Penn State Gave One Away. The Schedule Won't Allow That Now
Before the season, and through its 2-0 start, the Penn State men's basketball team said it was playing for each other during an unpredictable 2020-21 season with an interim coach.
The Lions did that for 2.5 games until the second half Sunday night against Seton Hall. And when things unraveled, in a 98-92 overtime loss, they went quickly.
The fizzling came at a tough time, too, because Penn State's schedule ascends appreciably from here. The Lions are scheduled to play their first road game Tuesday, at No. 16 Virginia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, before beginning conference play Dec. 13 at Michigan.
After that, the team's next four games are against Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio State, all ranked or on the verge. As a result, interim coach Jim Ferry knew the team let a win slip away at the Bryce Jordan Center, especially considering it led by eight points with 1:58 remaining.
"We played unselfishly early and then played selfishly and stopped defending," Ferry said. "That's a game you have to win. We should have won that game in regulation."
Penn State tested its theme this season, of scoring against and defending teams with size, well in the first half against Seton Hall. The Lions led by 19 at one point, by 11 at halftime, and were disciplined on both ends. Of course, Seton Hall helped by shooting 1-for-12 from 3-point range.
When the Pirates found their shot, Penn State lost its discipline. Seton Hall went 5-for-9 from 3-point range in the second half, coupling that with its inside dominance. The Pirates scored 54 points in the paint, something that is going to follow Penn State this season.
But Ferry also saw his team turn over the ball 15 times (its goal is 10), take impatient shots and lane drives and forego the extra pass. That discipline helped free Myles Dread for the game-winning 3-pointer last week against Virginia Commonwealth. Giving it away against Seton Hall frustrated the Lions.
"You can see how dynamic we can be as a team when we play the right way," Ferry said. "And then when we don't, you can see what happens as well."
Penn State will continue running its offense through shooters Seth Lundy (22.3 ppg) and newcomer Sam Sessoms, who has been a bench spark after transferring from Binghamton. But the Lions are running nearly half their offense from 3-point range and need more inside presence.
Against Seton Hall in the second half, Ferry tried several differing lineups (including a guard package to get quicker), but the packages fizzled. The coach knows that will be an issue as the Big Ten season approaches.
"We knew [Seton Hall's size] was going to be a challenge," Ferry said. "They're like the third-biggest team in the country, and we're obviously not. And that's something we need to work and prepare for as we enter the Big Ten."
Before that, Virginia Tech (4-0) is another team built to frustrate Penn State. The Hokies are coming off an overtime win over No. 3 Villanova, in which 6-9 forward Keve Aluma had 23 points and eight rebounds.
And Penn State begins a grueling stretch of the schedule Tuesday with this memory.
"We've got to be able to put games away," Ferry said, "especially when you're up eight with two minutes to go."
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