Northwestern at Penn?State
Tipoff: 8 p.m., Bryce Jordan Center
Records: Penn State (8-6, 0-2 Big Ten); Northwestern (9-6, 0-2 Big Ten)
Coaches: Pat Chambers is 20-26 in his second season at Penn State and 62-54 in his fourth season overall. Bill Carmody is 188-197 in his 13th season at Northwestern and 280-222 in his 17th season overall.
TV: ESPNU
Radio: ESPN Radio 1430 WVAM
Probable starters: Penn State - G D.J. Newbill, 6-4 So. (14.9), G Jermaine Marshall, 6-4 Jr. (14.6), F Ross Travis, 6-6 So. (7.6), F Brandon Taylor, 6-7 Fr. (7.1), C Sasa Borovnjak, 6-9 Jr. (5.4). Northwestern - G Dave Sobolewski, 6-1 So. (10.9), G Reggie Hearn, 6-4 Sr. (14.2), F Kale Abrahamson, 6-7 Fr. (5.2), F Jared Swopshire, 6-8 Sr. (8.8), C Alex Olah, 7-0 Fr. (7.0).
Notes: Penn State has a quick turnaround after Monday's 74-51 home blowout at the hands of Indiana. ... Chambers is not fretting over the significant differences in styles between the high-flying Hoosiers and the patient, Princeton-style offense of the Wildcats. "We just have to stay focused and worry about us," he said. ... PSU (63.4 ppg) and Northwestern (66.5 ppg) rank 11th and 10th respectively in the Big Ten in scoring. ... The Lions won six straight in this series before NU swept both meetings last season. ... The Wildcats are without talented senior forward Drew Crawford. He tore the labrum in his left shoulder in December, and the injury required season-ending surgery. ... Without Crawford, Northwestern was crushed by No. 2 Michigan at home (94-66) and No. 9 Minnesota at home (69-51) to open Big Ten play.
Mirror prediction: Penn State 62, Northwestern 55
Comment: Losing Crawford, who averaged 17 points in the two wins over PSU last season, is a killer for the Wildcats. The Lions, meanwhile, have had much more time to adjust to losing their leader, Tim Frazier (ruptured Achilles' tendon).
Mirror prediction record: 12-2
- Mark Brennan
St. Francis men at Monmouth
Tipoff: 7 p.m., The MAC, West Long Branch, N.J.
Records: St. Francis (1-12, 1-1 Northeast Conference), Monmouth (5-10, 0-2)
Coaches: Rob Krimmel is 1-12 in his first season at St. Francis. King Rice is 17-30 in his second season at Monmouth.
Web stream: radio.francis.edu
Probable starters: St. Francis - G Umar Shannon, 5-11 R-Jr. (14.3), G Greg Brown, 6-2 Fr. (2.5), F Earl Brown, 6-6 So. (7.6), F Stephon Mosley, 6-6 Fr. (7.8), G Stephon Wyatt, 6-1 So. (7.5). Monmouth - G Dion Nesmith, 6-0 Sr. (7.1), G Jesse Steele, 5-8 Sr. (8.3), G Andrew Nicholas, 6-6 So. (14.3), G Stephen Spinella, 6-4 Sr. (7.4), F Ed Waite, 6-3 Sr. (7.3).
Notes: This will be the final time St. Francis travels to West Long Branch for a league game as Monmouth will make its move from the NEC to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference next year. ... The Red Flash are 4-26 at Monmouth. ... The Hawks dropped their first two conference games last week to Wagner and Mount St. Mary's, and are in the midst of a seven-game losing streak, including losses to Syracuse, Maryland and Villanova. ... The Red Flash are 7-67 in road games over the last five seasons. ... St. Francis travels to Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday for a 7 p.m. tip.
Mirror prediction: Monmouth 80, St. Francis 64
Comment: St. Francis. On the road. It doesn't look promising anytime soon.
Mirror prediction record: 12-1
- Nate Foreman
