What To Watch: Penn State Hosts Open Scrimmage

As Penn State fans gear up for what looks like a monster home football game against Ohio State, fans will have the opportunity to check out the basketball team as well.  Penn State will be hosting an open scrimmage for fans at 2PM ET.  Not only is this a cool event, but it's also the first chance for fans to take a look at their team.

Can Pat Chambers finally crack into the top section of the Big Ten?  Do the Nittany Lions have a shot at the NCAA Tournament or the NIT?  As the Penn State Nittany Lions take the court, here are some things to watch.

Things To Watch

1. Who Plays The Point

With Tim Frazier graduating, Penn State faces the challenge of not only replacing one of the team's best players, but also the challenge of replacing its point guard.  During Chamber's tenure with Penn State, the backcourt has always been the strength of the team.  If the Nittany Lions are going to build off what they accomplished last season, finding a new point guard has to be the first priority.  Many have pegged JUCO transfer Devin Foster as the leading candidate to start at the point, but DJ Newbill has also played here during his career.  Can Foster play well enough to allow Newbill to move over to the 2 spot?  It could mean a lot for this team's offensive efficiency.

2. The Newcomers

Obviously, anytime a team takes the court for the first time, the newcomers will be a thing to watch.  This season, the Nittany Lions will be bringing in 2 new recruits and 1 transfer.  The recruits are Shep Garner and Isaiah Washington.  Devin Foster is a JUCO transfer.  The notable guys to watch here are Foster and Garner who are both expected to be in the backcourt and either could end up starting at the point.  A big tale of the season could be how well Foster and Garner are prepared for this year, so this is a notable thing to watch.

3. Who Took A Step Forward

Every year, at least a few players take a step forward over the offseason.  Who will that be for Penn State this season?  The big guys to watch could be Julian Moore and Geno Thorpe.  Neither was all that great last season and both averaged right around 10 minutes per game, but statistically, they're the guys that are most likely to take the step forward.  This is because they're going from their freshman to sophomore seasons.  Traditionally, that's when you are going to see players make their biggest improvements.  Seeing if these two and others have improved will be a big things to watch.