Here’s what you should know about Penn State men’s basketball’s nonconference schedule
Penn State men’s basketball is two games into its 2019-2020 season, and its non-conference schedule is about to heat up. The Nittany Lions, who are ranked No. 43 in the country according to Ken Pomeroy’s rankings of every Division 1 basketball team, will take on the Georgetown Hoyas Thursday night in Washington, D.C. at 6:30 p.m. in one of the team’s most difficult matchups of the nonconference slate.
Let’s take a look at the Nittany Lions’ five most difficult games outside of Big Ten play.
5. Bucknell Bison, Nov. 19
This spot was a toss-up between Bucknell and Yale, but we’ll go with the Bison because that game will come on the heels of Penn State’s road contest against Georgetown. The Bison are ranked at No. 141 in Ken Pomeroy’s rankings. They feature forward Bruce Moore, who does most of his damage around the rim. He’s scored 31 points through the team’s first two games and provides an interesting matchup for Penn State forward Lamar Stevens. Moore will be a nice test for Stevens as he prepares for his final year of conference play. Penn State should defeat the Bison with ease, especially because the game is at the Bryce Jordan Center. KenPom projects the Nittany Lions as having a 90% chance at victory.
4. Wake Forest Deamon Deacons, Dec. 4
The Demon Deacons are one of four non-conference opponents ranked in KenPom’s top 100, coming in at No. 91. They’re Penn State’s opponent in this year’s Big Ten-ACC Challenge and will be the lowest-caliber Power 6 conference opponent the Nittany Lions face. They’re led by guard Brandon Childress, who has started the season off cold. He’s shooting 28.6% from 3-point range after making 36.8% of his looks from beyond the arc last season on 6.5 attempts per game. Childress can put pressure on a defense and will test Penn State guard Jamari Wheeler. Wheeler is one of the best guard defenders in the Big Ten, leading the conference in steals with an average of 3.5 per game, and will need matchups like this to ready himself for conference play. This should be another win for the NIttany Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center, with KenPom giving them an 80% chance at victory.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide, Dec. 14
The Crimson Tide are also ranked in the KenPom top 100, but come in ahead of Wake Forest at No. 73. They’re going through a transition as new head coach Nate Oats enters his first season at the helm of the program. Oats comes in after going 96-43 as the head coach of the Buffalo Bulls with three NCAA Tournament appearances in four seasons. Guard Kira Lewis is the focal point of the Crimson Tide and was Oats’ biggest recruiting win of the offseason. He entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal but chose to stay after Oats was hired. Lewis is one of the most talented players Penn State will face this season as a three-level scorer. This game will also be at the Bryce Jordan Center, and KenPom projects the Nittany Lions as the winner with a 74% chance of victory.
2. Mississippi Rebels, Nov. 27
The Rebels, KenPom’s No. 53 team, are one of two teams Penn State will play in the NIT Tip-Off at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Nittany Lions will take on Ole Miss and either the Oklahoma State Cowboys or Syracuse Orange. Ole Miss is led by guard Devontae Shuler, who can put pressure on a defense with his shooting ability. He shot 40.2% from beyond the arc last season and will force Penn State to extend its defense out well beyond the arc. Even with Shuler, Penn State will be in for a battle in its first round matchup of the NIT Tip-Off, with KenPom projecting a 54% chance of winning for the Nittany Lions. Win or lose, the Cowboys and Orange will present another difficult matchup. Until those matchups are determined, there isn’t much use in projecting how the second game of the tournament will play out.
1. Georgetown Hoyas, Nov. 14
The most difficult matchup for the Nittany Lions in nonconference play is their next one. The Hoyas are the No. 63 team in the country, according to KenPom, and are Penn State’s only true road game outside of the Big Ten. They feature center Omar Yurtseven, who will be one of the biggest, and best, post players the Nittany Lions will take on. Thursday night’s game will be a major test for Penn State center Mike Watkins. Watkins is a major key to the Nittany Lions’ rim protection and will have to stay out of foul trouble to help his team to a win. This game represents the only projected loss of non-conference play, according to KenPom, with the Nittany Lions having a 46% chance of earning a victory.
