Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons vs. Penn St. Nittany Lions Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 20th 2024

Preview and Prediction

After four games, Penn State's coach Mike Rhoades is feeling confident about his unbeaten team. The Nittany Lions will look to continue their impressive start to the season on Wednesday when they face Purdue Fort Wayne in a non-conference matchup.

Penn State (4-0) has dominated their first four opponents, winning by margins of 42, 49, 30, and 22 points. In their most recent game, an 86-64 victory over Virginia Tech, Zach Hicks and Ace Baldwin Jr. both scored 19 points, while Nick Kern Jr. contributed 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Baldwin also had 10 assists and Freddie Dilione V recorded four of the team's 16 steals.

According to Rhoades, "There are no guarantees in sports, but I am pleased with our progress. These players are working hard and have a strong bond with each other." The Nittany Lions have three more games against mid-major teams before facing off against No. 6 Purdue on December 5th. Their win against Virginia Tech proves that they should not be underestimated.

Baldwin also believes that their win over Virginia Tech was a statement victory, saying, "We had a tough week of practice. Coach pushed us hard, and I think we performed well today."

Purdue Fort Wayne (3-1) has been scoring at a high rate, putting up 90+ points in all three of their wins. In their most recent game, a 93-74 win over Southern Indiana, Jalen Jackson had a career-high 29 points, along with four rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

Jackson credits his teammates for his success, saying, "My teammates had confidence in me. On our team, anyone can have a big night. We have a deep roster and we all support each other."

The Mastodons' leading scorers are Rasheed Bello (18.5 points per game) and Jalen Jackson (17 points per game), with Eric Mulder adding 10.8 points and a team-high 8.5 rebounds per game.

PREDICTION

Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons

Penn St. Nittany Lions