“The Penn State men’s basketball team is having a blast.
“The Nittany Lions (10-5, 2-2 Big Ten) stifled Purdue last night with defensive switches, offensive fluidity and superior intensity, winning 74-54.
“In the driver’s seat for much of the game, Penn State gradually expanded its lead in the second half, securing the program’s first double-digit win total since the 2000-2001 season.
“‘It’s uncharted waters for us,’ Penn State head coach Ed DeChellis said of the cushion in the second half. ‘We haven’t really been there before where we’re up, and I can talk in timeouts about taking it from 10-15, and then 15-20.’
“Penn State kept Purdue (7-9, 1-4) out of sync offensively by switching defensive systems from time to time. When the Boilermakers got used to seeing a 2-3 zone, DeChellis switched to a 1-3-1, in which the wings would extend far to the outside, providing extra pressure for a struggling offense.
“Occasionally, the Lions would even move to a full court trap, pressuring Purdue into hasty decisions. The Boilermakers committed 19 turnovers on the evening.
“‘They weren’t ready for it,’ Penn State forward Geary Claxton said.
“‘They looked confused, like they didn’t know what to run.’ …”