Penn State rebounded from its road loss to Wisconsin with an important home victory Saturday afternoon in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers 76-65 in the Bryce Jordan Center.
Here are five takeaways from Saturday’s game.
Quick offensive start
The first few minutes of the contest could not have started better for Penn State. Right from the jump, senior guard Andrew Funk drilled a 3-pointer he was fouled on and converted a four-point play to spur a 10-0 run for the Nittany Lions to start the game.
They were moving the ball well offensively, creating opportunities around the perimeter as Funk hit another three shortly after forward Seth Lundy hit one of his own.
The start allowed the team to get an early lead that was ultimately the difference in the game. And while the team’s white-hot start did not sustain throughout, it did put the Nittany Lions in position to succeed early on.
Penn State’s Andrew Funk shoots for three over Nebraska’s Jamarques Lawrence during the game on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com
Funk stays hot
Those initial seven points for Funk on the two made 3-pointers and made free throw were the start of one of his best games of the season. He kept it rolling from there, finishing with 23 points and made five shots from beyond the arc in the game on 10 attempts. His ability to play off the ball opens up the Penn State offense, and he was able to run more freely after the referees called a foul on Nebraska when he was coming around a screen.
He said after the game that it allowed him to dictate more of what happened on the offensive end of the court. That, and his scorching start let him know he was in for a big game.
Penn State’s Jalen Pickett shoots for three over Nebraska’s Derrick Walker during the game on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com
Pickett turnover issues
The Penn State win came despite star guard Jalen Pickett struggling with turnovers. He set a career high with seven turnovers in the game, two of which came on offensive fouls. That’s extremely uncharacteristic for a player who rarely turns the ball over in large part because of his presence as a steadying force as the team’s primary ball handler.
It was important that Pickett, despite those struggles, was still able to find ways to contribute. He crashed the glass for 13 rebounds and scored 12 points on only eight field-goal attempts in the contest. It’s a positive sign that the team overcame its best player struggling with turnovers, but still noteworthy that it happened in the first place.
Penn State’s Seth Lundy shoots for three over Nebraska defenders during the game on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com
Lundy rebounds from off night
Penn State’s loss to Wisconsin came with a few poor performances by some of the team’s best players. Lundy was the most notable among the group after he rarely played in part because of foul trouble and in part because he struggled to find and make shots. That was not the case Saturday as he bounced back from those struggles to score 16 points and more importantly, make three of his seven 3-point attempts.
Lundy is one of the most important floor spaces on the team thanks to his high release and ability to shoot over even the best defenders. He’s going to be vital to the Nittany Lions’ NCAA Tournament chances, and Saturday showed he’s capable of righting the ship after things don’t go well.
A Nebraska defender can’t stop Penn State’s Kanye Clary as he goes in for a basket during the game on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com
Clary sets minutes high
Last game it was freshman wing Evan Mahaffey who set a career high in minutes, and this game it was freshman guard Kanye Clary’s turn. With Pickett struggling with turnovers and the team in need of some scoring punch when attacking the rim, head coach Micah Shrewsberry turned to Clary to control the ball more. That resulted in a career-high 19 minutes and six points in that time, with all three of his made field goals coming from within the arc.
He was able to penetrate the Nebraska defense that packed the paint when the ball handler entered it and found shots at the rim thanks to his speed. Clary may not be an every-night contributor, but in matchups like this one his speed and finishing can be a valuable asset for Penn State.
Coaches vs Cancer Penn State celebrates donating over $3.6 million dollars since 1995 to the American Cancer Society during the Coaches vs Cancer game between Penn State and Nebraska on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com
Jon Sauber covers Penn State football and men’s basketball for the Centre Daily Times. He earned his B.A. in digital and print journalism from Penn State and his M.A. in sports journalism from IUPUI. His previous stops include jobs at The Indianapolis Star, the NCAA, and Rivals.
