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The Penn State Nittany Lions will seek to elevate their record to 4-1 on Sunday afternoon when they take on the New Haven Chargers at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pennsylvania. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on Peacock, with radio coverage on the Penn State Sports Network.
Penn State is coming off a Thursday night matchup against Mercyhurst in which the team struggled at times, and the Nittany Lions are eager to deliver a cleaner, more consistent performance this time around. According to KenPom rankings, Penn State sits at No. 95 while New Haven is ranked No. 344. The betting line lists Penn State as a 25.5-point favorite, with an over/under of 142.5.
Scouting the Chargers
New Haven enters the contest with a 1-2 record, having suffered lopsided losses to Syracuse and Rutgers before securing a win over Army. The Chargers have yet to surpass 63 points in a game this season, and their scoring average of 58.3 points per contest ranks 345th nationally.
Junior forward Teshaun Steele is the focal point of New Haven's attack, leading the team in points (13), rebounds (6.7), and blocks (1.7) per game. Steele is the only Charger averaging double figures in scoring, meaning any chance New Haven has to stay competitive likely hinges on his performance. Beyond Steele, the team has struggled to generate offense and control the glass, so if Penn State can neutralize him, the home side should be in control.
The Chargers are a youthful group, with just one senior averaging more than two minutes per game. The program is in only its second year at the Division I level. Last season, Penn State dominated the previous meeting, winning 87-43 on the road.
Keys to the Game
Turnover Margin: New Haven coughs up the ball on 20% of its possessions and ranks 349th in turnovers forced per 100 possessions on defense. While Penn State is not particularly strong in turnover margin, finishing with a positive differential is essential.
Tempo Control: The Chargers play at a glacial pace, averaging just 65.9 possessions per game—one of the slowest rates in college basketball. If Penn State can speed them up and force them out of their comfort zone, the more talented Nittany Lions should eventually pull away.
Free-Throw Disparity: Penn State averages over 35 free-throw attempts per game, whereas New Haven's opponents average only 16 attempts per game. The Nittany Lions will look to exploit this gap by attacking the basket and drawing fouls.
Prediction
Penn State cruised to a 44-point victory in last year's meeting, and nothing about this matchup suggests a closer contest. Although the point spread might seem high given recent performances against Mercyhurst and Chattanooga, the Nittany Lions should secure a comfortable win. Penn State 83, New Haven 60.
Originally reported by yahoo.