Penn State Basketball kicked off their 2024-25 season with a win over Binghamton that can only be described by one word: dominance.

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For the first time since 2017, the Nittany Lions scored 100+ points in a singular game, defeating Binghamton 108-66. Ten different Penn State players scored, six in double figures. Zach Hicks led the way with 22 on 9-of-12 shooting. They led for 37 minutes and 38 seconds in the game, never once trailing.

The Nittany Lions shot 35-of-69 (50.7%) from the field and 13-of-31 from three (41.9%). Ace Baldwin and Hicks each made four threes on five and six attempts, respectively. Of Penn State's 35 field goal attempts, 17 of them were assisted on; Baldwin, Hicks, and Nick Kern each had four.

However, the forced turnovers is what blew the game open for the Nittany Lions. Penn State scored 31 points off of 21 Binghamton turnovers. Four players had at least three steals: Baldwin, Hicks, Kern, and D'Marco Dunn.

Penn State also dominated close to the basket. 42 of Penn State's 108 points came from inside the paint, and 16 offensive rebounds resulted in 30 second chance points. 16 of the Nittany Lions 35 made field goals were a layup or dunk.

Northern Illinois transfer Yanic Konan Niederhauser will be a force for the Nittany Lions this season. The 7-foot junior scored 16 points while also recording seven rebounds, two blocks, and a steal in just 22 minutes of play. The center was the head of Penn State's dominant 1-2-2 full-court press and locked down the paint defensively. His athleticism will give teams fits on both sides of the ball this year.

Freddie Dilione V was a surprise member of Penn State's starting lineup, but certainly proved he was deserving tonight. The Tennessee transfer scored 10 points and was a force to reckon with in transition. His speed bringing the ball up the court had much to do with the Nittany Lions scoring 25 fastbreak points.

Sophomore Center Kachi Nzeh was the first player off the bench for Penn State but saw limited playing time due to foul trouble. The Xavier transfer fought hard defensively and on the glass, but will need to learn how to play without fouling for the Nittany Lions to succeed later in the year.

Freshmen Jahvin Carter and Dominick Stewart will be high-level contributors right out of the gate for the Nittany Lions. Carter had a rough day shooting, going 0/5 from deep, but that's not likely to be a continuing trend. Despite the off day, Carter found other ways to contribute. He looked like a true point guard in his first game, commanding the offense and providing spacing for teammates to create on their own, finishing the game with three assists and no turnovers.

Dominick Stewart had perhaps the most impressive debut. The 6-foot-5 guard scored 10 points on 4-o-f5 shooting (2-of-2 from three) with no turnovers in just nine minutes of play. Stewart was also disruptive on defense and didn't have a single turnover.

Penn State is back in action on Friday, hosting UMBC at 6:00 pm. UMBC ranks 279th in KenPom's preseason projections, 45 spots higher than Binghamton. The Retrievers defeated a Penn State branch campus, Penn State York, by a score of 95-66 in their opening game.

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