While both Penn State and Boston University got off to a bit of a sleepy start, it was only a matter of time before the Nittany Lions imposed their will on the Terriers.
It was a first-half offensive onslaught
for Penn State as nine players scored and six scored multiple times. It was Josh Reed, however, who led the way with 11 points at the halftime buzzer. Penn State shot 68% from the field and 55% from three-point range in the first 20 minutes, amassing 51 points.
Freshman phenom Kayden Mingo was relatively quiet in the opening minutes, going two-for-four from the field in his 14 first-half minutes but adding three assists. The Nittany Lions stuck to their brand of playing clean basketball and turned the ball over just once in the first half — ultimately outscoring the Terriers 51-35.
Penn State kept its foot on the gas to begin the second frame and quickly took a 61-40 lead at the U16 timeout. Mingo got on the board from deep and scored five points in the opening minutes of the second half.
While the Nittany Lions continued to expose the BU defense, they took a brief break from playing defense themselves. A flurry of Terrier threes helped orchestrate a run, and they shrunk the lead to 10 at the 12-minute mark, prompting a Mike Rhoades timeout. BU was making essentially two-thirds of every shot it took at this point in the matchup, largely thanks to Michael McNair’s lights-out shooting.
McNair and the rest of the Terriers continued to exploit Penn State’s defense, especially from behind the three-point line, but they could not hold up their end of the bargain on defense. McNair finished with 28 points, and BU shot 61% from the field in the second half. While the Nittany Lions cooled off down the stretch, they continued to get to the free-throw line and more than tripled the Terriers’ attempts from there.
It was too little too late for BU and its offensive surge. The Terriers were simply outpaced by Penn State in the end, and the Nittany Lions improved to 6-1 with a 96-87 victory.
Player of the Game
Josh Reed- 17 points, 8 rebounds, +16 in 26 minutes, 6-for-6 FT
The Cincinnati transfer was the best player on the court for Penn State tonight, missing just one shot all evening and crashing the boards on defense. Mike Rhoades will no longer have to fire himself after Reed made all his free throws.
Random Observations
- Bad BJC Vibes- Combine the general lack of excitement about Penn State men’s basketball and a Thanksgiving week non-conference game, and you’re going to get a terrible atmosphere. The Nittany Lions’ student section was nonexistent, and the crowd was far from a factor. You could hear the coaches on the broadcast.
- A free-throw mismatch- Penn State was only able to fend off BU’s insane second-half shooting stretch because of how often it got to the free-throw line. The Nittany Lions shot 40 free throws (70% clip) to just 13 on the Terriers’ end. Six BU players had four or more fouls. Penn State seemed to simply outmatch its opponent in size and skill, leading to an influx of fouls and negating the opposing hot hands.
What’s Next
Penn State will host Sacred Heart on Saturday, November 29, as the penultimate game in its nonconference schedule. The matchup will tip at 6 p.m. and be broadcast on NBCSN/Peacock.
