Dec. 29, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - While Nittany Lion basketball coach Patrick Chambers is pleased with the results from the non-conference slate, the team's focus is solely on what lies ahead.
Penn State (12-1) opens the 18-game Big Ten slate on Wednesday with a matchup at No. 4 Wisconsin (12-1) inside the Kohl Center (1 p.m. on BTN).
"Season number two is upon us, and now we have to get ready to go," Chambers said.
The Lions finished off the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 69-49 victory over Dartmouth on Dec. 22. The team took a break for the Christmas holiday before getting back to work on Dec. 26. Typically, the first couple practices back after a holiday break are challenging, but Chambers said that it was not the case for the Nittany Lions.
"When you have a veteran team and great leadership, you know they are ready to come back and you know they are ready to compete," Chambers said. "They realize the Big Ten season is upon us. They came back with a very mature approach."
After notching the most non-conference victories in program history, the Nittany Lions have a great deal to build on heading into Big Ten play. Penn State enters the Wisconsin game riding a 10-game winning streak. The team's maturity each game during the first portion of the schedule played a big role in the early-season success.
"I think we had a successful non-conference," said Chambers. "I have to fight human nature and sometimes we over-coach. I just need to stick with what has been successful for us this year and not over-coach and let them play basketball. And then have the same approach, the same mature approach that we've had. If we can do that and control what we can control, we'll like the outcome."
Senior guard D.J. Newbill enters the Big Ten following a stellar start to the season. The Philly product is averaging 21.4 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. Junior Brandon Taylor is averaging 10.6 tallies per game and freshman point guard Shep Garner is averaging 9.7 points per contest.
What has elevated Penn State in 2014-'15, though, has been its depth. The Lions are averaging 22.0 points per game off the bench this season. The rotation can go as deep as nine for Chambers, and when firing on all cylinders, the Lions are a difficult team to defend. Selfless play on the offensive end of the floor and gritty defense and rebounding have been the recipe for Penn State's success.
"I still believe there is a better team within this team," Chambers said.
The Nittany Lions will be looking for their first win inside the Kohl Center (0-13) on Wednesday against a Wisconsin team that is 6-1 against team's in ESPN's Top 100 RPI this year. The lone blemish on the Wisconsin non-conference slate came at the hands of No. 2 Duke in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge (80-70).
Current Big Ten Player of the Week Frank Kaminsky is the top scorer for the Badgers. The 7-foot Kaminsky is averaging 16.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. A threat from all over the floor, Chambers knows that guarding the versatile Wisconsin big man will take a collective effort.
"It's not one guy that is going to stop Frank (Kaminsky)," Chambers said. "It's going to take five guys on the floor. He is a really talented player. He can shoot threes. He's got a good step for a 7-footer. That first step is really good. He's got good stuff in the paint. He's got an arsenal. He's a talented player."
Sam Dekker (12.1) and Nigel Hayes (11.9) also average in double-figures for the Badgers. Wisconsin leads the Big Ten in scoring defense by limiting its opponents to just 52.4 points per game. The Badgers have out-scored their opponents by 21.1 points per game this season.
The Badgers clipped the Nittany Lions, 71-66, in the most recent meeting between the two teams back on March 2. Wisconsin leads the all-time series 31-10.
Penn State will play its first two Big Ten games on the road. Following the trip to Madison, the Lions travel to Rutgers on Saturday for a matchup against the Scarlet Knights.