Penn State advances to 3-0 in win over Saint Francis

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – With three games down and one to go in their season-opening homestand, the Nittany Lions stand without a tick in the loss column following an 83-53 victory over Saint Francis on Tuesday night.

Penn State advances to 3-0 for the third time in the last five seasons, providing a healthy charge of encouragement to the Nittany Lion faithful in head coach Mike Rhoades’ first season with the program.

“I’m proud of these guys, but I still think we can get a lot better,” Rhoades said. “We have a long way to go.”

Speed and intensity on both ends of the floor was the name of the game for Penn State. Saint Francis struggled mightily against the Nittany Lions’ physical man-to-man defensive approach, forcing up a multitude of uncomfortable shots at the sound of the shot clock horn.

“We turned the ball over way too many times,” Saint Francis head coach Rob Krimmel said. “We knew that a Mike Rhoades team was going to play defense.”

Junior forward Zach Hicks provided an early highlight for fans in the BJC after a difficult midrange shot with a foul slapped on top to make it a three-point play, leading Penn State to a 10-2 lead within five minutes of play.

The Nittany Lions flexed their muscles all the way into the locker room, holding a comfortable 46-18 lead through 20 minutes of play. Senior forward Qudus Wahab led the scoring efforts at the half, providing 10 points without a singular missed shot.

The 28-point margin may have created a little too much comfort for the Nittany Lions, as they came out of the locker room sluggish and sloppy – allowing 11 points within the first five minutes of the second half.

“If you want to be able to beat really good teams, you cannot give away the ball,” Rhoades said. “It doesn’t matter who you play.”

As the night progressed, Rhoades relied on a variety of role players to provide a second surge of energy, to which sophomore forward Demetrius Lilley answered the call with a career-high eight points.

“Meech has been putting in the work ever since I got here – he’s lost 42 pounds,” Rhoades said. “I’m proud of his effort so far. He’s a really coachable kid.”

Sophomore guard Kanye Cleary paced the Nittany Lions in scoring for a third consecutive game with 14 points, growing into a much larger role following the losses of leading offensive threats Jalen Pickett, Andrew Funk and Seth Lundy.

“Playing this much has definitely allowed me to find a rhythm,” Cleary said. “It’s just about reps.”

Saint Francis’ pursuit of its first win will continue back home against Pittsburgh-Greensburgh, which is also seeking a tally in the win department for the young 2023-24 campaign.

“Our team is a seed right now,” Krimmel said. “For now, we’re just watering and fertilizing.”

Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions will close out their four-game homestand on Friday against Morehead State, looking to advance to 4-0 before a road test against the ranked Texas A&M Aggies.

Grant Sheets is a third-year majoring in public relations. To contact him, please email gcs5231@psu.edu.