The Penn State Nittany Lions are getting ready for their first Big Ten game of the season, facing the No. 8 Purdue Boilermakers on Thursday, December 5th, at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Penn State men’s basketball has had an impressive 7-1 start to the 2024-25 season and ranks third in the nation. However, the Purdue Boilermakers will be their toughest challenge yet.
No. 8-ranked Purdue is coming to Happy Valley for Penn State’s first Big Ten game on Thursday, and the team knows this will be their toughest test yet. Despite the challenge, head coach Mike Rhoades is ready to face one of the best teams in the country.
He has stressed the importance of focusing on one game at a time and staying true to their style of play. He said, “I’ve said it before, experience is your greatest teacher. This is what I signed up for. I’m excited about it.
First and foremost, Penn State needs to play better. They’ve done nothing to this point to warrant winning this game.
— Penn State Talk (@PSURecruitTalk) November 2, 2024
But how many holds are going to be ignored and how many calls are going to go against us.
Rhoades added, “We want to chase that type of culture and that type of approach, but it also allows us to see where we’re at playing against programs and cultures like that.”
This past season, Zach Edey scored 30 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to help Purdue beat Penn State 95–78. As of now, Edey plays for the Memphis Grizzlies, but Purdue is still an excellent team.
They have wins over No. 10 Alabama and No. 23 Ole Miss, with their only loss to No. 5 Marquette. That means this will be a tough test for Penn State.
Penn State’s coach previews challenges against Purdue Boilermakers
Head coach Mike Rhoades is fully aware of the challenges as Penn State prepares for their Big Ten opener against No. 8 Purdue. He mentioned Purdue’s strong physical play and discipline under Coach Matt Painter in his pre-game press conference. For those interested in betting on the game, you can check the NCAAB odds by FanDuel for the latest predictions and spreads.
He said, “Coach [Matt] Painter is such a great coach. They have a winning culture. They’re very talented. They have high-IQ guys that know how to make plays.”
Mike Rhoades talked about Penn State’s need to maintain the pace it has played with so far during Big Ten play pic.twitter.com/9y21SKpAIX
— Joe Tuman (@JTuman21) December 3, 2024
Rhoades added, “I think they’re very physical. I don’t think they get enough credit for how physical they are and how they physically impose their style of play on you on both ends of the court.”
