Penn State men’s basketball win second ranked game of the season, defeating Iowa 89-86
Penn State won its second ranked game of the season Saturday afternoon in the Palestra. The Nittany Lions, who chose to host the game in Philadelphia, defeated Iowa 89-86.
The Nittany Lions had an energetic crowd behind them and took advantage of it to take home the victory in their only home game away from the Bryce Jordan Center this season.
The usual scoring suspects got in foul trouble early in the game and forced their teammates to step up in their stead. Fortunately for them, they did.
Redshirt sophomore guard Izaiah Brockington scored a career high 23 points for the Nittany Lions and provided a much-needed spark off the bench in the game. Senior forward Lamar Stevens only played 23 minutes in the game because of foul trouble, while redshirt senior center Mike Watkins was limited to 25 for the same reason. Stevens was still able to contribute offensively with 16 points, but Watkins only scored 4 for Penn State.
Penn State (12-2) now has seven wins against KenPom top 100 teams on the season after the win over the Hawkeyes (10-4). KenPom uses adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency metrics to rank Division I basketball teams.
Player of the game
Izaiah Brockington: There wasn’t a more important performance in the game than the one by Brockington. Iowa’s Luka Garza finished the game with 35 points, but his crucial misses from the free throw line late in the game kept his team from victory. Brockington contributed heavily on both ends of the floor for Penn State and made the difference in the win. His 15 second-half points fueled the team’s offense, while his 8 first-half points kept the Nittany Lions afloat when Stevens and Watkins were in foul trouble. Defensively, Brockington played a key role down the stretch. He came in the game for Stevens when the senior forward was in foul trouble and defended well against bigger opponents.
Turning point
Curtis Jones Jr. cuts it to three: Penn State trailed 72-66 late in the second half with a raucous crowd pleading for something to cheer for. Redshirt senior guard Curtis Jones Jr. pulled up from behind the three-point line and cut the lead in half, giving the crowd a reason to explode. The reaction shook the media table and kept the crowd engaged through the rest of the game. Jones Jr.’s shot may not have decided the game, but it gave the Nittany Lions the momentum they needed to climb back in and secure the victory.
Stat of the game
22 fast-break points for Penn State: Penn State struggled to get its offense going at times, but fortunately for the Nittany Lions, Brockington and junior guard Jamari Weeler were able to save the day in transition. The guard fueled the Penn State fast break and gave the team easy scoring opportunities. Iowa played mostly zone defense in the game and made life difficult for Penn State in its half-court offense. Brockington and Wheeler frequently pushed the pace after made buckets by Iowa, allowing the Nittany Lions to get some easy points.
Quotables
Penn State senior forward Lamar Stevens on Luka Garza:
“I don’t give anybody credit (for how good they are). But he’s good. ... He’s impressive. I thought he was good in high school. I played against him in high school. His game has definitely continued to grow. He definitely impressed me today.”
Iowa head coach Fran McCaffrey on Penn State’s depth:
“They have more guys that can score the ball. (They have) different pieces that can bring something more to the table. They’ve got a lot of different guys who can get 20 (points) ... They’ve always played really hard. They’ve always competed defensively. Maybe (they’re) a little deeper now. They can go small and put pressure on the ball and put pressure on the cuts and put pressure on the screening action. Pat’s teams have always had that.”
Up next
Rutgers: Penn State travels to Piscataway Tuesday night for its fourth Big Ten game of the season. The Nittany Lions are currently projected to lose the matchup, according to KenPom. The site projects Penn State to have a 46% chance at victory. The Nittany Lions are 0-1 on the road in the Big Ten with their lone loss coming to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Iowa will head to Lincoln for a Big Ten road game next week. The Hawkeyes will take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers and are projected to win 84-74, according to KenPom.
This story was originally published January 4, 2020 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Penn State men’s basketball win second ranked game of the season, defeating Iowa 89-86."
