Column: Breakdown of Penn State-IU

Head Coach
Patrick Chambers is in his second year at Penn State (20-25).

PSU guard Tim Frazier out
During PSU’s fourth game of the season, senior point guard Tim Frazier, the Big Ten’s active leader in assists (459), went down with a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon.

Last season, Frazier scored 21 points in two games against IU, which included one of his best performances of the season when he almost carried the Nittany Lions to an upset against the Hoosiers on Jan. 8, 2012.

Frazier was a preseason All-Big Ten selection leading the Big Ten in assists last season (6.2 per game) while also leading PSU in scoring with 18.8 PPG. This season, Frazier was averaging 16.3 points and 3.75 assists through four games.

This season, his presence has been missed from the Nittany Lions’ lineup, as PSU ranks 337 out of 345 teams with only 9.5 assists per game.

This season’s leading scorer
With Frazier out, sophomore guard D.J. Newbill has picked up the scoring load by averaging 15.5 points in 35.5 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-4-inch Philadelphia native uses his body to do most of his damage from inside the three-point arc — he’s shooting 69 of 161 from the field, but only 7 of 29 from downtown.

He ranks second on the team with 82 rebounds (6.3 RPG), including 22 offensive rebounds, and his ability to get to the basket also allows him to get to the free throw line frequently, where he has shot 56 of 86 (65.1 percent).

Along with Newbill, PSU is led by junior Jermaine Marshall (14.9 PPG), who scored 20 points against IU on Jan. 8, 2012.

One of the most pressing questions facing the Nittany Lions on any given night this season is who will help carry the scoring load after Newbill and Marshall. Only two other Penn State players average seven points or more, and the bench ranks 11th in the Big Ten, scoring only 10.2 points per game.

Last time these teams met
Most Hoosier fans probably remember IU’s last meeting with PSU as the game Verdell Jones III went down with a season-ending ACL injury in the Big Ten Tournament. The Hoosiers, however, defeated the Nittany Lions by a 75-58 margin.

What they do well
When you look at the stats, Penn State’s plus-77 rebounding margin stands out. The Nittany Lions have averaged 37.5 rebounds a game while outrebounding their opponents 487 to 410, including 153 to 105 on the offensive end.

But when you take a deeper look, the numbers become more impressive because PSU’s rebounding is not led by its big men.

PSU’s top three rebounders are Travis Ross (7.7 RPG), D.J. Newbill (6.3 RPG) and Jermaine Marshall (4.4 RPG). Both Newbill and Marshall are 6-foot-4-inch guards, and Ross is only a 6-foot-6-inch forward.

For the Hoosiers to be successful against Penn State, it will be crucial that every IU player on the court is actively blocking-out and pursuing rebounds, because the Nittany Lions’ backcourt and wingmen will be looking to take advantage of easy second-chance opportunities.

Norman’s Numbers
5 — IU is the only team in the Big Ten with five players averaging 11 points or better per game. Michigan comes in second-place, with four players averaging 11 PPG or better.

28 — The number of points Jordan Hulls scored on Jan. 8, 2012 at Penn State. Hulls shot seven of nine from behind the arc and seven of nine from the free throw line en route to posting a career-high in points.

9 — In 40 meetings, Penn State has only beat IU nine times, but, dating back to March 2008, the Nittany Lions have won six of the last 10 games against the Hoosiers.

396 — In 14 games, IU has outscored its opponents by 396 points. The Hoosiers’ plus-28.3 scoring margin ranks No. 1 in the nation in front of Syracuse’s plus-23.7.

My take
Without a play initiator like Frazier on the floor for PSU, the Nittany Lions are simply mismatched in a game like this one.

IU and Penn State represent two different ends of the Big Ten’s scoring spectrum, and clearly the Hoosiers’ scoring depth is superior to PSU’s.

The Hoosiers led the nation by averaging 89.4 PPG, while the Nittany Lions rank 253 of 345 by only scoring 64.3 PPG. Also, IU leads the Big Ten in bench scoring with 28.1 PPG, while PSU ranks 11th with only 10.2 PPG.

In one additional game played, the Hoosiers have made more free throws (285 of 377) than PSU has attempted (194 of 283).

The offensive discrepancies go on and on. IU has five players averaging 11 PPG compared to PSU’s two — but road games in the Big Ten are not freebies.

Ask the No. 14 Fighting Illini, who lost to a “weak” Purdue team in West Lafayette last week.

For the Hoosiers to win, IU needs to push the pace and control the glass.

A week off should give the Hoosiers fresh legs, so watch for IU Coach Tom Crean to utilize everyone on his deep bench.

Expect Cody Zeller to have a good game against Penn State’s 6-foot-9-inch senior Sasa Borovnjak, 6-foot-7-inch freshman Brandon Taylor or 6-foot-8-inch sophomore Jon Graham. His second half against Iowa showed that even when he starts a game slow, he is a player who gets stronger throughout a 40-minute game.

I also see another big game from Jordan Hulls coming. Last year, during three games against PSU, Hulls averaged 20.7 PPG, including his career-high 28-point performance on Jan. 8, 2012.

Last time out, Hulls struggled mightily against Iowa, shooting zero of 10 from the field with zero points, so look for a bounce-back shooting night from No. 1 in crimson.

Prediction: On the same night as the NCAA football championship, the Hoosiers will defeat the Nittany Lions by a couple of touchdowns and a field goal. 80-63.

­— mdnorman@indiana.edu