Game Preview: Men’s Basketball vs. Alabama
Host Dale Ostrander and analysts Ben Geller and Ben Serfass recap the win over Maryland, talk about a possible Penn State Top 25 ranking and look ahead to the matchup with Alabama:
After defeating the fourth-ranked team in the nation in Maryland, the Nittany Lions are trending upwards. After a 76-69 victory over the Terrapins, Penn State is knocking on the door to be ranked inside the AP’s top 25 teams. They will look to stay unbeaten at home as they will welcome Alabama to the Bryce Jordan Center.
Down Goes No. 4
Penn State took on the fourth ranked Maryland Terrapins on their home court. They did not disappoint, as their loyal fans in attendance witnessed the Nittany Lions defeat one of the top teams in the nation.
The crowd definitely played a factor in the team’s win. Tuesday night saw the Bryce Jordan Center hold its largest crowd of the season to date.
The thousands who were in attendance were entertained from the very beginning. The night began with an alley oop from Jamari Wheeler to Mike Watkins and finished with the Penn State students storming the court.
Big men Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins lead the way as they each finished the night with double doubles. Both players also chipped in with 15 points respectively in the winning effort.
Moving Up the Leaderboard
Senior forward Lamar Stevens converted on a long range jump shot for what was his 1,813th point of his Penn State career.
Stevens now sits at fourth on Penn State’s all-time scoring list. He trails only Talor Battle (2,213 points), Jesse Arnelle (2,138 points), and Joe Crispin (1,986 points).
The former four star recruit hails from the City of Brotherly Love where he played at Roman Catholic high school. He is one of only three Penn State players to start the first game of their freshman season.
Following the conclusion of the 2018-2019 campaign, Stevens considered leaving Happy Valley to enter the NBA Draft. He ultimately decided to return to Penn State for his final season of college of eligibility with hopes of reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2019.
Building Momentum?
Despite being a .500 team at this point in the season, the Crimson Tide have won back to back games for only the first time all season. They defeated Southern Mississippi and Stephen F. Austin respectively.
Alabama is led by head coach Nate Oats. Oats is in the midst of his first year at Alabama. Sophomore guard Kira Lewis Jr. is the focal point on offense, leading the team in points scored and averaging more than 18 points per game.
Final Analysis
Head coach Pat Chambers had high expectations for his team entering this season. His squad has certainly lived up to the billing and has possibly surpassed those expectations.
Penn State will enter play with a record of 8-2 and 6-0 at home. The Crimson Tide have struggled to contain their opponents from an offensive standpoint at times this season. That may be the case once again against Penn State. Expect a high scoring contest with both teams focusing heavily on their offensive gameplans.
Prediction: Penn State 85, Alabama 78
Ben Serfass is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email bxs1001@psu.edu.
