# 2017–18 Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team

The 2017–18 Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team represented Pennsylvania State University in the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They are led by head coach Pat Chambers, in his seventh season with the team, and played their home games at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pennsylvania as members of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 26–13, 9–9 in Big Ten play to finish in a tie for sixth place. In the Big Ten tournament, they defeated Northwestern and Ohio State before losing to Purdue in the semifinals. They received a bid to the National Invitation Tournament where they defeated Temple, Notre Dame, Marquette, and Mississippi State to advance to the NIT championship where they defeated Utah to become NIT champions.

## Previous season

The Nittany Lions finished the 2016–17 season 15–18, 6–12 in Big Ten play to finish in a tie for 12th place. As the No. 13 seed in the Big Ten tournament, they beat Nebraska in the first round before losing to Michigan State in the second round.

## Offseason
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes |
| Payton Banks | 0 | F | 6'6" | 223 | RS Junior | Orange, CA | Graduate transferred to South Florida |
| Terrence Samuel | 5 | G | 6'3" | 208 | RS Junior | Brooklyn, NY | Graduate transferred to South Florida |
| Isaiah Washington | 21 | G | 6'2" | 163 | RS Sophomore | Williamsport, PA | Graduate transferred to Quinnpiac |

### 2017 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight |
| Jamari Wheeler PG | Live Oak, FL | The Rock School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Taylor Nussbaum PG | South Salem, NY | Cheshire Academy | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | N/A |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ||||||
| Trent Buttrick PF | Naples, FL | Community School of Naples | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ||||||
| John Harrar PF | Wallingford, PA | Strath Haven High School | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 240 lb (110 kg) |
| Recruiting star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2016 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 28, 2017. ||||||

### 2018 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for 2018 recruits :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Myles Dread CG | Burtonsville, MD | Gonzaga College High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | Jul 10, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Rasir Bolton PG | Virginia Beach, VA | Huntington Prep | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Jul 23, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Daniil Kasatkin PG | Ivanovo, Russia | Mountain Mission | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | Nov 21, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Myreon Jones CG | Birmingham, AL | Lincoln Academy | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | May 2, 2018 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: |||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2018 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. |||||||

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

| Position | Name | Year | Alma mater |
| Head coach | Patrick Chambers | 2011 | Philadelphia University (1994) |
| Associate head coach | Keith Urgo | 2011 | Fairfield University (2002) |
| Assistant coach | Dwayne Anderson | 2013 | Villanova University (2009) |
| Assistant coach | Jim Ferry | 2017 | Keene State (1990) |
| Director of Basketball Operations | Ross Condon | 2011 | Villanova University (2007) |
| On campus recruiting coordinator | Nicholas Colella | 2015 | Penn State (2013) |
| Athletic trainer | Jon Salazer | 2001 | Penn State (1993) |
| Director of player development | David Caporaletti | 2011 | Philadelphia University (1993) |
| Strength and conditioning coach | Greg Miskinis | 2009 | Penn State (2008) |
| Graduate Manager | Stephen Griffin | 2017 | Philadelphia University (2014) |
| Graduate Manager | Nick Higgins | 2017 | Penn State (2017) |

## Schedule and results

The 2018 Big Ten tournament was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Due to the Big East's use of that venue for their conference tournament, the Big Ten tournament took place one week earlier than usual, ending the week before Selection Sunday.
| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Bahamas exhibition trip |||||||||
| Aug 6, 2017* 2:00 pm | | vs. New Providence Basketball Association All-Stars Summer of Thunder Tour | W 109–105 $^{OT}$ | | 26 – Carr | 12 – Pierce | 7 – Carr | Sir Kendal Isaac's National Gymnasium Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre Nassau, Bahamas |
| Aug 8, 2017* 6:00 pm | | vs. Providence Storm Summer of Thunder Tour | W 112–63 | | 28 – Garner | 10 – Pierce | 3 – 3 tied | Sir Kendal Isaac's National Gymnasium Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre Nassau, Bahamas |
| Aug 9, 2017* 2:00 pm | | vs. Bahamas All-Stars Summer of Thunder Tour – Cancelled | | | | | | Sir Kendal Isaac's National Gymnasium Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre Nassau, Bahamas |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| Nov 4, 2017* 1:00 pm | | at Lafayette OAA hurricane relief benefit | W 102–80 | – | 23 – Carr | 6 – Reaves | 2 – 5 tied | Kirby Sports Center Easton, PA |
| Nov 5, 2017* 12:00 pm, BTN+ | | Bloomsburg | W 84–67 | – | 17 – Garner | 8 – Stevens | 7 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (3,826) University Park, PA |
| Regular season |||||||||
| Nov 10, 2017* 4:00 pm, BTN+ | | Campbell | W 86–75 | 1–0 | 33 – Carr | 9 – Carr | 7 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center University Park, PA |
| Nov 12, 2017* 5:00 pm, BTN+ | | Fairleigh Dickinson | W 81–57 | 2–0 | 20 – Carr | 9 – Reaves | 7 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (5,802) University Park, PA |
| Nov 15, 2017* 7:00 pm, BTN | | Montana Legends Classic campus site game | W 70–57 | 3–0 | 25 – Stevens | 7 – Stevens | 3 – Garner | Bryce Jordan Center (5,854) University Park, PA |
| Nov 17, 2017* 7:00 pm, BTN+ | | Columbia | W 79–65 | 4–0 | 26 – Garner | 14 – Watkins | 4 – Wheeler | Bryce Jordan Center (6,529) University Park, PA |
| Nov 20, 2017* 9:30 pm, ESPN3 | | vs. Pittsburgh Legends Classic semifinals | W 85–54 | 5–0 | 16 – Carr | 8 – Stevens | 5 – Carr | Barclays Center (5,904) Brooklyn, NY |
| Nov 21, 2017* 6:00 pm, ESPN2 | | vs. No. 16 Texas A&M Legends Classic championship | L 87–98 | 5–1 | 31 – Carr | 7 – Stevens | 4 – Tied | Barclays Center (5,081) Brooklyn, NY |
| Nov 24, 2017* 3:00 pm, BTN+ | | Oral Roberts Legends Classic campus site game | W 86–48 | 6–1 | 14 – Wheeler/Bostick | 7 – Wheeler | 5 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (4,463) University Park, PA |
| Nov 29, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPNU | | at NC State ACC–Big Ten Challenge | L 78–85 | 6–2 | 29 – Carr | 14 – Watkins | 5 – Reaves | PNC Arena (15,270) Raleigh, NC |
| Dec 2, 2017 5:00 pm, BTN | | at Iowa | W 77–73 | 7–2 (1–0) | 22 – Stevens | 7 – Watkins | 9 – Carr | Carver–Hawkeye Arena (12,805) Iowa City, IA |
| Dec 4, 2017 7:00 pm, ESPN2 | | Wisconsin | L 63–64 | 7–3 (1–1) | 22 – Watkins | 9 – Carr | 5 – Reaves | Bryce Jordan Center (6,730) University Park, PA |
| Dec 9, 2017* 4:00 pm, BTN | | George Washington | W 74–54 | 8–3 | 19 – Carr | 12 – Watkins | 4 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (6,652) University Park, PA |
| Dec 17, 2017* 4:00 pm, Stadium | | at George Mason | W 72–54 | 9–3 | 23 – Stevens | 12 – Tied | 4 – Reaves | EagleBank Arena (5,439) Fairfax, VA |
| Dec 19, 2017* 7:00 pm, BTN+ | | Binghamton | W 80–65 | 10–3 | 16 – Stevens | 11 – Watkins | 9 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (4,009) University Park, PA |
| Dec 22, 2017* 7:00 pm, BTN | | Rider | L 70–71 | 10–4 | 18 – Garner | 13 – Reaves | 8 – Reaves | Bryce Jordan Center (4,217) University Park, PA |
| Dec 30, 2017* 1:00 pm, BTN+ | | Coppin State | W 88–43 | 11–4 | 21 – Carr | 7 – Wheeler | 7 – Reaves | Bryce Jordan Center (4,512) University Park, PA |
| Jan 2, 2018 7:00 pm, BTN | | at Maryland | L 69–75 | 11–5 (1–2) | 17 – Watkins | 17 – Watkins | 8 – Carr | Xfinity Center (14,374) College Park, MD |
| Jan 5, 2018 8:00 pm, FS1 | | Northwestern | W 78–63 | 12–5 (2–2) | 30 – Stevens | 17 – Watkins | 5 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (4,682) University Park, PA |
| Jan 9, 2018 6:30 pm, BTN | | at Indiana | L 70–74 | 12–6 (2–3) | 28 – Carr | 12 – Watkins | 3 – Carr | Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) Bloomington, IN |
| Jan 12, 2018 7:00 pm, BTN | | Nebraska | W 76–74 $^{OT}$ | 13–6 (3–3) | 26 – Stevens | 15 – Watkins | 8 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (6,821) University Park, PA |
| Jan 15, 2018 7:00 pm, BTN | | Minnesota | L 84–95 $^{OT}$ | 13–7 (3–4) | 33 – Carr | 11 – Watkins | 3 – Tied | Bryce Jordan Center (6,361) University Park, PA |
| Jan 20, 2018 2:00 pm, BTN | | at Northwestern | L 61–70 | 13–8 (3–5) | 22 – Garner | 8 – Watkins | 6 – Carr | Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL |
| Jan 25, 2018 8:00 pm, BTN | | at No. 13 Ohio State | W 82–79 | 14–8 (4–5) | 28 – Carr | 6 – Stevens | 5 – Carr | Value City Arena (13,464) Columbus, OH |
| Jan 27, 2018 4:00 pm, BTN | | Rutgers | W 60–43 | 15–8 (5–5) | 16 – Carr | 19 – Watkins | 4 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (13,677) University Park, PA |
| Jan 31, 2018 6:30 pm, BTN | | at No. 5 Michigan State | L 68–76 | 15–9 (5–6) | 28 – Carr | 7 – Reaves | 7 – Carr | Breslin Center (14,797) East Lansing, MI |
| Feb 3, 2018 6:00 pm, BTN | | Iowa | W 82-58 | 16–9 (6–6) | 19 – Watkins | 10 – Watkins | 5 – Reaves | Bryce Jordan Center (10,394) University Park, PA |
| Feb 7, 2018 6:30 pm, BTN | | Maryland | W 74–70 | 17–9 (7–6) | 25 – Stevens | 9 – Reaves | 6 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (8,435) University Park, PA |
| Feb 11, 2018 7:00 pm, BTN | | at Illinois | W 74–52 | 18–9 (8–6) | 16 – Garner | 6 – 2 tied | 6 – Carr | State Farm Center (12,840) Champaign, IL |
| Feb 15, 2018 8:00 pm, BTN | | No. 8 Ohio State | W 79–56 | 19–9 (9–6) | 30 – Carr | 10 – Watkins | 6 – Reaves | Bryce Jordan Center (10,981) University Park, PA |
| Feb 18, 2018 8:00 pm, BTN | | at No. 6 Purdue | L 73–76 | 19–10 (9–7) | 19 – Carr | 7 – Reaves | 5 – 2 tied | Mackey Arena (14,804) West Lafayette, IN |
| Feb 21, 2018 7:00 pm, BTN | | No. 17 Michigan | L 63–72 | 19–11 (9–8) | 21 – Carr | 8 – Stevens | 6 – Carr | Bryce Jordan Center (13,586) University Park, PA |
| Feb 25, 2018 5:15 pm, BTN | | at Nebraska | L 64–76 | 19–12 (9–9) | 27 – Carr | 7 – Reaves/Stevens | 3 – Reaves | Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,991) Lincoln, NE |
| Big Ten tournament |||||||||
| Mar 1, 2018 6:30 pm, BTN | (7) | vs. (10) Northwestern Second Round | W 65–57 | 20–12 | 25 – Carr | 8 – Reaves | 4 – Carr | Madison Square Garden (13,996) New York City, NY |
| Mar 2, 2018 6:30 pm, BTN | (7) | vs. (2) No. 13 Ohio State Quarterfinals | W 69–68 | 21–12 | 25 – Carr | 7 – Stevens | 5 – Carr | Madison Square Garden (14,530) New York City, NY |
| Mar 3, 2018 4:30 pm, CBS | (7) | vs. (3) No. 8 Purdue Semifinals | L 70–78 | 21–13 | 33 – Garner | 9 – Carr | 4 – Carr | Madison Square Garden (19,812) New York City, NY |
| NIT |||||||||
| Mar 14, 2018* 8:00 pm, ESPNU | (4) | (5) Temple First Round – Notre Dame Bracket | W 63–57 | 22–13 | 19 – Reaves | 11 – Reaves | 5 – Reaves | Bryce Jordan Center (4,528) University Park, PA |
| Mar 17, 2018* 12:00 pm, ESPN | (4) | at (1) Notre Dame Second Round – Notre Dame Bracket | W 73–63 | 23–13 | 24 – Carr | 9 – Reaves | 4 – Carr | Edmund P. Joyce Center (4,023) Notre Dame, IN |
| Mar 20, 2018* 7:00 pm, ESPN | (4) | at (2) Marquette Quarterfinals – Notre Dame Bracket | W 85–80 | 24–13 | 30 – Stevens | 9 – Harrar | 7 – Carr | Al McGuire Center (3,670) Milwaukee, WI |
| Mar 27, 2018* 7:00 pm, ESPN | (4) | vs. (4) Mississippi State Semifinals | W 75–60 | 25–13 | 21 – Carr | 8 – Stevens | 6 – Stevens | Madison Square Garden (7,865) New York City, NY |
| Mar 29, 2018* 7:00 pm, ESPN | (4) | vs. (2) Utah Championship | W 82–66 | 26–13 | 28 – Stevens | 12 – Harrar | 14 – Carr | Madison Square Garden (11,175) New York City, NY |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. |||||||||