Penn State men’s basketball (6-1, 0-0 Big Ten) demolished Oral Roberts by the score of 86-48 during a Friday matinee at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Nazeer Bostick and Jamari Wheeler came off the bench and shared the team lead in scoring this afternoon with 14 points each. Tony Carr finished the afternoon with 13 points of his own, dishing out five assists on top of his scoring. Josh Reaves finished the game with ten points to give Penn State four double-digit scorers.

How It Happened

Pat Chambers’ squad got off to a quick start today, scoring the first six points of the ballgame. Two Tony Carr three pointers set the tone for the rest of the game, which Penn State would dominate.

The Nittany Lions started the game on a 15-3 run, but their momentum was slowed down during a near-five minute scoreless stretch. Oral Roberts could not capitalize on this cold point of the game, only scoring one basket during that time.

A Jamari Wheeler layup broke this cold stretch and sent Penn State on another big run; a 16-6 run would give the Nittany Lions a 31-9 lead entering the final third of the half. Shep Garner, who struggled in the team’s last game against Texas A&M, did not record a single point in the first period of tonight’s game.

The first half ended with Penn State holding a 38-19 lead in what was undoubtedly a dominant performance by Pat Chambers’ men. Josh Reaves led all scorers with ten points in the first half, followed closely by Lamar Stevens, Tony Carr, and Jamari Wheeler. Stevens scored seven points in the half, while Carr & Wheeler each tallied six.

The second half got off to an even better start than the first – the Nittany Lions began the half by scoring the first 13 points of the period before Oral Roberts finally hit a three-pointer. This stretch only lasted five minutes, but it served as the dagger and essentially ended tonight’s game.

The blowout allowed Pat Chambers to reach deep into his bench and experiment with players who don’t usually play a major role in his team. Nazeer Bostick came off the bench and led all scorers with 14 points alongside Jamari Wheeler, who also came off the bench.

Shep Garner did not record a single basket in the first half, but he bounced back nicely in the second with two quick three pointers. Freshman walk-on Deivis Zemgulis even got in on the fun late in the second half, splashing home a three in the final minute to extend Penn State’s lead to 86-48, which is just how the game would end.

Player Of The Game

Jamari Wheeler | Freshman | Guard

Jamari Wheeler came off the bench in today’s game and put on a clinic for Penn State.

He finished with 14 points, which was tied for the most of all scorers on the afternoon. In addition to his scoring, the freshman grabbed seven rebounds and distributed the ball well, adding three assists.

Today’s victory was excellent for Penn State, but it also allowed a freshman like Wheeler to burst onto the scene and make a big impact despite starting on the bench.

What’s Next

The Nittany Lions will be back in action this Wednesday for a tough away game against NC State in Raleigh. Tip-off is at 7:15 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPNU as part of the Big Ten/ACC challenge.