Following a disappointing performance, Penn State will look to regroup Saturday when it hosts winless Coppin State in University Park, Pa.
The Nittany Lions (8-2) were flying high after last week’s 81-70 win over then-No. 8 Purdue. However, the momentum did not translate into Tuesday’s clash with Rutgers, as Penn State came up short, 80-76, against a Scarlet Knights team that has been very inconsistent this season.
“We weren’t tough enough, we weren’t disciplined enough,” Penn State coach Mike Rhoades said. “We didn’t respond to the adversity in the game, especially in the first half, the right way.”
Indeed, the Nittany Lions allowed 48 first-half points and were outplayed and outhustled for most of the day. They were dominated on the boards, 46-32, and they committed 22 fouls, sending the Scarlet Knights to the line for 25 free throws.
Zach Hicks led Penn State with 20 points, fueled by 6-of-10 shooting from 3-point range, and Freddie Dilione V chipped in 14 points. The team’s leading scorer, Ace Baldwin, was held to eight points on 3-of-14 shooting.
“I love my team, I love how hard we play, I love what we can become,” Rhoades said. “We’ve got to learn from it because it’s really hard to win on the road and you don’t want to beat yourself.”
The Eagles (0-11) have challenged themselves with an early schedule featuring Wake Forest, Virginia, Miami and North Carolina State. They lost all four of those games by double digits, although they were frisky against the Wolfpack in Tuesday’s 66-56 defeat.
Peter Oduro led the way with 11 points — his fourth double-digit scoring effort in the past five games.
Coppin State’s biggest issues in that contest were turnovers (15), 3-point shooting (2 of 9) and foul shooting (16 of 26).
“These things take time,” Coppin State coach Larry Stewart said earlier this season. “It takes time to establish your culture. It takes time to get the right players in your system.”
–Field Level Media
