Penn State Returns Home for a Pivotal Basketball Weekend
Penn State returns to Bryce Jordan Center this weekend for a two-game home series that will determine its postseason chances.
The Nittany Lions (11-13) host Northwestern on Friday and Nebraska on Sunday in a pair of must-win games if they hope to play in the NIT Tournament. Penn State's NIT plans took a hit Monday night at Maryland, where the team fell 67-61 with a chance to even its record at .500 with four regular-season games remaining.
Now, Penn State likely must find a way to finish the regular season 3-1, with games at Illinois and Rutgers looming, or make a run in the Big Ten tournament. Getting to the postseason would be a significant reward for those who returned, specifically John Harrar and Seth Lundy, and an important tone-setter for head coach Micah Shrewsberry.
Penn State (11-13, 6-10) vs. Northwestern (13-13, 6-11)
- When: 7 p.m. Friday
- Where: Bryce Jordan Center
- TV: FS1
- Radio: Penn State Sports Network
- Series History: Penn State leads 34-20
- Last Meeting: Penn State 74-70 on Jan. 5
About the Lions: These two weekend home games are vital for Penn State, considering how much the team has struggled on the road this season. Shrewsberry acknowledges how difficult Big Ten road games are to win, but the Lions have done that just once (at Northwestern) this season. Penn State has lost six straight conference road games, including Monday's at Maryland, and will finish the regular season with trips to Illinois and Rutgers. Illinois is a Big Ten tournament-title contender, and Rutgers is pointed toward an NCAA tournament bid. Winning one of those would be an enormous bonus; otherwise, Penn State needs wins over Northwestern and Nebraska if it wants to claim an NIT-worthy resume. Good news, though. The Lions already have beaten the Wildcats (in Evanston) and will host them on Senior Night at the Bryce Jordan Center. Should be a good crowd. Meanwhile, Nebraska is last in the Big Ten standings (1-15) and 188th in the NCAA.net rankings. If the Lions put together two strong performances this weekend, maybe they can accumulate some momentum for the regular season's final week.
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