Stakes Will Be High When Penn State Hosts Maryland

The Lions need another win to strengthen their NCAA Tournament case. The Terps will be a tough out.

Penn State begins Sunday as a full member of the Bracketology watch club. What better place to be in March?

Penn State enters their regular-season finale against Maryland as the Last Team In, according to ESPN's Joe Lunardi, and a No. 11 seed that will play in a First Four game in Dayton.

But first, Penn State must perform some significant housekeeping. The Lions, who have won four of their last five, need to beat Maryland at home Sunday to remain atop that bubble. A loss dims the Lions to a 9-11 regular-season record, which likely means they'll need two Big Ten tournament wins to make the NCAA field.

Therefore, this game has huge implications for second-year coach Micah Shrewsberry and a team that has willed itself back into contention after a four-game losing streak in February. One of those losses was at Maryland. 

The Lions get another shot at Maryland on a huge stage.

Penn State (18-12, 9-10) vs. Maryland (20-10, 11-8)

• When: Noon ET Sunday
• Where: Bryce Jordan Center
• TV: Big Ten Network
• Streaming: FuboTV (start your free trial)
• Penn State NET Ranking: 56
• Maryland NET Ranking: 24
• Series History: Maryland leads 16-14
• Last Meeting: Maryland 74-68 on Feb. 11
• Streaks: Maryland has won two straight

About the Lions: How much is at stake on Penn State's Senior Day? Consider this. With a win, the Lions would finish with a .500 Big Ten record for just the eighth time in their 31 conference seasons. They also would record 10 Big Ten wins for just the fourth time. Further, Penn State would clinch a top-10 seed for the Big Ten Tournament, meaning it wouldn't have to play in Wednesday's first round. And with a fifth Quad 1 victory, the Lions would upgrade their resume against fellow bubble teams. So this represents the most consequential home game of Shrewsberry's Penn State career. He'll lean on not only All-America guard Jalen Pickett but also Camren Wynter. The senior guard scored 24 points, and made the game-winning overtime three, in the Lions' road win at Northwestern, continuing a superb four-game stretch. Wynter has averaged 18 points and 4.5 rebounds the past four games while shooting an outrageous 76.5 percent (13-for-17) from 3-point range. The Lions are 12-3 at home this season and 10-2 at home all-time vs. Maryland.

About the Terrapins: Though its NCAA invitation is secure, Maryland has plenty to play for regarding the Big Ten Tournament. The Terps could earn a No. 2 seed with a win and slide potentially to a No. 8 seed with a loss. The Terps, who were ranked as high as 13th in the AP Top 25 this season, have won eight of their last 11 games, though are coming off an 11-point loss at Ohio State. The Buckeyes were among the rare teams over the past two months to score 70+ against the Terps. Maryland allows just 63.2 points per game, the program's lowest average since the shot clock and 3-point shot were introduced. Three of the nation's most prolific career scorers will be on the floor at the Bryce Jordan Center. Maryland's Jahmir Young (1,899 points) will join Wynter (1,922) and Pickett (2,095).

Follow the Penn State-Maryland game live at SI.com's Nittany Lions team page.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.