HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: PENN STATE (2-1) VS #15 VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (4-0) 9PM ESPNU

HOKIES HOOPS CENTRAL: PENN STATE (2-1) VS #15 VIRGINIA TECH HOKIES (4-0) 9PM ESPNU

GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Dec 8th 2020 9 PM
Opponent: Penn State
Site: Cassell Coliseum
ESPNU, with Dave O'Brien (play-by-play) and Jordan Cornette (analyst)
Virginia Tech Sports Network. Jon Laaser (play-by-play) and Mike Burnop (analyst)

Can he suit up on Saturday against the Wahoos?

Lion, Lion, Pants on Fire

The Hokies come into this contest having moved up to #15 in the latest AP Poll. Coach Mike Young is going to need to keep his team focused amongst the hoopla that comes with their ranking. This is the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge game. Hopefully he reminds his Hokies about the last time these two teams faced off. The Hokies went up to Penn State in 2018 and looked sleepy early and lost 63-62. The Hokies are 6-3 against Penn State going into their tenth meeting. The Hokies come into this matchup 4-0 with their most recent win over VMI.


Jim Ferry is the interim head coach following the resignation of Pat Chambers in October after an investigation for misconduct. He has been an assistant for three years prior to his interim promotion. Ferry has been a head coach at all three divisions, including Plymouth State (DIII), Adelphi (DII), LIU (DI) and Duquesne (DI). He is 316-266 in his head coaching career. The Nittany Lions were a surprising 21-10 last season. Penn State comes into this contest 2-1, with wins over VMI by 21 and a buzzer beater 3 over VCU. In their most recent contest they had an 8 point lead with 2 minutes to go and got dominated inside by Seton Hall to lose 98-92 in Overtime.

Coach Ferry had forward Lamar Stevens, Forward Curtis Jones, Center Mike Watkins and two role players graduate. Most notably, Lamar Stevens, who averaged 17.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. The five departures accounted for nearly 50 % of the Nittany Lions scoring last season. Losing Watkins is a big hit underneath defensively.

Ferry has four incoming freshman and one transfer who was cleared to play without sitting out. Caleb Dorsey, DJ Gordon, Dallion Johnson, and Abdou Tsimbila all are three star recruits. The transfer is Sam Sessoms from Binghamton. During his two seasons with Binghamton, Sessoms played in 62 games and averaged 19.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game in his final year with the Bearcats. The team returns Jamari Wheeler and Myles Dread return in the backcourt, and John Harrar upfront.

Expect under Coach Ferry for Penn State to play at an extreme pace, using transition, pressing, and an invasion of passing lanes. Penn State will shoot a large number of threes. Penn State's tempo was second-quickest in the Big Ten a year ago with Ferry basically running the offense. Most would consider it run-n-gun.

Defensively, the Nittany Lions play ¾-court press back to a zone. He expects his team to have more possessions because of the way they play. They focus their zone on the perimeter which leaves them open to drives to the hoop and interior scoring.

Offensively, Coach Ferry puts an emphasis on up-tempo possessions, expecting crisp ball movement and clean passing which seems counterintuitive to the fact they currently only play a rotation of 7-8 players. They will need to either slow the pace or find another regular contributor to avoid late game collapses.

Nittany Lions Backcourt


Jamarri Wheeler - #5, 6'1, 170 lbs, Senior Point Guard averaging 8 ppg, 5 rpg, 4.3 apg and 2 spg. Shooting 42% from outside but 50% from the free throw line.


Myles Dread– #2, 6'4, 220 lbs, Junior averaging 8.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, and 1.3 spg coming off the bench as the secondary ball-handler behind Wheeler


Sam Sessoms – #3, 6', 180 lbs, Guard, Junior transfer from Birmingham, coming off the bench but is the second leading scorer, averaging 13 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 4 apg, and 2 spg. Shooting 40% from outside and 71% from the line.


Izaiah Brockington, #12, 6'4, 200 lbs, Junior averaging 10.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1 apg, and 1 spg. Shooting 25% from outside and 80% from the line.


Myreon Jones- #0, 6'3, 180 lbs - Guard, Junior, averaging 11.7ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, and 2.3 spg. Shooting 29% from the floor, 21% from outside but 90% from the free throw line.

Nittany Lions Frontcourt


Seth Lundy – #1, 6'6, 219 lbs- Forward, Sophomore, Averaging a surprising 22.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 1.1 bpg. Shooting 43% from outside and 86% from the line on 12-14 shooting.


John Harrar – #21, 6'9, 240 lbs, Forward, Senior, averaging 7.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg and 1 apg. Shooting 69% inside and 80% from the line.

What to expect from Penn State?

As a team the Nittany Lions are shooting a surprisingly low 34% from the field on 32 attempts per game. They have struggled significantly from outside, especially against VCU and Seton Hall, who pressured the perimeter.

This lack of production from outside has had one significant side effect though. It revealed how important Seth Lundy is going to be to how Penn State fairs this season. He played sparingly as a freshman with two entrenched Seniors ahead of him on the roster. This season he represents 27% of Penn State's scoring. More a wing then a forward but still has defenses guessing on how he wil attack with a solid drive to the rim or a spot up jumper.

Penn State struggles defensively inside, getting outscored 54-30 in their game against Seton Hall. Seton Hall was patient getting the ball inside to its two bigs. The game wouldn't have been close if Seton Hall could have done better then 6-21 from outside.

Penn State has suffered a 76-51 attempt deficit at the free throw line. That's 25.3-17 average per game. This creates a huge potential scoring advantage if it continues.

Penn State will likely play most of the game with four or five guards on the floor at all times, trying to get out in transition for odd man rushes to be able to go to the rim or kick back to open shooters. Finding a quality shot in a half-court offense has been tough this season.

The Hokies

The Hokies may consider approaching this game with a methodical pace, moving the ball, finding their best shot. Slowing the pace with Aluma and Pemsl on the floor together could seriously challenge the entire Penn State game plan. The Nittany Lions have fouled their opponents 22 times a contest with four players averaging three or more fouls per game. Virginia Tech will be the most skilled and physical offensive opponent they have faced this season.

Both teams have struggled with turnovers in this early season games, both averaging more then 11 turnovers per contest. Controlling possession will be a major factor in this game.

Tech has steadily improved rebounding game to game and is averaging 6 more rebounds than opponents. This rebounding edge will likely continue in this contest although Penn State's guards are pretty big bodies.

The Hokies defensively need to get back on defense and force Penn State to work for their shot. The Nittany Lions, even though they have an experienced roster seem to be rushing up bad shots or being forced into one as the shot clock winds down.

Will we see a second half burst from Diarra in this contest or Diarra at all? Hopefully he makes it to his tests this week. The Graduate transfer brings that punch of energy and by driving to the basket, alters how defenses space the floor, creating openings for other players, specifically on the perimeter.

Another big question is how much we see Jalen Cone, the Hokies best shooter last season. He seemed a step behind in his first game back. He had several lazy passes at the top of the key leading to at least one critical turnover and points for VMI. 14 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound. Need this to get better quickly, especially as we close in on ACC play.

The Hokies have become less dependent on the perimeter, bringing their per game total down to 22.3 attempts per game. Its still nearly 40% of their total shots this season. The Hokies are currently shooting 46% overall but a meager 34% from the perimeter.

Highlight of the VMI Game

Keve Aluma once again picked up his teammates with a double-double. 17 points, 12 rebounds, 1 block, and 2 steals.

In Closing
The Hokies work the ball inside, win the rebounding battle and outscore the Nittany Lions by double digits in the paint.

If the Hokies can keep Penn State off-balance then they should find a significant edge at the free throw line. Hopefully Aluma shot about 1000 free throws since the VMI game after going 7-13 at the line.

Aluma and Pemsl definitely finish in double digits in this game. Radford, Alleyne and Diarra finish will also be on the perimeter of it. Cattoor will find space to shoot outside and knock down at least three triples.

Hokies still look slow but it will be by design. Penn State can't overcome Aluma down low, Hokies win 71-65.
For those wondering about John Ojiako:

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I seldom speak to loluva grads, but when I do, I tell them I want large fries.

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Directions from Blacksburg to whoville, go north till you smell it then go east until you step in it

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Directions from Blacksburg to whoville, go north till you smell it then go east until you step in it

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Hey! It goes beyond big brother in the sky
Beyond the threat of martial law, No Horus eye
No one came to cuff you they just handed you the chain
Blind follows the blind and now the one-eyed man is king

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Doesn't matter if it's cake or pie as long as it's chocolate.

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I seldom speak to loluva grads, but when I do, I tell them I want large fries.

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Now finish up them taters; I'm gonna go fondle my sweaters.

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Doesn't matter if it's cake or pie as long as it's chocolate.

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Directions from Blacksburg to whoville, go north till you smell it then go east until you step in it

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Directions from Blacksburg to whoville, go north till you smell it then go east until you step in it

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Now finish up them taters; I'm gonna go fondle my sweaters.

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Directions from Blacksburg to whoville, go north till you smell it then go east until you step in it

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Now finish up them taters; I'm gonna go fondle my sweaters.

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Directions from Blacksburg to whoville, go north till you smell it then go east until you step in it

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I seldom speak to loluva grads, but when I do, I tell them I want large fries.

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Directions from Blacksburg to whoville, go north till you smell it then go east until you step in it

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Directions from Blacksburg to whoville, go north till you smell it then go east until you step in it

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Directions from Blacksburg to whoville, go north till you smell it then go east until you step in it

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