Minnesota looks to rebound from a bad loss against Nebraska, as they host Penn State in another conference matchup. Minnesota remains one game above .500 at 11-10 on the season, as they face off against a 9-11 Penn State team that has won just 1 game on the road this season. Here are three keys to the game as Minnesota looks to pick up a win.
Keep Jamison Battle Going
After a few rough games, it looks like Jamison found his shooting touch again in the second half against Nebraska. Minnesota really struggled with him not scoring the ball well, so they'll hope he can carry on that momentum he picked up in the second half earlier this week. When Jamison shoots the ball well, it opens up a lot in the paint as it draws out some opposing size deep onto the perimeter, leaving just one post player to defend the rim. Not only can it lead to points coming from Battle, but Eric Curry will also have a lot more isolated looks on the block if Jamison is stretching the floor. We've seen how Jamison has the ability to put the team on his back with a handful of buckets in just a few minutes, so if he can put together a big game, Minnesota has a good chance to win.
Better Ball Movement
Over the last few games it seems like the offense has been stagnant. The ball just isn't moving, and there isn't much off-ball movement to create open looks. That leads to a lot of late shot clock situations where Minnesota ends up having to take deep and contested looks that don't fall very often. In non-conference play and at the start of the conference season, Minnesota was scoring a lot with off-ball cuts and excellent ball movement on the perimeter. That unselfish play kept them competitive with a lot of teams with more talent, and they need to bring that style back if they hope to pick up a few more wins this season.
Win The Paint Battle
Penn State doesn't really have a go-to player this season, and they're extremely balanced. Lately Minnesota has been reliant on Payton Willis and Luke Loewe stepping up, but the production just hasn't been there in the frontcourt. Eric Curry had some big games before his injury, and this would be a great time for him to bounce back with a double-double area game. Penn State doesn't have a ton of size so there's the opportunity for him to contribute on both ends of the floor. We've already talked about Jamison Battle looking to catch fire again, and that leaves Charlie Daniels and Treyton Thompson. Daniels needs a big game defensively and on the glass. He doesn't play much of a role offensively, so if he can win his battle on the other end that will be huge. Treyton Thompson has the ability to stretch the floor, which could draw out his defender and open things up inside for his teammates.
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