Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1482664
N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 2 4 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M playing off their instincts more. The main areas we're going to focus on [leading up to the season] are to get our transition defense better and our pick- and-roll defense better, and we've got to rebound the ball collectively as a group. Right now, I feel good about where we are offensively and what we're do- ing. We're being more creative. I think we have more basketball IQ. We play read-and-react that you have to have a good basketball IQ or you're going to struggle. BWI: How will you look to make up for the loss of John Harrar at the strong forward spot? SHREWSBERRY: We're going to be smaller, but I don't think you necessarily have to combat size with size if you don't have good size. Don't just go find some 7-foot-4 guy and put him out there. If he's not playing on somebody's roster, that means he can't play. [Purdue's 7-4 center] Zach Edey is going to have an advantage on both ends of the court. I tell our guys, "You don't have to be John. You just have to be the best version of yourself and do what you do best. And then we'll adjust and go from there." We're going to struggle some against people that are bigger. We're going to have to combat it. We're going to double the post a little bit more. We're going to do some other things against people that are dominant low-post players. But we're also going to flip it on them and try to make them come out and guard us a little bit more. Defensively we need to be sound, we need to be solid, and we need to be in position, which should help us as a de- fensive rebounding team. If we're smaller in certain spots, we need everybody to come rebound. As we're flying to challenge the 3-pointers, I don't want dudes running down the floor with their hands up. I want them sprinting back toward the basket to try and secure this rebound. Then we can run. ■ In his first season as a head coach at the NCAA level, Shrewsberry guided the Nittany Lions to a 14-17 overall record and a 7-13 mark in Big Ten play. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL