Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1492675
M A R C H 2 0 2 3 6 1 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Three Stars 1. Seth Lundy | G/F | Sr. Lundy has battled on both ends of the floor this season, becoming the com- plete package as a senior for the Nittany Lions with the best scoring (14.6 points per game), rebounding (6.2 boards per game), and efficiency of his career, while drastically cutting down on his turnovers in the process. 2. Jalen Pickett | G | Sr.+ Pickett has been a model of consistency for Penn State this season, ripping off a stretch of 20 consecutive games (as of Feb. 11) in which he scored in double figures. 3. Kebba Njie | F | Fr. Njie has been thrown into the fire this season against a slate of Big Ten rivals loaded with experienced, dominating big men. His struggles have reflected that reality. It hasn't prevented him from battling, though, an approach that coach Micah Shrewsberry has praised. Key Moment After Penn State dropped back-to-back games at Purdue and, somewhat sur- prisingly, at Nebraska, a date with Wisconsin back at the Bryce Jordan Center on Feb. 8 became a must-win game. The Nittany Lions struggled defensively, but Lundy's tying three-pointer in the final minute of regulation was the shot they needed to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. It was a crowning moment for Lundy, who has steadily progressed through- out his career into an outstanding player. The shot propelled Penn State into an overtime period, with a chance to finally put the Badgers to bed. Connor Essegian had other plans, though. Wisconsin's baby-faced freshman guard sent home a 28-foot three-pointer to put his side up 72-68. The Lions weren't able to battle back from that deficit. They eventually fell 79-74 and went into their final six games needing to win nearly all of them to have a shot at the NCAA Tournament. Best Highlight With Penn State nursing a 31-30 advantage against Michigan on Jan. 29, transfer forward Michael Henn sparked an 18-0 run. He sent home a three- pointer to give the Lions a 34-30 lead, the first of five consecutive makes from three-point range. PSU's hot streak included a wild shot by Lundy that Michigan coach Juwan Howard later cited as an instance of divine intervention. The senior forward's attempt at the 3:25 mark hit back iron, bounced high above the backboard, fell to the front of the rim and careened backward just far enough to fall through the net. Howard said he sensed in that moment that his Wolverines were in trouble. "It started at the last five minutes of the first half, when that one three bounced up, and you just see the timing of that ball," Howard said. "I was like, 'Please bounce out. Let's get the rebound.' And it stayed up there for like, three and a half seconds. And then it bounced in. Prior to that, they had already made one three that bounced in. I'm like, 'Yo, is it one of those days?'" For Michigan, it was one of those days. The Nittany Lions went on to win 83-61. Bold Prediction Penn State's February swoon dealt a severe blow to the team's shot at post- season play in the near future. And if we take a longer view, the Nittany Lions' outlook is even more difficult to swallow, because it's not going to get any easier for at least the next year or two. The Lions are old this season. Maturity is a consistently winning ingredient in college basketball, but Penn State is going to have to deal with the tradeoff dur- ing the coming offseason when its top five scorers all depart. While this year's crop of true freshmen shows potential, and excitement is warranted for the incoming 2023 class, an offseason shopping spree in the transfer portal won't make the returnees any more experienced. The 2023-24 season is going to test Shrewsberry and the program in every way, because this season's missed chance could be the last reasonably good one for at least a year or two. — Nate Bauer PENN STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL SUPERLATIVES JAN. 24-FEB. 11 Senior forward Seth Lundy was second on the team in scoring at 14.6 points per game through 25 games. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE