Inside the Den: Hoops news & notes

With a dramatic, 52-50 win against then-No. 24 Minnesota Saturday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center, Patrick Chambers’ Nittany Lions improved to 11-7 on the year and 3-2 in the Big Ten.

Following the rest of the weekend’s games, that puts Penn State just a game back in the standings from conference leader, No. 25 Maryland (4-1) nearly a third of the way through the Big Ten slate.

Coming out of the win, the Nittany Lions’ second consecutive dating back to a 72-63 victory against Michigan State at the Palestra on Jan. 7, Chambers met with media members Monday afternoon back in the bowels of the BJC to recap the game and preview Penn State’s Wednesday night matchup with Indiana (12-6, 2-3). The Hoosiers and Lions will tip at 7 p.m. at the BJC, with the game broadcast on BTN.

Let’s take a look at some of the news and notes items to emerge from Monday afternoon’s media session:

1) Coming out of the second win that would be considered an “upset” in as many games, Chambers said the focus on the team continues to be internal rather than on the opponent it is about to face.

Relying on a theme he’s touched on multiple times in the past three weeks, Chambers noted that he is continuing to push the improvement of fundamentals and basics for a team that has the athleticism and talent, and maybe most important, the youth, that often accompanies wanting to do more.

Instead, “Getting better at simple” has become a bit of a rallying cry. And the fact that Penn State’s most reliable shooters - Tony Carr, Lamar Stevens and Shep Garner - combined to connect on just three of 22 shots on Saturday, yet still won, is something Chambers has taken solace in.

“I think we hit on all cylinders one game, maybe St. John's at the Garden, but I really feel like we haven't done that yet, and I'm really looking forward to finding that team who does it on a consistent basis,” he said.

Insisting that the narrative of upsets and fluke wins are just distractions from the work at hand, Chambers also pointed to the focus that has engulfed his program as it continues to prove itself on a stage beyond expectations in and immediately surrounding the team.

“We're competing at a high level, we're doing some good things. I just have us focused on getting better every single day,” said Chambers. “We're a good basketball team, but we haven't earned anybody's respect yet. And nonconference would back that opinion up, so we gotta continue to do it. Today at practice we need to do it, film session tomorrow we need to do it in practice, and then Wednesday we need to compete at a high level against a very good basketball team.”

2) Asked specifically about that team, an Indiana program that is considered among the Big Ten’s most talented but checks in with a 2-3 mark in conference play, Chambers hedged.

“Today was all about Penn State. We worked on Penn State today,” he said. “We watched Minnesota film today on how we can get better defensively, what we need to do to take the next step, to be the best defensive team that we can be. I'll worry about Indiana tomorrow, but really Wednesday night is about Penn State basketball and how we defend, our principles, our foundation, our trust, our connectivity, our communication, our effort. That's what it's going to be for me.”

Of course, it will also likely be about the Hoosiers and their league-leading 84.6 points per game scoring offense. Owning a +15.6 scoring margin, third best in the league, the Hoosiers also figure to present a significant challenge beyond-the-arc. Connecting on 38.8 percent of 3-point shots for the season, the Hoosiers’ sharpshooting will require Penn State’s No. 8-ranked 3-point field goal percentage defense to live up to, or exceed, it’s previous performances this season.

3) Chambers didn’t have an answer for it, but the numbers all point to a reality he didn’t dismiss.

Owning a 725-645 scoring advantage in the second half of games against all opponents this season - and maybe more important, a 594-583 deficit in the first half - Chambers acknowledged that his team has had second-half team characteristics this season.

As for the symptoms that are making it true, Chambers said he couldn’t come up with a reason for it.

“No clue. I wish I could give you a better answer,” he said. “I don't like it. It is working out for us recently, but I'd rather be very consistent in both halves. I'd like to see us get off to good starts. It puts a little less pressure on yourself in getting back into a game, especially if you go behind. But the kids are responding so far.

“I wish I could tell you it's my great halftime adjustments. We're playing hard.”

4) Among the other areas of early concern for the Nittany Lions have been turnovers this season.

Though defensive effort has allowed the Nittany Lions to continue to be among the tops in the conference in turnover margin at +1.7 per game, their 245 turnovers in 18 games is tied for eighth in the Big Ten. According to Chambers, the point reflects on an earlier contention he made about doing simple better.

“It's not lackadaisical, it's with great intent to try to make a great play. But we don't need it. Sometimes you don't need a hero play, you just need simple - just simple, solid basketball,” said Chambers. “And I think we lose sight of that because we want to make the spectacular play and we want to get the fans on their feet and we don't need to do that. I don't think we did that against Michigan State. I think we did simple really well and we just gotta get back to that.

“We just watched turnovers up there and there's some things we can correct to get better shots. We gotta get shots. That's 18 times we didn't get a shot up. We gotta do simple better and we will.”

Specifically noting that his young team has a tendency to do what young teams do - which is to say, speeding up pace and failing to slow down, focusing on ball screens and dribble handoffs - Chambers said he wouldn’t trade the mistakes for the style of basketball his team is now playing.

“I love it. I love it. I love this team, I love their energy, I love their enthusiasm,” he said. “I love that I'm going to let them fly up and down the floor, but I'd rather manage that and pull them back than have to get them going. So there's a lot of positives that go along with some of the negatives.”

5) Though NCAA rules prohibit Chambers from talking about recruiting specifics, he finished his press conference with a bit of a humorous note from his interactions out on the recruiting trail Sunday afternoon.

On hand for Class of 2018 prospects Robby Carmody’s Mars team versus Dwayne Cohill’s Holy Name at Hoover High School’s Mercy Medical Center Classic on Sunday afternoon (a game Cohill’s team edged out a 50-49 win), Chambers ran into former Penn State quarterback great Todd Blackledge.

Chambers then relayed this story Blackledge told:

“I was with Todd Blackledge yesterday, he told me he was a pretty good basketball player. I was out recruiting and he just happened to be at the gym and he and I started talking. He was a good basketball player back in the day. He told a great story how he knew football was his calling because he went to a basketball camp, like a five-star, and he had to jump ball versus Ralph Sampson. He kind of knew he would be a quarterback. I think I'll be a quarterback instead. It was nice sharing some moments with Todd. He's a good guy.”