Penn State Basketball: Nittany Lions look to close out regular season with win at Nebraska

Can Penn State basketball end the regular season with a victory?

Just a week ago things were looking very bright for Penn State’s chances at earning a bid in the NCAA Tournament. They had won four straight games and were coming off a win over No. 8 Ohio State. However, back-to-back losses to No. 6 Purdue and No. 17 Michigan have made Sunday’s contest in Nebraska a must-win.

Unfortunately for Penn State, starting forward Mike Watkins will not be available against the Cornhuskers. Watkins, who averages 12 points and nine rebounds a game, injured his knee in the first half of Wednesday’s loss to Michigan and has already been ruled out for Sunday.

The combination of Julian Moore and John Harrar picked up most of the minutes when Watkins went out against the Wolverines, and that will likely be the case Sunday night in Lincoln.

The absence of Watkins will put more pressure on Penn State’s backcourt. The guard trio of Tony Carr, Shep Garner and Josh Reaves will have to come up with big performances. Carr is coming off a 21-point performance against the Wolverines, while Reaves pitched in just eight points but added seven rebounds.

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Forward Lamar Stevens will be a big key with Watkins gone. He’s the second leading rebounder on the team (6.2 rpg) and is also second in points with 15.3 a game.

Nebraska enters the final game of the regular season on a hot streak ahead of the final game of the regular season. The Cornhuskers have won seven of the last eight games and currently sit in fifth place in the Big Ten — one ahead of Penn State.

Junior guard James Palmer Jr. is Nebraska’s leading scorer this year with 17.6 points a game. The Nittany Lions will need to find a way to stop Isaac Copeland down low. Copeland is averaging 13 points and six rebounds a game.

Penn State still has an outside shot at earning a berth in the Big Dance, but will need a good showing in next week’s Big Ten Conference tournament. However, before the postseason begins, a win against Nebraska is absolutely necessary.

Tip-off in Lincoln is set for 5:15 p.m. ET and will air live on the Big Ten Network.