Penn State Basketball: The fate of the Nittany Lion’s future rest on Tony Carr

Penn State is riding high after winning the NIT Championship. But now fans are awaiting Tony Carr’s decision, which will determine the Nittany Lion’s expectations for next year.

This season was largely about being competitive in both the Big Ten and nationally at-large. For a long time, the Nittany Lions were an afterthought as a basketball program. But thanks to a talented group of underclassmen, there finally was a glimmer of hope.

This season went from hope to excitement, with Penn State going 9-9 in conference play. It was the first time in seven years the word “bubble” even factored in. They defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes three times this season, before heading off to the NIT.

Sophomore Mike Watkins was unable to play in the tournament with an injury, but the Nittany Lions were able to defeat Temple, Notre Dame, Marquette, Mississippi State and Utah in route to the NIT title. With all but two players coming back for the team, the goal is to repeat what TCU did; winning the NIT and turning it into an NCAA Tournament appearance.

But that all now depends on star guard Tony Carr, who was a rebound shy of a triple-double in the title game. The 6’5 sophomore leads the team with 19.6 ppg and 5.0 apg, while chipping in with nearly five boards a night.

His breakout year has caught the eyes of NBA scouts, who have him projected as a mid-1st to early 2nd round player. Guys have stayed with better projections, and others have left with worse. There’s really no telling how this would work out with Carr, but odds are he’ll at least enter the draft without hiring an agent.

The consequences are huge with Carr’s decision. With him back, and several teams losing key players, Penn State has a great shot at a top-4 finish, and Carr personally with an All-Conference selection.

He along with Watkins (who already said is coming back) and Lamar Stevens (undetermined), will form one of the best trios in all of college basketball next year. If he doesn’t come back, Penn State won’t have the scoring needed to take the next step up the conference ladder.

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As a fan of a sport who enjoys seeing different teams in the spotlight, I’d love to see Carr come back and make the Nittany Lions a force. But it’s Carr’s life and choice, and hopefully, his choice works out well. In the meantime, Penn State fans will be checking Twitter daily for an update on his future, waiting with baiting breath.