NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Butler, Villanova rising for the Big East

Penn State only competed in one game during this past week and it rolled over Central Connecticut by nearly 30 points. No surprise there. The Nittany Lions have been quite consistent so far this season as one of the nation’s top performers.

After heading into this season with hopes of making the NCAA Tournament, that conversation has quickly shifted to wondering whether this team could compete for the Big Ten title. Head coach Pat Chambers has this team playing extremely well on both ends of the floor en route to a 10-2 record that includes six KenPom top-100 wins.

Most notably, Mike Watkins anchors this defensive unit as an underappreciated star big man. Penn State’s defense ranks 25th in the nation so far this season and the senior’s shot-blocking inside is a major reason why. Through the first 12 contests of the campaign, Watkins is swatting 3.8 shots per game while exhibiting the fifth-best individual block rate in the entire country (16.5%). He makes the Nittany Lions nearly impossible to score on in the paint when he is on the floor. Watkins is also supplying 10.5 points and 9.3 rebounds.

With that said, though, senior Lamar Stevens is the clear-cut star of this team. Whenever the Nittany Lions need a bucket in crunch time, he is their go-to guy as an All-Big Ten level performer. The 6-foot-8 forward is posting 16.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game this year while also showcasing his abilities as one of the best defenders in the conference.

It is also worth mentioning that sophomore guard Myreon Jones has taken a significant leap into the team’s secondary scoring role.