After dropping their last two games to open 2023, unranked Indiana basketball now travels to University Park to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions on Wednesday.
Penn State, like the Hoosiers, has lost two straight games and is coming in with a plan to get back on track. The Nittany Lions have lost at Michigan and against No. 1 Purdue but took down Iowa at home, 83-79 to begin 2023.
Indiana, on the other hand, has lost at Iowa and against Northwestern at home, their first home loss of the season, and has yet to put together a win in the new year.
Not mentioned below are two senior guards, Myles Dread and Camren Wynter, both of who have the ability to get hot from anywhere on the floor and carry this team to a win at home, especially Dread who has logged nine games this season with two or more made three-pointers, though he’s struggling recently, shooting just 6-for-20 (30.0 percent) over his last five games.
Here are my three key Penn State Nittany Lions that the Hoosiers need to keep in the cage to get in the winning column in 2023:
Three Nittany Lions to keep in the cage for Indiana basketball on Wednesday:
3. Andrew Funk – Senior Guard – #10
2022-23 stats: 16 GP, 33.6 MIN, 11.6 PPG, 42.8 FG%, 2.9 3PM, 40.4 3P%, 69.2 FT%
The fifth-year senior guard transfer from Bucknell ranks third on third on the team in scoring, first on the team in three-pointers made this season (46), and second on the team in three-point shooting percentage on the team (min. 50 attempts).
In his first game in the Penn State uniform, Funk poured in 22 points on six made three-pointers in a dominant win over Winthrop. Thus far in his final college basketball season, Funk has logged four 20-point games, and in his second Big Ten game of the season, Funk posted 20 points and six made threes against No. 17 Illinois on December 10.
Though he’s been struggling in his past two games, shooting just 5-for-20 from the field and 2-for-13 from three, Funk is dangerous enough to catapult the Nittany Lions way ahead of the Hoosiers on Wednesday night.