Penn State is an abysmal 1-8 on the road this season. If the Nitany Lions hope to remain in the hunt for the NCAA Tournament, they'll have to turn their luck around beginning tonight when they face Northwestern at 9:00 P.M. in Evanston, Ill.
The team will play two of its final three games on the road, both against teams they handled at the Bryce Jordan Center. The first game is obviously this evening against the Wildcats. The Lions beat them soundly back in Happy Valley, riding 48% shooting a solid perimeter defense that held their opponent to 2-21 shooting from beyond the arc to an important win.
This time around, Northwestern figures to be better, and Penn State has to be ready. The Wildcats have won two of their past three games, beating Iowa and Indiana in the last week. They'll have their hometown fans behind them tonight.
The game has huge implications for Penn State's NCAA Tournament hopes. If the Lions win it, they'll be in good position to split their final two games and have something to play for at the Big Ten tournament. If they lose, they almost have to win their final two games and do a lot of work in Indianapolis to have a shot at an at-large bid.