Scouting The Opposition

Penn State returns to Minneapolis for the first time since Minnesota earned a 75-69 victory in January 2020. The two teams will also play in State College on Thursday night, the third of four games in seven days for the Gophers, who have lost their last five contests. The home team is led by 6’7’’ Jamison Battle and 6’4’’ Payton Willis. Battle leads the Gophers with 17.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, and the sophomore forward is eighth in the conference in scoring. The senior guard Willis tops the team in assists, and ranks second in points per game. He also is first in the conference in three-point shooting, averaging 42 percent from deep. Senior guard EJ Stephens is the third Gopher averaging double figures, and is the team’s best free throw shooter at 80 percent.

What To Watch For

Can the Nittany Lion quartet of Harrar, Lundy, Pickett, and Sessoms get it done on the road? Too often, Penn State has gotten contributions from one or two of these four, but if all of these key cogs play to their potential, the Lions will be in good shape.

Prediction

Minnesota has lost five straight, and their last defeat was at the hands of the dumpster fire known as Nebraska. The Nittany Lions get it done on the road.

Penn State 77, Minnesota 68