Penn State Sports Magazine
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M A R C H 2 0 2 2 5 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M two when he feels he isn't getting enough respect. "I really don't get enough credit for my defense. I'ma keep proving myself," he tweeted after Penn State's win over the Scarlet Knights. Oh, and by the way, he's still Penn State's leading scorer, averaging 13.1 points per game through 22 games — up a full three points from last season. He turned in a huge performance in that upset of the Spartans, scoring 16 points as he connected on five of his 12 three-point attempts. In that game, he made a step-back jumper with a hand in his face to give the Nittany Lions the lead in the game's final moments. In Penn State's only road win of the sea- son, Lundy delivered 23 points at North- western, again connecting five times from downtown. He's becoming a complete player, and the Nittany Lions need that to continue. In many ways, they go as Seth Lundy goes. In games in which he scored 17 points or more, they were 5-1 heading into a Feb. 17 showdown against Minnesota. "I might be hurting him on the offen- sive end because he's exerting so much energy on the defensive end, but he's re- ally guarding people and he's really fight- ing," Shrewsberry said. "There are still areas where he can get better, too. He's definitely not a finished product. But he's playing at maximum effort on the defen- sive end." ■ THREE BEST PLAYERS 1. John Harrar | F | Sr. Even when Harrar isn't loading up the box score, he's still probably Penn State's most important player. He's the key to the Nittany Lions' offense, starting almost every possession by setting a ball screen. He's the anchor of their defense, too. Harrar willed the Nittany Lions to a 62-58 victory over No. 19 Michigan State on Feb. 15, posting a career-high 16 rebounds to go with 16 points. With another double-double, he helped Penn State batter Minnesota, 67-46, just two days later. Heading into a Feb. 21 visit to Mary- land, he was leading the Big Ten with 80 offensive rebounds, averaging 10.5 points and 9.7 boards per game. 2. Seth Lundy | F | Jr. Seth Lundy just continues to be an incredibly valuable defensive stopper for coach Micah Shrewsberry and the Nittany Lions. Penn State can count on Lundy to limit the opposition's best player on any given night. The best exam- ple of that came during the team's visit to Wisconsin on Feb. 5, when Lundy limited the Big Ten's third-leading scorer, Johnny Davis, to four points on 2-of- 13 shooting. He's doing all that while also contributing 13.1 points per game and shooting an efficient 36.8 percent from three-point range. 3. Jalen Pickett | G | Sr. Harrar's partner in Shrewsberry's pick-and-roll ballet, Pickett is the creative brain behind Penn State's offense. He isn't super athletic, but he is smart and crafty, and the Nittany Lions need a bit of that. He scored 20 points against the Gophers on 9-of-13 shooting in what was arguably his best game as a Nit- tany Lion. Averaging 13 points per game through 23 games, he's Penn State's leading scorer. He also dishes out four assists per contest, as well as grabbing 3.9 rebounds. KEY PLAY Penn State appeared to have let one slip away during a home game against Iowa on Jan. 31. The Nittany Lions led the Hawkeyes by two in the final mo- ments, but a missed free throw followed by Keegan Murray's spectacular tip- in at the buzzer sent the game into overtime. Iowa then grabbed a three-point lead with less than 15 seconds to play in the overtime period, meaning the Nittany Lions needed a triple. Senior guard Myles Dread delivered. He pump-faked at the top of the key, contorting his body around a defender to launch his shot and tie the score at 78-78. Penn State went on to win in double overtime, 90-86. BEST HIGHLIGHT Nursing a one-point lead at home against 19th-ranked Michigan State on Feb. 15, the Nittany Lions needed a bucket to help secure a victory. Harrar set a screen for Pickett on the perimeter and sprinted to the right block as Pick- ett drove left. Pickett delivered a perfect pass to Harrar, who missed his initial shot, but fought through two Spartans to grab the offensive rebound. Harrar rose up through contact for a three-point play that gave the Nittany Lions a four-point lead with 35 seconds to go. They went on to win, 62-58, earning their first victory against a ranked op- ponent under Shrewsberry. PREDICTION Penn State will win at least one game in the Big Ten Tournament, which is set to take place March 9-13 in Indianapolis. As of Feb. 18, the Nittany Lions were 6-9 in conference play and held a one- game lead on Northwestern for the final first-round bye in the tournament. Should that hold, Penn State would encounter a more difficult opponent to begin its Big Ten Tournament run — likely Michigan or Iowa. But tournament basketball, where the nerves are frayed and defenses tend to reign supreme, suits Penn State. And those are both teams that the Nittany Lions have competed well against this season. That's not to say Penn State will go on a run in March; it likely doesn't have that kind of depth. But don't be surprised to see the Lions win a game or two. — David Eckert PENN STATE BASKETBALL SUPERLATIVES JAN. 26–FEB. 17 Through Penn State's first 23 games, senior forward John Harrar was averaging 10.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, ranking fourth on the team in the former category and first in the latter. PHOTO BY THOMAS FRANK CARR