Penn State was manhandled by No. 2 Kentucky 85-47 on Saturday in the Nittany Lions' first clash of their two game excursion to the Hall of Fame Tipoff Tournament in Uncasville, Conn. Sunday, they'll look to get back on track against a far more manageable foe, the Big East's South Florida. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.com at 2:30 p.m.
The Bulls enter the game 3-1 on the season after falling 68-66 against Old Dominion in overtime on Saturday. Thus far, they own wins against Vermont, Marist and Florida Southern.
Here are some things to watch for when the action gets underway.
When Penn State has the ball...
-Penn State was a putrid 4-12 from the foul line against Kentucky, so the Lions will be looking for some redemption there. It'd be in their best interests to get there more often, too, by driving to the basket and drawing the calls that offer the freebies. Coach Pat Chambers has said from the beginning of the season that he wants to see his teams in the 25-30 range in free throws attempted, so look for him to push his team to drive to the cup more.
-Following Ross Travis' 10-point, eight-rebound performance against the Wildcats, it'll be interesting to see if he can keep the momentum going. The freshman hasn't made a start yet, but he might be in line for one if he has another nice game against the Bulls.
-Freshman guard Trey Lewis hit a wall against Kentucky after a solid start to the season. He shot just 1-9 from the field, so his play will be worth monitoring to see if he can get his confidence back against the Bulls.
When South Florida has the ball...
-Victor Rudd averages nearly 17 points per game for South Florida, so he's someone the Lions should have their eyes on at all times.
-Both Augustus Gilchrist and Ron Anderson Jr. average better than nine rebounds per game for the Bulls, so Penn State's forwards have to be aware of them in the trenches, but especially in their own. These two could easily score a bunch of extra possession points, so it's key for Penn State to defend the glass.