Here’s 3 takeaways from Penn State men’s basketball’s 72-69 win over VCU
Penn State men’s basketball got its second win of the season in dramatic fashion Wednesday night when a buzzer-beater by Myles Dread gave the Nittany Lions the 72-69 victory over VCU at the Bryce Jordan Center.
1. Seth Lundy has taken a step forward
The Nittany Lions needed someone to step up after Lamar Stevens’ departure for the NBA. The former Penn State forward was the team’s leading scorer and its go-to option on offense, along with being one of the best players in the Big Ten. But on Wednesday evening, sophomore wing Seth Lundy proved he can pick up some of that slack with his career-high 32-point performance against the Rams. Lundy has made strides on offense through two games and is showing skills he didn’t put on display last season.
The sophomore is taking a high volume of shots and hitting plenty of them. He can attack the rim in transition, beat defenders off the dribble from the wing and hoist up jumpers while making them at an efficient rate. His expanded offensive game has been important through two games and should only continue to grow while he gains comfort with the ball in his hands.
Not to mention, Lundy’s defensive versatility and rebounding will be important to a Penn State team that lacks size.
2. The offense will be by-committee
Lundy’s step forward is important for Penn State, but he’s still unlikely to be the team’s leading scorer from game to game. Instead, this is a Penn State team with several players who can lead it in scoring every time it takes the court. Lundy has already done it and so has senior guard Jamari Wheeler. Junior Izaiah Brockington is an explosive athlete and can fill it up when he’s on. Junior Myreon Jones is the team’s best shooter and can light any team up from beyond the arc. Junior Sam Sessoms averaged 19.4 points per game last year at Binghamton before transferring to Penn State.
That doesn’t even include junior Myles Dread, who can get hot from deep and lead the team. The Nittany Lions’ success could be dictated by just how consistent their top scorers can be from night to night. If they can have one or two of those players step forward as consistent producers, they’ll have a chance to stop make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011.
3. Sam Sessoms is the team’s best isolation scorer
Penn State has a good starting lineup but Sessoms — off the bench — has been as important as any starter in the team’s success through two games. He’s a good scorer who can score in isolation against most guards. He doesn’t have elite size or athleticism but he has good feel for the game and can use his strength to attack the rim. Once he gets there, he uses the glass extremely well and is a crafty scorer. He isn’t the best passer as a guard, but he’s better than anyone else on the team at getting a bucket when the shot clock is winding down or when the defense tightens up.
His scoring isn’t likely to be overly efficient this season, but his ability and willingness to take difficult shots at difficult times could prove extremely valuable for the Nittany Lions the rest of the season.
This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 7:31 PM.
