When Penn State men’s basketball finally takes the floor again at the Bryce Jordan Center against Indiana Wednesday night, it will have been a full week since the team last played. In fact, Pat Chambers’ squad hasn’t played a game on its home court since Saturday, January 18 when it took down Ohio State 90-76.

While the head coach isn’t always a fan of long breaks for his team, he’s also aware that back-to-back wins over conference blue bloods Ohio State and Michigan can take quite a bit out of any group.

“We get a week off here and I’m almost disappointed that we [do],” Chambers said after the Nittany Lions’ victory over Michigan. “I think we are starting to play our best basketball heading into February. We do have some guys that are bumped and bruised. So I think it’s a good time for that. I think it’s our approach as coaches and their approach as players. Really understanding what we have to do, shortening practice, shortening film sessions, making sure we have fresh minds and fresh bodies.”

Chambers echoed this sentiment again at his media availability Monday afternoon. The head coach mentioned that a mental and physical break would be helpful for the team, especially in a conference that is playing as tough as the Big Ten.

For reference as to just how good this conference is, there are currently just two teams (Northwestern and Nebraska) that hold an overall record below .500. The 12 other teams all have at least 11 wins on the season, and six of them were ranked in Monday’s updated AP Top 25 poll — including Penn State at No. 24.

The Nittany Lions’ next opponent doesn’t hold a spot in the Top 25, but Indiana has still managed an impressive 15-5 record and 5-4 mark in Big Ten play. If the brutal conference schedule has taught the Nittany Lions anything, they’ll know not to overlook a team like the Hoosiers just because they aren’t ranked on Wednesday night.

For Chambers, he used some of the week to look back at what the Nittany Lions can improve upon entering their game against Indiana.

“I think, over the last three to five games, our defense has definitely gotten better,” Chambers said. “Right now, though, our offensive rebounding needs to get better. We need to do a much better job in that arena, because Indiana is one of the best in the country, definitely top 10 [on the glass].”

Outside of pure game plan, the head coach is sticking to his James Franklin-esque mantra of one game at a time. No matter the ranking or the record, the focus for the Nittany Lions is still controlling what’s in front of them.

“For us, and for my approach, it’s all about staying present and in the moment,” Chambers said. “I’m not even trying to bring up years past or losing streaks. There’s things that we have to work on — offensive rebounding and fouling — we still have to take care of those two areas. We’re trying to win every single day. I don’t want to get too far ahead, I don’t want to look back, I want to stay right here.”

While Chambers and his players will be doing all they can to take this season one step at a time, it’s hard from an onlooker’s perspective not to step back and take a look at Penn State’s season thus far. The Nittany Lions have proven that they are a serious contender in the Big Ten and have a realistic shot at the NCAA Tournament — something that’s not usually considered when talking Penn State hoops.

Despite the bump in the road that was a three-game losing skid, the Nittany Lions bounced back flawlessly with their wins over the Buckeyes and Wolverines. Penn State has a chance to stay hot in front of its home crowd against Indiana Wednesday night.

In a conference where all wins are earned, the match up against the Hoosiers will certainly be a grind, but Chambers is confident in his team. In fact, despite the impressive season they’ve had, the head coach feels his squad hasn’t reached its full potential just yet.

“I believe we can get a lot better,” Chambers said. “I think against Ohio State we gave you a good glimpse, but we haven’t played our best basketball yet. I think it’s in front of us.”