Penn State’s NCAA Tournament hopes are nearing dire straits.
The 13-7 Nittany Lions have lost five of their last six games, and are tied with Rutgers for the 14th-best record in the Big Ten.
While the path to the postseason isn’t completely blocked, it will take a lot of heavy lifting from the team to fulfill its preseason goal of playing in March Madness. With Puff Johnson currently sidelined and Ace Baldwin Jr. still playing through a nagging back injury, Penn State doesn’t have health on its side either.
Mike Rhoades has made clear that he and his players expected adversity while competing in the “beast” that is the Big Ten, and this coming week, the Nittany Lions will have two significant opportunities to build momentum against two of their biggest rivals.