Nittany Lions Host Minnesota in THON Game Saturday Night

The Penn State men's basketball team returns to action Saturday night inside the Bryce Jordan Center when the Nittany Lions host Minnesota in Penn State's annual THON game. Tipoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

The Nittany Lions return to action off a mid-week bye Saturday night when Penn State hosts Minnesota inside the Bryce Jordan Center in PSU's annual THON game.

Penn State sits 3-5 in Big Ten play with conference wins over Ohio State, Michigan and #11 Wisconsin.

Kanye Clary is averaging a team-best 18.8 points per game, while Ace Baldwin Jr. has contributed 13.0 points, a team-best 4.8 assists and a Big Ten-best 2.84 steals per game. Baldwin Jr.'s 2.84 steals per game ranks sixth in the country.

IF Penn State beats Minnesota, Penn State would win its fourth-straight game against Minnesota. The Nittany Lions would improve to 9-2 inside the Bryce Jordan Center this season.

FOR THE KIDS

Saturday's game will be Penn State's annual THON game. The Penn State student section will don colorful t-shirts and in-game activities will be focused around raising awareness for the largest student-run philanthropy in the world.

The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, or THON, is a year-long effort which raises funds and awareness for the fight against childhood cancer. With the support of students from all across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and supporters all around the world, THON continues to make great strides towards finding a cure for all childhood cancers and has raised over $219 million since it began.

THON efforts culminate with a 46-hour, no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon in February. This year's dance marathon is set for Feb. 16-18 in the Bryce Jordan Center.

SCOUTING THE GOPHERS

The Gophers started the season 12-3, but have since dropped their last four games and sit at 12-7 on the season and 3-5 in Big Ten play.

Minnesota's three Big Ten wins came against Nebraska (76-65 - Dec. 6), Michigan (73-71 - Jan. 4) and Maryland (65-62 - Jan. 7).

Dawson Garcia leads Minnesota with 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Mike Mitchell Jr. (10.3 ppg), Joshua Ola-Joseph (10.2 ppg) and Cam Christie (10.1 ppg) follow.

Penn State and Minnesota meet for the first of two times this season Saturday night in Happy Valley.

Penn State has won each of the last three and five of the last six matchups with the Gophers. The Nittany Lions own a 14-11 all-time advantage in games played in Happy Valley and haven't lost a home game to Minnesota since Jan. 15, 2018, a 95-84 overtime loss.

The Nittany Lions won last season's lone meeting 76-69 on Feb. 18 in Minneapolis, just Penn State's fourth-ever win when playing the Gophers in their home arena. Current Denver Nugget Jalen Pickett led the Nittany Lions with 32 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

TURN UP THE PRESSURE

The Nittany Lions have forced their opponents into 15.84 turnovers per game, a mark that leads the Big Ten and ranks 15th in the nation. Penn State's +4.9 turnover margin ranks seventh in the country.

The Nittany Lions have scored a Big Ten-best average of 17.0 points off turnovers per game thus far this season, while Penn State's opponents have only scored 10.3 points per game off Nittany Lion turnovers.

Penn State enters Saturday's game averaging 76.4 points per game in Mike Rhoades' debut season. That mark is on track to be Penn State's best offensive output since the 2000-01 team averaged 76.8 points per game en route to a Sweet 16 appearance.

It is also on pace to be Penn State's best offensive output under a first-year head coach since 1954-55 when the Nittany Lions put up 78.7 ppg under John Egli.

SOPHOMORE LEAP

Sophomore guard Kanye Clary has seen the second-highest PPG increase by a Division I player from last season to this season. Clary's +15.1 ppg increase in scoring production trails only SIU's Xavier Johnson's +16.4 ppg difference.

The Virginia Beach, Va. native played limited minutes as a freshman behind Penn State's veteran 2022-23 backcourt that included two 2023 NBA Draft picks and five 1,000-point scorers.