How to watch Penn State basketball vs. Michigan State: Live stream, players to watch & key matchups
Penn State men’s basketball will try earn a second straight win when it takes on the Michigan State Spartans Tuesday night. The Nittany Lions are heading on the road to take on the Spartans after taking down the Maryland Terrapins at the Bryce Jordan Center Friday to get to 7-8 overall and 4-7 in the Big Ten.
Here’s everything you need to know about the road game against the Spartans.
Player to watch
John Harrar: Penn State went into this season with a void in post presences, and for a month it seemed like that would be the case all season. While Harrar is still not a bastion of perfect defense in the low post, he has been a dominant presence in other facets of the game where the Nittany Lions could be lost without him. The senior center is nothing short of dominant as a rebounder on both ends of the floor. He’s averaging 8.4 rebounds per game with 3.7 of them coming on offense.
His ability to earn his team extra possessions on one end and close out possessions on the other has been invaluable this season. Not only is he hauling in those rebounds himself, he’s also boxing out defenders and taking up enough of the opponent’s attention to free his teammates up for rebounds that he can’t get to. His ability to crash the glass will come in handy once again against the Spartans.
Key matchup
Izaiah Brockington vs. Aaron Henry: Tuesday’s matchup will feature two wings who should see quite a bit of each other. Brockington and Henry are each averaging at least 14 points per game and both have the ability to bother the other on defense. Henry has proven to be a defensive stalwart in his time with the Spartans, shutting down opposing guards and wings with his length, physicality and athleticism. He can body up an opponent who attacks him aggressively just as well as he can use his feet to stay in front of defenders who try to beat him with quickness.
Brockington will present more of an athletic matchup for Henry and will try to beat him off the bounce to get to the rim or create space to get his shots off. The Nittany Lion wing will have to use his quickness to pester the Spartan wing on defense and prevent him from getting downhill and attacking the rim Tuesday night.
How to watch
Who: Penn State Nittany Lions (7-8) at Michigan State Spartans (9-7)
When: 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 9 | Where: Breslin Center
TV: ESPN2
Live stream: ESPN+
Online radio stream: GoPSUSports (university-run)
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