. The 6’8 wing from Moon, Pennsylvania, did not play in the exhibition, and Rhoades lists him as “day-to-day.” Johnson, a co-captain along with Baldwin and returning guard Kanye Clary, is expected to be a key contributor whom Rhoades leans on heavily. If Johnson doesn’t play, watch out for the second North Carolina transfer De’Marco Dunn and Temple sharpshooting transfer Zach Hicks.

In a game not expected to be a close one (an 18.5-point favorite on FanDuel), expect Rhoades to rotate his squad frequently and to experiment with different matchups. The defense, the pick-and-roll game, and Ace Baldwin Jr. are my three items to watch as the season gets started tonight. 

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Penn State men’s basketball 2023-24 roster

Here is a look at every player on Penn State men’s basketball roster for the first season under head coach Mike Rhoades.

Penn State will have a new look on the roster for the 2023-24 season. A new head coach and significant roster turnover, including losing two players to the NBA, have led to a roster with a number of transfer players plugging roster holes for the 2023-24 season.

Penn State’s roster includes a total of 10 players who have come from the transfer portal, with a number being added to the roster since the end of last season. That includes star guard Ace Baldwin Jr., one of the top players Rhoades had on his roster at VCU before moving to Penn State. Penn State also added transfers from North Carolina, Lafayette, Miami, and Temple this offseason.

Here is a look at Penn State’s men’s basketball roster for the 2023-24 season.