Indiana basketball returns to the floor today with a road matchup at the historic Palestra, the Cathedral of College Basketball against a very good Penn State squad. The Hoosiers are coming off their 2nd win in the Big Ten vs Rutgers last week.
The Nittany Lions enter the game with a record of 12-2 (2-1 Big Ten) under second-year head coach Mike Rhoades. Penn State has won 12-straight homes games and are off to the program’s best start since the 2019-20 season. PSU has six players averaging at least 9.9 points per game, led by 15.0 points, 8.5 assists, and 2.3 steals per game from fifth-year senior guard Ace Baldwin Jr., the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Junior forward Yanic Konan Niederhauser leads the team in rebounding at 6.8 per contest to go along with 13.1 points.
Tipoff is set for noon on BTN.
Below is the full preview.
Key Indiana basketball Storylines
Can Indiana basketball find a way to win a Big Ten game on the road?
Indiana basketball enters this game with 2 wins in the Big Ten in 3 games already. Both those conference wins have come at Assembly Hall however, the loss they have came on the road Nebraska.
While Indiana did show some fight at Nebraska, they still did not do what it takes to win on the road. In the Big Ten, if you are going to win on the road, you have to limit mistakes and find ways to score the basketball.
The Hoosiers are still looked as one of the teams that can win the Big Ten. If Indiana wants to do that, they are going to have to win road games in the conference. That is the challenge for this team because they have not really shown they have what it takes to win road games as of yet.
This game at The Palestra vs a really good Penn State team is going to be a very tall task for this Indiana team to get over. Winning this type of game on the road will open up many possibilities for this team.
Series History
The Hoosiers have prevailed in 43-of-60 matchups played between the two programs, including a 61-59 result in the second round of the 2024 Big Ten Championships.
Miami Heat first-round pick Kel’el Ware provided game highs in points (18), rebounds (14), and blocked shots (3) in the second-round win. Anthony Leal putback the game-winning basket with 5.0 seconds to play. He finished the game with eight points and four rebounds.
Indiana basketball Injury Updates
Gabe Cupps: Indiana basketball sophomore guard Gabe Cupps underwent a successful surgery to treat a preexisting, nagging injury to his lower body. He will be out indefinitely.
Jakai Newton: Indiana redshirt freshman guard Jakai Newton underwent successful surgery to treat an injury to his lower body. He will be out indefinitely but is expected to return this season. This injury is not related to the one he had prior to the start of the 2023-24 season.
Malik Reneau: After scoring the first bucket of the game, the junior power forward went down on the defensive end holding his right knee. He left the game and finally returned to the bench in the 2nd half but did not get back in. It was confirmed he is out today.
Quick Hitters
Who?: Indiana (11-3) (2-1) at Penn State (-) (-)
When?: Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025 • Noon ET
Where?: The Palestra (8,725) • Philadelphia, Pa.
TV: BTN (Brandon Gaudin, Robbie Hummel)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Betting Lines: Indiana is listed as a 6-point underdog per DraftKings Sportsbook.
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