Preview: Iowa at Penn State in Big Ten Men’s Basketball

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (Interstat) — The surging Iowa Hawkeyes, riding a wave of momentum behind star guard Bennett Stirtz, visit the struggling Penn State Nittany Lions in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at Bryce Jordan Center.

Iowa (20-8, 10-5 Big Ten) enters on a high note after a commanding 74-57 victory over Ohio State on Wednesday. The Hawkeyes have won three of their last four and are firmly in the hunt for a high seed in the upcoming conference tournament. Their success is largely fueled by Stirtz, who is averaging 26.1 points over his last eight games. He scored 22 points with three assists in the win over the Buckeyes, following a 23-point effort in a road loss to Wisconsin.

Penn State (11-17, 3-12) looks to halt a three-game skid and salvage a difficult season. The Nittany Lions are coming off an 87-64 road loss to Nebraska last Saturday, where forward Ivan Juric recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Juric has been a bright spot, averaging 8.8 points and 6.0 rebounds over his last five contests, but Penn State has struggled defensively, allowing an average of 84.6 points during its current losing streak.

The Hawkeyes boast a balanced attack. In the win over Ohio State, Alvaro Folgueiras added 20 points and five assists, while Cam Manyawu contributed 12 points off the bench. Iowa’s offense, averaging 78.2 points in conference play, will test a Penn State defense ranked near the bottom of the league.

For Penn State, support for Juric will be crucial. Guard Kayden Mingo, who had 13 points and six assists against Nebraska, needs to provide consistent backcourt production alongside Josh Reed (11 points vs. Nebraska) to keep pace with Iowa’s scoring.

The Nittany Lions will aim to protect their home court, where they are 8-7 this season, including a conference win over Minnesota on Feb. 1. Iowa, however, has been strong on the road in Big Ten play, with notable wins at Washington, Oregon and Indiana last month.

Saturday’s contest is the only scheduled meeting between the teams this regular season. Iowa’s next game is at home against Michigan on March 5. Penn State hosts Ohio State on March 4.

Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. EST.