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Looking to start the week fresh after a rough home loss, the Wisconsin Badgers take on the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sunday evening out in State College, Pa.
Wisconsin (10-4, 2-1 Big Ten) hopes to record its third road victory of the 2018-19 season. This after a home loss to Minnesota on Thursday where the team dug itself into a hole by scoring only 14 points in the first half en route to a 59-52 loss.
For Penn State (7-7, 0-3), it will be without head coach Pat Chambers, who was suspended one game for pushing freshman guard Myles Dread in a loss to No. 2 Michigan on Thursday night. Associate head coach Keith Urgo will take over duties for Sunday night’s match-up.
Based on the KenPom statistics below, the Nittany Lions look to be solid defensively, yet the numbers also show a struggling squad on the offensive end.
Sunday Funday in State College
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) January 6, 2019
Gameday! Let's get it tonight.#OnWisconsin // #Badgers pic.twitter.com/OftmvGsVPI
Here are some key stats and players to watch from the Nittany Lions.
Penn State team stats
- Points per game: 69.3
- Opponents’ points per game: 66.4
- Field goal percentage: 41.7
- Opponent field goal percentage: 44.3
- Three-point percentage: 32.1
- Free throw percentage: 67.7
- Turnovers per game: 13.2
- NCAA NET ranking: 72
Key KenPom.com stats
- Team rank: 49
- Adjusted offensive efficiency: 105.7 (128th in the nation)
- Adjusted defensive efficiency: 92.6 (14th in the nation)
- Offensive effective field goal percentage: 47.8 (267th in nation)
- Defensive effective field goal percentage: 49.8 (146th in nation)
- Defensive turnover percentage: 21.1 (79th in nation)
- Offensive rebound percentage: 31.5 (86th in the nation)
- Defensive rebound percentage: 24.8 (45th in the nation)
- Offensive free throws attempted/Field goals attempted: 30.5 (256th in the nation)
- Three-point percentage: 32.1 (249th in nation)
- Free-throw percentage: 67.7 (249th in nation)
- Defensive steal percentage: 11.9 (26th in nation)
- Best win: 63-62 win vs. Virginia Tech (No. 8 currently in KenPom)
- Worst loss: 59-56 loss vs. Bradley (No. 188 currently in KenPom)
Wisconsin ✈️➡️ Pennsylvania
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) January 6, 2019
Back on the road again
Let's get back on track#OnWisconsin // #Badgers pic.twitter.com/91XXHjvRrW
Potential Nittany Lions starters
- Junior forward Lamar Stevens: 18.7 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game; six double-doubles this season
- Sophomore forward: John Harrar: 3.7 points per game, 4.4 rebounds per game
- Sophomore forward Trent Buttrick: 2.8 points per game, 1.5 rebounds per game
- Freshman guard Rasir Bolton: 13.6 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game
- Senior guard Josh Reaves: 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds per game
Note: In 14 regular-season games, Penn State has used six different starting lineups.