UNIVERSITY PARK — It was dueling rounds of disappointment for both Penn State basketball squads to open the season, yet optimism still lingers.
The women notched win No. 900 in the program’s history Nov. 13 against St. Peter’s, having been denied the opportunity to reach the milestone two days earlier against Drexel, a game they lost by a score of 83-60.
The first week of any collegiate basketball season can often be wrought with peril, and coach Coquese Washington’s young squad experienced some of that. Still, there is a lot to like from the season’s first two games.
An unexpected contribution from Lindsey Spann came when she paced the Lady Lions with 31 points in the win over St. Peter’s. Going into the season, all eyes were on Teniya Page and Sierra Moore to lead the scoring attack. If Spann can be that third scorer that Penn State lacked most of last year, it could lead to a dynamic season on the offensive end of the floor.
We have mentioned in this space the return journey that redshirt freshman Amari Carter would take this season, and her first steps have been modest, but encouraging. In the loss to Drexel, Carter played just five minutes, scoring three points. In the St. Peter’s win, however, Carter ramped it up, scoring six points and dishing out a team-high nine assists.
The Lady Lions were to host Akron after Gazette press time Nov. 16, and then face a big test at home against No. 13 Tennessee on Sunday, Nov. 20.
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For men’s coach Pat Chambers, his team’s first week was put behind the eight ball before it truly began.
In a team press release before the first game, Chambers outlined that sophomore guard Josh Reaves would be sidelined for at least three games with a high-ankle sprain.
“He’s going to be fine. He’s going to be out for a little while here,” Chambers said.
Indeed, the team felt his absence in a lethargic 87-81 season opening loss at home to Albany. Unsurprisingly, Shep Garner led the way with 25 points, including 23 in the second half. But he found little in the way of consistent support, though PSU did have four scorers in double figures. It was not enough to overcome an Albany lead that swelled to 16 at halftime, before the Great Danes held off a late surge from the Lions.
Things went much better for Penn State in their second game of the year, as they bested Duquesne 82-74. Chambers was pleased with his team’s turnaround in a key intangible.
“We took a big step in the category of toughness,” Chambers said after the game.
Indeed, on a night when Garner scored only six points, it was Mike Watkins who held a coming-out party of sorts. Watkins, a 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman, tailed 15 points, six rebounds and five blocks in 27 minutes, providing the toughness that Chambers envisioned.
The Lions followed that up with a 85-76 home win over Grand Canyon on Nov. 15.
Chambers’ squad faces a major early-season test Saturday, Nov. 19, going up against No. 1 Duke at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. The following day, the Lions will face either No. 24/25 Cincinnati or No. 21/22 Rhode Island on the same court.
