Game Grades: Maryland

Story posted February 7, 2018 in CommRadio, Sports by Stephen Svitko

The Penn State Men’s Basketball team pulled off a close win against the Maryland Terrapins at the Bryce-Jordan Center with a score of 74-70 on Wednesday.

Penn State fought hard the whole game, building up momentum in the first half through great ball movement and consistent rebounding on both ends of the floor.

Offense: B+

Shooting 51.9 percent from the field, the Nittany Lions were struggling early in the first half. Shots weren’t falling, easy offensive rebounds turned into missed opportunities, giving Maryland more time with the ball.

Sloppy passes plagued them, which threw off the rhythm of the team.

However, Penn State showed it’s heart and toughness in the late first half after trailing by a few points for over 10 minutes. They slowed it down and started to make better decisions in regards to ball movement.

Lamar Stevens helped carry the team forward with an exceptional 14 points in the first half, knocking down a pair of triples.  His teammates followed his lead and created space around the perimeter, allowing Penn State to hit nine three-pointers throughout the night.

But Stevens didn’t stop there.  He finished the night with 25 points, taking advantage of the space Maryland defenders were giving him.

Consistent off-the-ball movement put Maryland’s defense on their heels, leaving men open left and right. 

Josh Reaves helped keep it going with his three offensive rebounds, along with two from Mike Watkins.

Defense: A

Maryland began to put the pressure on Penn State, hitting some crucial threes in the second half. They overcame a 10 point deficit and led the Lions by four, with only 3 minutes to go.

Penn State showed its toughness yet again, taking advantage of Maryland’s mistakes.  Bad passes were a problem for both teams, but the Lions outscored the Terps 12-7 off of turnovers and 9-2 on second-chance points.

Lamar Stevens wasn’t just a star on offense but on defense as well, leading the team with two blocks and a steal.

His presence was something the Maryland offense hadn’t taken into account, concentrating more on Josh Reaves. 

Reaves fought through all the attention and managed to bring down nine boards throughout the game, giving more possession time to the offense.

Mike Watkins had three steals and managed to keep his head on his shoulders with only two fouls for the night.

Coaching: B

After Maryland’s steady first half, Pat Chambers needed to get his team moving and engaged in their assignments.

Playing a 2-3 zone early in the game, the Terps took advantage of gaps in the paint and drove on the Lions.

Chambers noticed their success and quickly changed the mentality of his team, giving them a real chance to put some stress on Maryland.

His team seemed generally prepared for what the Terps brought to the table on offense, and clock management played a big role when momentum was an issue.

Chambers felt comfortable and satisfied with his team’s heart and passion late in the game, which ultimately carried them towards a win.

 

Stephen Svitko is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email sxs6345@psu.edu.