Penn State vs. DePaul Game Preview

Story posted November 13, 2018 in

David Green, Jamal Ellerbe, Matt McClure and Kevin McConlogue preview Penn State's upcoming matchup agaisnt the DePaul Blue Demons:

Penn State basketball will hit the road for the first time this season for a
matchup with the DePaul Blue Demons from the Big East Conference.
Tip off is Thursday at 9 p.m. from Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

The Nittany Lions are 2-0 to start the season with wins over
North Florida and Jacksonville State. Both of those wins came at the Bryce
Jordan Center.

Lamar Stevens has been the leader for the Nittany Lions so far. Through two
games, Stevens is averaging 23.5 points per game, and is shooting 50
percent from the field. Stevens is also shooting 86.7 percent from the free
throw line so far this season.

Freshman Rasir Bolton has been one of the best players so far for the
Nittany Lions. He is coming off a game-high 22 points against Jacksonville
State and is leading the team in assists with 3.5 per game. Bolton is also
shooting 55 percent from 3-point range. He has become a valuable asset
off the bench for coach Pat Chambers.

Senior Josh Reaves is doing what he usually does, which is being consistent
and playing good defense. Reaves is averaging three steals per game and has
been a floor general for the Nittany Lions on both offense and defense.

Big man John Harrar has stepped in for Mike Watkins for the first couple of
games and has filled in nicely. Harrar has contributed on defense and is
starting to find his offensive game for Penn State.

The DePaul Blue Demons are also 2-0 on the season coming into this game
against Penn State. Head coach Dave Leitao’s squad is coming two
convincing wins over Bethune-Cookman and Morgan State.

The Blue Demons are being led this season by senior guard Max Strus who
is averaging 25 points per game, shooting 50 percent from three point range,
and has been a floor general for DePaul.

DePaul also has some size in the middle with a pair of 6-foot-9 sophomores in
Jaylen Butz and Paul Reed. Butz is currently leading the team in rebounding and blocked shots. This is the most size that the Nittany Lions have seen so far this season.

The Blue Demons also feature another shifty senior guard in Eli Cain. Cain
is averaging seven assists per game and shooting 40 percent from 3-point
range and 80 percent from the foul line.

This is the eighth all time meeting between the Nittany Lions and Blue
Demons. DePaul leads the all time series 6-1. However, Penn State won the
last matchup in 2015.

The game is a part of the annual Gavitt Tipoff Games between the Big Ten
Conference and the Big East Conference. Some other notable Gavitt tipoff
games include a national championship rematch between Michigan and
Villanova and Wisconsin vs. Xavier.

 

 

Kevin McConlogue is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism with a
minor in political science. To contact him email
kpm5520@psu.edu.