Big takeaways from Penn State’s statement win over Purdue

Penn State opened their first conference game of the 2024-25 season with a boom, defeating No. 8 ranked Purdue 81-70. The Nittany Lions were up as much as 26 points in the contest, and made a statement to the rest of the conference and the entire country.

It was an all-around game for the Nittany Lions, as five players eclipsed double-digit points. The team did everything that head coach Mike Rhoades preaches in this game. They forced 24 Purdue turnovers and ended the game with 14 steals as a team. Penn State was relentless with their full-court press, and they forced Purdue to play at their pace.

Many are quick to call this an upset, which it might be, looking at the ranking of Purdue, but Penn State did close as a two-point favorite. This was a shock to many, and it just proves how hard it is for teams to win on the road in the Big Ten conference. The fans stormed the court, as they should, and the Bryce Jordan Center was packed with students.

What should Penn State fans take away from this game?

Penn State made Braden Smith a complete non-factor

Purdue starting point guard Braden Smith was named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, which was a shock to none. He had a terrific season in Purdue’s Final Four run last year, and is one of, if not the best playmaker in college basketball. However, tonight, he was shut down to six points by Penn State’s stout defense.

Baldwin was on Smith for most of the game, and with help from other Penn State players in the full-court press, Smith had to give up the ball while getting the ball up the court. Smith was uncomfortable throughout the game and did not have a single shot attempt in the first 12 minutes. He ended the game with six points, five assists, and only five shot attempts. Penn State shut him down, and it’s largely due to 2023-24 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Ace Baldwin Jr.

The small ball lineup flourished

A massive concern for Penn State fans before Thursday’s game was Yanic Konan-Niederhauser potentially getting in early foul trouble. He did, fouling Trey Kaufman-Renn within the first minute of the game, and picking up his third foul as the second half began. However, Rhoades made a great adjustment. He did play Kachi Nzeh in place of Niederhauser at first each time, then quickly changed to running Puff Johnson at the five.

Johnson was terrific tonight, and at the five he provided Penn State with spacing. This allowed Baldwin, Nick Kern, and Freddie Dilione V to get to the rim much easier. Johnson did a great job defending against Kaufman-Renn too, playing an impact in Kaufman-Renn’s seven turnovers. Johnson finished the game with 13 points, five rebounds and four steals. The small ball lineup with Johnson at center will be something to keep an eye on.

Nick Kern Jr. and Freddie Dilione V are two of the best role players in the conference

It is essential to name-drop these two players while discussing this game. These two players are so important to this Penn State team, as they provide the team with insane athleticism and defensive prowess. Kern and Dilione are fantastic in transition and played a key role in Penn State’s 32 points off turnovers. 

This is Kern’s fifth consecutive game in double digits for points and finished this game with 12 points, eight rebounds, and 3 steals. He attacked Kaufman-Renn and the rest of Purdue’s big men at the rim all night. Dilione needed a couple of games to find his footing, but he has been terrific for the Nittany Lions so far. He had 14 points on 6/11 shooting from the field. He’s provided Penn State with consistent quality games, and along with Kern, deserves more recognition from college basketball fans.

Other notes and statistics:

• Penn State - 49% FG, 39% 3PT, 88% FT, 14 steals, 16 turnovers
• Purdue - 51% FG, 38% 3PT, 74% FT, 9 steals, 24 turnovers
• Baldwin - 17 points, 6 assists, 12/12 FT, 29 minutes
• Hicks - 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3/6 FG, 31 minutes
• Dunn - 6 points, 3 steals, 19 minutes
• Konan-Niederhauser - 6 points, 2 rebounds, 20 minutes
• Carter - 2 points, 50% FG, 11 minutes