NIT: Penn State faces off with Utah in championship game
By Dylan Burd
The Penn State Nittany Lions will take on the Utah Utes Thursday Night in the NIT Championship at Madison Square Garden.
After a roller coaster ride of a season, Penn State Basketball will end its season in the NIT Championship vs. the Utah Utes. Both teams are red-hot coming into this game, so let’s dive into a preview of what should be a fun and exciting game at the World’s Most Famous Arena.
Matchup: 4) Penn State Nittany Lions (25-13) vs. 2) Utah Utes (23-11)
Time: 7:00 pm ET
TV: ESPN
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Road to the NIT Championship For Penn State:
Win vs. 5) Temple 63-57
Win at 1) Notre Dame 73-63
Win at 2) Marquette 85-80
Win vs. 4) Mississippi State 75-60 (at MSG)
Road to the NIT Championship for Utah:
Win vs. 7) UC Davis 69-59
Win vs. 3) LSU 95-71
Win at 1) St. Mary’s 67-58 (OT)
Win vs. 4) Western Kentucky 69-64 (at MSG)
The Penn State Nittany Lions are playing the best they have all season right now, and that is without their starting center, Mike Watkins. Watkins averaged12.1 points per game this season and 8.9 rebounds per game this season, while shooting 68.5% from the field.
While teams like Purdue and Nebraska took advantage of Watkins being out at the end of the regular season, the script has been different in the NIT. Backup centers John Harrar and Julian Moore have filled the void nicely, as Harrar is averaging 3.0 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game while Moore is averaging 5.3 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game in the NIT.
Utah isn’t a team with size, as they rank 263rd in the nation in rebounding. The Utes’ leading rebounder is senior F, Tyler Rawson, who is averaging 6.9 rebounds per game. This is certainly a positive for Penn State, as they can rely on their guards, Tony Carr and Shep Garner, to control the game.
Carr has done what he has all year in the NIT, as the Big Ten’s leading scorer is averaging 23.3 points per game over his last 3 games.
It should be exciting to watch Carr go head-to-head against the Utes senior guard and best player, Justin Bibbins, who comes in scoring 14.8 points per game and 4.7 assists per game.
However, all eyes are on Shep Garner, as tomorrow will be his last game as a Nittany Lion. Garner, one of Penn State Basketball’s all-time greats, has certainly been playing like these games are his last.
In the win over Mississippi State on Tuesday, Garner broke the school record for most career three pointers, with 333. Shep is shooting 51% from downtown in the NIT, and averaging 15 points per game.
Josh Reaves and Lamar Stevens have also played an integral part in this NIT run for Penn State, as Stevens put up 30 points in the win vs. Marquette, while Reaves poured in 19 to go along with 11 rebounds in the win vs. Temple.
Two of Utah’s glue guys are senior, David Collette, and junior, Sedrick Barefield, who average 12.5 points per game and 11.7 points per game respectively.
Prediction
The Nittany Lions are playing with the most confidence I’ve seen them play with, and it’s Shep Garner’s final game. After demolishing Mississippi State on Tuesday, it’s hard to believe they slow down at this point. Shep will leave the program as not only a pioneer, but also a champion.
Penn State 78, Utah 65