Penn State basketball: Dominick Stewart’s six threes power 87–43 rout of New Haven

Penn State men’s basketball rolled to a comprehensive 87–43 win at New Haven on Saturday, using a torrent of three-pointers and a grinding defensive stretch to turn a cagey opening into a runaway. The result moves the Nittany Lions to 2–0 in the young season and offers an early snapshot of how this group wants to play: pace, spacing, and perimeter shot-making layered onto disciplined half-court defense.

Penn State vs. New Haven: the scoreline and the swing

The hosts landed the first punches and even led 10–9 midway through the first half before Penn State seized control with a 15–3 burst. From there, the gap widened methodically. By halftime the Lions were up 41–21; a second-half flourish pushed the margin beyond 30 as New Haven’s offense dried up under consistent ball pressure and contested jumpers.

Key stretch: Penn State allowed just six points over the final nine minutes, closing on a 21–6 run that underlined the visitors’ depth and defensive fitness.

Hot hands: Stewart, Mingo, Rice and Reed set the tone

• Dominick Stewart — 18 points (6 made threes): The sophomore wing was pure from deep, spacing the floor and punishing late closeouts. His three triples in roughly three minutes early in the second half blew the game open.

• Kayden Mingo — 16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists: The lead guard toggled between tempo and control, getting two feet in the paint to spray kick-outs while still finishing efficiently at the rim.

• Eli Rice and Josh Reed — timely perimeter strikes: Both knocked down early second-half threes that reset momentum after the break and forced New Haven to stretch its defense, creating driving lanes for Mingo and cutters along the baseline.

The collective effect: five-out spacing for long stretches, cleaner driving angles, and a shot profile tilted toward high-value attempts.

How the game was won: defense first, then the deluge

Half-court defense: Penn State’s wings chased shooters off their preferred spots, while switches stayed connected enough to erase back cuts. New Haven struggled to generate clean second actions once the first option was taken away.

Glass and run-outs: Limiting one-and-done trips fueled controlled transition. Even when the Lions didn’t outright fast break, early entries and drag screens created advantage situations before the defense could set.

Shot diet: Penn State leaned into threes and paint touches, largely avoiding the midrange. When the Lions did settle, it tended to be late-clock, by design rather than default.

What the numbers say

• Perimeter production: Stewart’s six threes headlined a barrage that kept the floor stretched and New Haven’s help rotations a beat late.

• Ball security: Mingo’s six assists against limited turnover risk ensured high possession quality.

• Finishing kick: Allowing only six points across the closing nine minutes speaks to conditioning and bench impact—fresh legs guarding the arc and finishing possessions.

Early-season identity check for Penn State

Two games in, trends are forming. The rotation features multiple guards who can handle and initiate, allowing the offense to flow into second-side actions without resetting. Wing size helps on switches, and the willingness to shoot volume threes from competent spacers punishes any opponent that collapses the lane. Defensively, the commitment to contest without fouling has traveled—vital for road form.

The caveats are standard for November: opponents will scout the screening angles that free Stewart, and better-rebounding teams will test the Lions’ ability to finish possessions without surrendering kick-out threes. Still, the blueprint has clarity, and that’s half the battle this early.

Penn State basketball: what’s next

The Nittany Lions return to University Park for a Tuesday home date against Navy on November 11. It’s a useful measuring stick before the schedule stiffens: a compact, disciplined opponent that forces you to guard for a full 30 seconds and execute late-clock offense. If Penn State sustains the balance shown at New Haven—drive-and-kick rhythm, unselfish spacing, and connected defense—the momentum should carry.

Quick takeaways

• Depth matters: Multiple creators and shooters mean any cold spell can be weathered until the next hot hand arrives.

• Guard-led defense travels: Point-of-attack pressure and sharp rotations produced long scoring droughts for the opponent.

• Shot selection is already in midseason shape: Threes and rim attempts dominated, a positive indicator for efficiency going forward.

Penn State left West Haven with a double bonus: a comfortable win on the ledger and a performance tape that reinforces who they are trying to be. If the threes keep falling and the defensive standard holds, this start can become a platform for a strong November.