Penn State Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Nittany Lions

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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 29: Head coach Pat Chambers of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates with his team after defeating the Utah Utes 82-66 during the 2018 NIT Championship game at Madison Square Garden on March 29, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

Penn State Basketball is coming off the program’s second NIT title. Can they take the next step forward and make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011?

The Penn State Nittany Lions found themselves on the NCAA Tournament bubble last season thanks to a 21-13 record (and three victories over Ohio State) but were ultimately relegated to the NIT. Head coach Pat Chambers and his squad made the most of that opportunity, however, winning the NIT for the second time in program history.

That finish and those wins over Ohio State generated plenty of buzz around the Penn State program, but that buzz was dampened a bit shortly after the season ended when star Tony Carr opted to stay in the NBA Draft.

Had Carr returned to Happy Valley for one more season, the Nittany Lions would have been a preseason top 25 team this year. Instead, they were picked to finish 11th in the conference in the preseason media poll.

This is a team that will have to prove their doubters wrong again and they have the personnel to do it. PSU returns three of their top five scorers from last year’s team, headlined by budding stars Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins.

That duo, along with returning wing player Josh Reaves, averaged double-figure points a year ago and will be tasked with carrying the offensive load without Carr. However, the big question is if they’ll be able to get enough help from their supporting cast.

What should we expect from the Nittany Lions this season? Here’s a full preview of Penn State’s season, including their projected rotation and a look at their non-conference schedule:

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