Penn State lost to Clemson, now what? Hoops Podcast
Penn State basketball is 6-2, coming off an exciting 101-94 loss to Clemson in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Host Thomas Frank Carr and basketball reporter Nate Bauer discuss that game and its implications for the upcoming season on today’s episode of the Penn State Hoops podcast. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and don’t forget to rate and review the show!
Penn State basketball big picture
Before dipping into the last two Penn State games, T-Frank takes a left turn to discuss the wide-angle view of the basketball program. The team is 6-2, plays an exciting brand of basketball, and has realistic chances of making noise this season. But how do they break through and get fans’ attention? He and Bauer discuss the mechanisms of program building outside of player acquisition and what the team can control to gain relevance.
At the heart of the conversation, as always, is winning. That’s what Penn State basketball did on Black Friday when they convincingly defeated Lafayette. However, what should have been a blowout turned into a comfortable one once the freshmen stepped on the floor and let a 26-point lead evaporate. Bauer discusses the big takeaways from the game before T-Frank asks him if Bauer saw anything from the freshmen in those final minutes that intrigued him.
Discussing the loss at Clemson
Finally, they discuss the loss at Clemson. They start with the big takeaways from the game before getting into the specific moments and players that decide the outcome. Bauer discusses how Jalen Pickett and Myles Dread’s efforts needed to improve, thanks to up-and-down shooting. T-Frank asks if the common theme in both losses is that Penn State doesn’t get as many quality shots in the second half. Is that an issue head coach Micah Shrewsberry has to contend with this season? Bauer also tries to set expectations for Kebba Njie as a freshman big man.
With a loss to Virginia Tech and Clemson, how does Nate feel about his early-season proclamation that Penn State is an NCAA Tournament team? He and T-Frank discuss the implications of the losses and what they mean to the team during Big Ten play.
Speaking of the Big Ten, Penn State faces Michigan State next week to start the early portion of conference competition. What does Penn State need out of two difficult games against the Spartans and Illini next week? Finally, he discusses the road ahead for the team and how they can improve during the long week without games.
