Vol. 120, No. 39 Feb. 10-12, 2020 SIX STRAIGHT Photo by James Riccardo/Collegian Penn State flexes its depth without Myreon Jones and picks up another Big Ten win in defeat of Minnesota at sold-out Bryce Jordan Center By Caleb Wilfinger Brockington tallied 10 points on Chambers said. “Really, he’s scoring across the lineup, as op- Four days later, Jones’ team- THE DAILY COLLEGIAN 5-of-8 shooting, including a couple been very consistent on the offen- posed to past years where the mates collectively did just enough of key layups when the Gophers sive end and I thought our guards likes of Stevens or Tony Carr had to give Penn State its sixth About 30 minutes before tip-off, cut the Penn State lead to single got key rebounds. [Lundy] had to shoulder the majority of the straight win. it was confirmed that sophomore digits in the second half. six rebounds, [Myles] Dread six load. “We can’t go out and be Myreon guard Myreon Jones — an emerg- He was joined by Dread and rebounds, [Brockington] had five And while Stevens has deliv- Jones,” Chambers said, ing star for Penn State — would Lundy, as the tandem combined rebounds and some real timely ered two of his best performanc- “He is unique. He’s a scorer, miss Saturday’s game against for 16 points and 12 rebounds on layups that we sorely needed at es of his career in consecutive and they call him ‘Buckets’ for a Minnesota with an illness. the day. that juncture of the game.” games, he hasn’t been alone in reason, but you have to do what Suddenly, the 22nd-ranked Additionally, Lundy was 6-of- Saturday wasn’t the first time either. you do. Don’t go outside your lane Nittany Lions would be without 6 from the free throw line and that Penn State was able to win a On Tuesday against Michigan and try to do something you’re their second-best player and an Dread’s 29 minutes were the key game in the Big Ten because State, it was Jones who came to not.” integral part of their offense in a most he’s played in weeks. of its depth. the aid of his teammate, splash- game that they needed to win to Curtis Jones Jr. has been more In fact, the Nittany Lions have ing six 3-pointers in the road To email reporter: [email protected]. keep pace at the top of the Big productive at other points this made a point to balance out their victory. Follow him on Twitter at @caleb_wilfinger. Ten standings. season, but he chipped in seven But unlike in past years, Penn points off the bench, and even State didn’t flinch when one of its Jamari Wheeler knocked down stars went down. a 3-pointer as part of a 25-12 run Instead, Pat Chambers’ group that gave Penn State a double- embodied the phrase “Next Man digit lead at the half. Up” on Saturday, getting contri- “They’ve got a lot of talent, butions from up and down the they’ve done a good job of re- lineup en route to an 83-77 victory. cruiting guys like [Seth] Lundy, “Obviously Myreon [Jones] be- [Myles] Dread and [John] Harrar ing sick, and kind of hurt our end- has gotten much better,” Minne- of-game stuff because usually he sota coach Richard Pitino said. has the ball in his hands,” Cham- “Obviously, with Myreon Jones bers said. out, they’re not as good of a team, “And then Mike [Watkins] be- they’re better with him, but they ing in foul trouble meant that we still have some really nice piec- basically had two starters down es.” and we were able to find a way...I This type of production also thought everybody contributed to shone through in the second half, the success.” even as Lamar Stevens began to Prior to the contest, Jones take over the offense. was averaging over 14 points Lundy opened the second half per game on 46 percent shooting with five quick points, quickly from the field. pushing Penn State’s lead out to He was also shooting 41 per- 45-28 and giving his team a sig- cent from beyond the 3-point arc nificant cushion. and had gone over 15 points in And when Minnesota inevitably four of the last five games. made a furious run to close within However, the Nittany Lions striking distance, Dread hit one of were able to replace that produc- his biggest 3-pointers of the sea- tion, and then some, thanks to son to put Penn State up 77-68 strong efforts from Izaiah Brock- with 3:13 remaining. James Riccardo/Collegian ington, Myles Dread and Seth “He’s a big loss, don’t get me Lundy. wrong, especially with the way Guard Curtis Jones Jr. (4) drives to the hoop during Penn State’s game against Minnesota at the Bryce Jordan After a couple of quiet games, he’s been playing all year long,” Center on Saturday, Feb. 8. The No. 22 Nittany Lions defeated the Golden Gophers 83-77. PAGE 2 | FEB. 10-12, 2020 LOCAL THE DAILY COLLEGIAN ICONIC DUO TO Dance ‘FTK’ The Nittany Lion and Beaver Stadium mic man will dance at THON 2020 together By Michael Sneff stronger friends. THE DAILY COLLEGIAN “We already had a ton of fun together before, but through Two of the most recognizable his help we just became Penn State icons — the Nittany inseparable,” Sowa said. Lion and the Beaver Stadium mic They said Sowa being the lion man — are not only best friends, was sort of an “inside joke,” ex- but will dance together in THON plaining it was fun to have oth- this year as an independent er friends not know before he dancer couple (IDC). revealed himself to the world. Zach Sowa is the man “behind Because Sowa was so busy, the mask” of one of the most fa- Gaspich said if he wanted mous collegiate mascots, the Nit- to spend time with him, he tany Lion — a position he’s held had to be flexible enough to make since the spring of his freshman it work. year. He would go out of his way to One may recognize Eric Gas- make it work and try to spend pich as the man who hypes the time with him. crowd up before every Penn State “[I would] be the water boy if football home game with the he needed it, pick up towels, ad- question, “Are you ready for Penn vocating for him, and I became State football?” the person that would speak for While they are both seemingly him because he literally couldn’t larger than life when it comes Brendan Todd/Collegian speak,” Gaspich said. to cultural recognition on cam- Zach Sowa, left, and Eric Gaspich with the Nittany Lion cut-out in the HUB-Robeson Center on Feb. 6. Gaspich got the job as the Bea- pus, Sowa (senior-cybersecurity ver Stadium mic man and a posi- analytics and operations) and 46-hour dance marathon. “Coming to Penn State, I mean citing Sowa’s chugging of a box tion on the cheer team because of Gaspich (senior-enterprise risk Sowa first attended THON with THON is just an amazing experi- of cereal as the spark for their his connection with Sowa, some- management) said their friend- Club Gymnastics his freshman ence, it’s been the most incredible friendship. thing he said that he is extremely ship and decision to dance in year before becoming the lion thing, just being able to interact “I just said, ‘Yeah, this guy’s grateful for. THON this year is indicative of and appearing at the event the with the families and see all the hilarious,’” Gaspich said. the people they really are: people last two years in costume. Gas- help the organization gives has Sowa and Gaspich added that Last time as the lion who want to give back and help pich was a family relations chair inspired me to do this thing, be an going to church together every The lion’s “handoff” date is others. for an organization. IDC, fundraise and do everything week strengthened their friend- typically later in the spring, but Both went to high schools to help,” Gaspich said. ship with each other, as well as Sowa said he wants THON 2020 Participating in THON that were heavily active in mini- Sowa said he enjoyed being the with others. to be his last event as the lion Both Sowa and Gaspich have THONs, so the love for the cause lion during THON because kids “When we got close, it really because of its special meaning to been involved with THON be- was with them long before they “gravitate” toward him. wasn’t even to do with the lion at him. fore committing to dance in the came to Penn State. “The biggest thing to me is all,” Gaspich said. “It was the fact Sowa had always wanted to this natural affinity for the lion that we would just go to church dance in THON but didn’t want that all the THON children have. and do something new every to take any dancer spots from It doesn’t matter who I am, but night after.” cheer or dance, which is why he they see me and just run to me Sowa did not officially reveal asked Gaspich to be an IDC with with open arms, so excited,” his identity as the lion to the him.