Temple vs. Penn State: 2018 NIT First Round Preview

After an improbable run to the 2018 Big Ten Tournament Semifinals, the Penn State Nittany Lions look to finish their season with a strong 2018 NIT campaign.

How have the Nittany Lions been playing?

Despite losing three of their last five, the Nittany Lions could not be playing better than they are right now. After starting Big Ten play 3-5, the team out of Death Valley won their third meeting with the Ohio State Buckeyes, made an appearance in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament semifinals and came within single digits of beating both Purdue and Michigan. Playing teams closer to their talent level, look for the intangibles that have made Penn State special all season shine through.

How have the Owls been playing?

The Owls have struggled down the stretch. After starting the season 15-10 with wins over Wichita State and Auburn, the Owls stumbled down the stretch losing five of their last seven and finishing seventh in the American Athletic Conference. In their American Athletic Conference tournament loss, the Owls were outrebounded by eleven and shot sixteen less free throws than their opponent, the Shockers of Wichita State.

Key Player To Watch

Tony Carr is the hungriest lion in Happy Valley. The sophomore out of Philadelphia has been on fire in his last five games. Averaging twenty-two points, six rebounds and four assists per game, Carr is playing his best basketball of the season against top seeds in the big dance. Imagine what he’ll do in the NIT.

Both teams had their moments this season when it came to putting themselves in position for an at-large bid but ultimately fell short. But for the Nittany Lions, this could be a similar situation to TCU, who used a run in the NIT Tournament to propel themselves to the real event. This will be the first of a possible run.

Prediction: Penn State, 70 – Temple, 62