Column: Scouting the Nittany Lions

WHO Penn State (12-19, 4-14)

WHAT First-round game of the Big Ten Tournament

WHEN About 2 p.m. today

WHERE Bankers Life Fieldhouse

HOW Big Ten Network (Gus Johnson, Shon Morris, Lisa Byington), IU Radio Network, live audio on IUHoosiers.com

Scouting Penn State

Head coach Patrick Chambers, first season
Leading scorer Junior guard Tim Frazier, 18.6 ppg
Leading rebounder Junior guard Tim Frazier, 4.8 rpg
Best win against
Purdue, 65-45
Worst loss against
Lafayette, 61-57

What they do well

Not sure if this counts, but Tim Frazier. Frazier is the second-leading scorer in the Big Ten as well as the conference’s assist leader, averaging 6.3 per game.

What needs work

Field goal percentage. The Nittany Lions’ 39.4 shooting percentage is the worst in the Big Ten and 328th among 344 Division I schools.

Projected starters

Indiana

G Jordan Hulls 11.1 points per game
G Victor Oladipo 11.2
F Will Sheehey 8.7
F Christian Watford 11.8
F Cody Zeller 15.4

Penn State

G Jermaine Marshall 10.9 points per game
G Tim Frazier 18.6
G Matt Glover 2.8
F Ross Travis 4.4
F Jon Graham 4.0

My take

This game is IU’s to lose. By defeating Purdue, the Hoosiers earned fifth place in the Big Ten and a matchup with the last place Nittany Lions in the first round of the conference tournament.

IU has never won the Big Ten Tournament since its creation in 1998. The first step toward conquering that feat starts this afternoon against a transitioning Penn State squad that gave the Hoosiers a scare in January.

Had it not been for IU junior guard Jordan Hulls and senior guard Matt Roth shooting a combined 12-15 from beyond the arc, the Hoosiers might have been given their worst loss of the season. Despite a halftime deficit in the second matchup, IU predictably cruised in Bloomington 73-54.

This Penn State team reflects its new head coach, Pat Chambers. The Nittany Lions are scrappy, play with a lot of emotion and like being the aggressor. Coincidentally, they have committed the most fouls of any Big Ten team.

But it all comes back to All-Big Ten selection Tim Frazier. The junior guard has scored 30 percent of Penn State’s average points per game this season and has scored in double figures in 21-straight games dating back to Dec. 7, 2011.

Although IU has had a nasty habit of playing down to inferior opponents with losses against Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota, a pro-IU crowd in attendance should help the Hoosiers cruise to a victory.