How to watch Penn State basketball vs. Illinois: Live stream, players to watch & key matchups
Penn State men’s basketball will try to bounce back from last week’s loss to No. 19 Michigan when the Nittany Lions play No. 18 Illinois Wednesday evening.
Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup with the Illini.
Player to watch
Jamari Wheeler: Wheeler will have his hands full Wednesday night and will need to be at the top of his game as a defender. The senior guard will likely be tasked with taking on Illinois lead guard Ayo Dosunmu. Dosunmu is one of the best players in the Big Ten and the best player on the Illini. Wheeler is the most likely guard to take him on and will need to slow his dribble penetration and create pressure at the point of attack.
The senior guard will need to prevent Dosunmu from getting to the rim, while contesting his 3-point attempts. That’s a difficult task against any scoring guard, but an even tougher one when the player is as good as Dosunmu. Wheeler doesn’t need to expend much energy on offense in this one — although production there would be a welcome sight — but will need to play with unending energy on the defensive end.
Key matchup
Kofi Cockburn vs. John Harrar: Harrar has been a part of the key matchup for four games in a row now, and for good reason. The Nittany Lions continue to face better big men with each passing game, and Cockburn will take the mantle as the best big man they’ve faced once Wednesday night’s game concludes.
The sophomore center is a skilled brute in the paint who can finish with touch or power through a defender. That matchup suits Harrar better than a more perimeter-oriented big man, but once again foul trouble could cause major issues for Penn State. Harrar has to defend Cockburn well, while doing what he can to stay in the game. He’s the only player on Penn State’s roster who can deal with the type of strength Illinois’ big man possesses and needs to be on the court to prevent him from dominating the interior.
Quotable
Penn State interim head coach Jim Ferry on Cockburn:
“He’s really unique. As I’ve been watching the film over the couple of days, I’m a little bit older than the rest of my staff here, but (Shaquille O’Neal) came to mind. And I’m not talking about the NBA Shaq. I watched Shaq a lot when he was in college. He’s such a physical presence. He’s improved dramatically from last year.”
How to watch
Who: Illinois Fighting Illini (5-3) at Penn State Nittany Lions (3-2)
When: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 23 | Where: Bryce Jordan Center
TV: Big Ten Network
Live stream: FoxSportsGo
Online radio stream: GoPSUSports (university-run)
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