Wednesday night at the Bryce Jordan Center proved to be a great test for Penn State against Purdue Fort Wayne. In their toughest matchup yet, it was a struggle out of the gate for the Nittany Lions.
They began the game shooting 1/9 from three and only forced a handful of turnovers. The only source of offense in the first half for the Nittany Lions came at the free throw line, and it seemed like nothing was going Penn State’s way early on. However, a spark by the Nittany Lions’s best player turned the tide.
Penn State started the second half down 47-41, yet Ace Baldwin was not going to let his team trail any longer. Baldwin nailed three consecutive shots from behind the arc, including an and-one on the last one. Suddenly the Nittany Lions were up 51-47, and they did not look back from there.
A 61-point second half put Penn State over the century mark for the third time in the first five games of the season.
Baldwin finished the game with 25 points on just nine field goal attempts. He also tacked on 11 assists, seven rebounds, and two steals. Zach Hicks tallied 17 points and five threes on the night, leading the second-half surge with Baldwin.
Hicks stated after the game that Yanic Konan Niederhauser is why this team feels different this year. He is a difference maker, scoring 16 points, 10 rebounds (8 offensive), and five blocks in 25 minutes. A nice bounce-back game for Niederhauser, who was kept quiet against Virginia Tech.
Nick Kern did it all for the Nittany Lions tonight, stuffing the stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Penn State will need Kern to stay aggressive throughout the season, and his ability to attack the rim and grab rebounds will be crucial for team success in conference play.
Freshmen Jahvin Carter and Dominick Stewart both entered the game briefly, but did not ultimately clock significant minutes. This might be a sign for things to come, as Mike Rhoades spearheaded an eight-man rotation in a competitive game.
Following the game, Rhoades urged the fans to show up and be loud this season.
"I'm challenging all of you.. Get out of you seat, get on your seat, and sweat with us."
— Onward Sports (@OnwardStSports) November 21, 2024
Rhoades's message to Penn State men's hoops fans.
"I want to build this program with all of you guys."
Miles Goodman is “getting closer” per Rhoades, as he is still recovering from his preseason injury, and Eli Rice was not active for tonight’s game. It is unclear if they will be cleared for Penn State’s next game in the Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, Florida against Fordham on Monday.