UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State men’s basketball defeated Navy on Tuesday, Nov. 11, behind a strong performance from its bench which contributed 38 points in an 80–71 victory.
The Nittany Lions then traveled to Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 15 to face La Salle at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, earning an 83–69 win. Freshman guard Melih Tunca led Penn State in the road matchup, finishing with a game-high 20 points.
Junior guard Freddie Dilione V came off the bench and led the Nittany Lions in scoring, finishing with 19 points. Dilione V finished with three rebounds and two assists.
Star freshman Kayden Mingo also made his presence felt, finishing with 16 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. The highly rated recruit looked every bit of the standout prospect, impacting the game in multiple ways for the Nittany Lions.
Melih Tunca also looked very comfortable on the court for the Nittany Lions and would finish with 13 points, two rebounds, and three assists.
That confidence carried into Penn State’s trip to Philadelphia, where the same trio once again led the way. Tunca emerged as the standout performer against La Salle, shooting an impressive 8-for-9 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from beyond the arc to finish with 20 points.
Dilione V has scored in double figures for the third-straight game with his 16 points, while also having three rebounds and three assists in the game vs La Salle.
Kayden Mingo finished with his career-best seven assists to go along with 14 points and four rebounds.
The play of these three has led Penn State to a great start in the young season, making the Nittany Lions 4-0.
