Monday, January 31, 2005
Overmatched Lions fall to Badgers:
"Saturday night's men's basketball matchup at the Bryce Jordan Center had David and Goliath written all over it.
"In one corner was the powerful Wisconsin Badgers, featuring a veteran-laden lineup ranked 18th in the country.
"In the other corner was youthful Penn State, a struggling underdog if there ever was one, having lost 10 of its last 12 games.
"Only this time, there was one problem -- David forgot to bring his slingshot.
"In what Penn State coach Ed DeChellis called one of his team's worst performances on the court, the Badgers (14-4, 5-2 Big Ten) crushed the Nittany Lions (7-12, 1-6), 76-50.
"'I told the team I think we picked a really, really bad night to play our worst game I think we've played in a long time,' DeChellis said. 'But that's what we just did. ... We really had no answers tonight. They beat us in every fashion.' ..."
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Sunday, January 30, 2005
Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - Sports - 01/30/2005 - DeChellis hopes to build a winner:
"STATE COLLEGE - In many ways, this is the ideal setting to be a collegiate coach.
"Penn State sits in the dead center of the state in a serene place called 'Happy Valley,' which is in the shadow of Mount Nittany. While the Penn State campus is big enough to be considered a small city, State College is the quintessential college town, tucked away three hours from the big cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
"And Penn State is far enough away from the cities to be the only game in town in these parts. Take a drive across Interstate 80 in the middle part of the state when Penn State's football or basketball teams are playing and you are likely to come across a broadcast of the game on 75 percent of the radio stations.
"It is why Joe Paterno has spent a lifetime coaching football at Penn State. And it is what lured Ed DeChellis back to his alma mater in attempt to build a winning program in the ultra-tough Big Ten Conference at a school that has had limited success on the hardwood.
"Talk to enough people around State College and many will break out the old clich? that DeChellis bleeds blue and white if you cut him. It's a line that has been used a million times, but it actually fits in DeChellis' case.
"DeChellis is Penn State man, through and through. ..."
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PSU exits with whimper:
"Though it's tempting, you can't exactly call what happened to the Penn State Nittany Lions last night a crossroads game. Too many more just like it are all too possible before this year's out.
"On second thought, maybe you could refer to it that way. The Lions crossed the road. And the Wisconsin Badgers were a broadsiding semi.
"No. 18 Wisconsin applied a wire-to-wire beating to the young Nits reminiscent of the mid-'80s Bruce Parkhill era, a destruction so thorough and relentless that it immediately reminded of just how far this program must come to approach the Big Ten's elite.
And the Badgers' 76-50 knockout made plain they are just that. ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/30/2005 | Wisconsin cruises past Penn State:
"When Saturday's game began, a good number of Penn State fans booed former Nittany Lion Sharif Chambliss.
"By the time it ended, the current Nittany Lions were receiving the same treatment.
"No. 18 Wisconsin gave Chambliss the last laugh in his return to State College and picked up its first win in the Bryce Jordan Center in six years with a systematic 76-50 pounding of Penn State.
"Playing without leading scorer Alando Tucker, the Badgers (14-4, 5-2 Big Ten), got 20 points from freshman guard Kammron Taylor and held the Nittany Lions (7-13, 1-6) to their lowest point total in more than two months.
"'We picked a really bad night to play our worst game I think we've played in a long time,' Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis said. 'It's tough catching a team like them after they lose a game at home, and they came in with a little attitude that they were going to play well, and they did. We had no answers. They beat us in every fashion.'
"Aaron Johnson recorded his ninth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds while freshman Geary Claxton scored 12 despite early foul trouble, but Penn State was rarely if ever in the game against a team it had defeated in six of seven home games. ..."
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KRT Wire | 01/30/2005 | Wisconsin bounces back to rout Penn State:
"The Penn State faithful let Sharif Chambliss have it Saturday night.
"But instead of booing the Nittany Lion-turned-Wisconsin Badger every time he touched the ball, maybe the fans in Penn State's student section should have focused their attention on Kammron Taylor.
"Maybe that 'Chris Rock' chant that's been circling the Big Ten Conference would have thrown the sophomore off. Then again, maybe not
"The 6-foot-2 guard who resembles the comedian was no joke against the Nittany Lions, scoring 20 points with three assists and just one turnover in the 18th-ranked Badgers' 76-50 victory in front of a crowd of 9,142 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
"He set the tone for a crisp performance in which the Badgers attacked the lane at will and produced 17 assists against just six turnovers. Their 53.4 percent shooting was the best against a Big Ten opponent this season.
"'He's learning some things,' UW coach Bo Ryan said. 'He got to places where not too many guys on our team can get to when he puts it on the floor.' ..."
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BadgerNation.com: No. 18 Badgers Hammer PSU:
"Wisconsin handled Penn State at the Jordan Center Saturday night, jumping out to an early lead and cruising to a 76-50 victory.
"Sharif Chambliss returned to the Jordan Center Saturday night, a much different player than the freewheeling gunner who spent three years at Penn State before transferring to Wisconsin.
"This Chambliss was patient. He was efficient. He was methodical. He was unrattled even while being met with a throaty chorus of boos every time he touched the rock.
"Chambliss was, in short, the personification of Bo Ryan's 18th-ranked Badgers, who, four days after seeing their 38-game home winning streak broken by No. 1 Illinois, calmly dispatched Penn State, 76-50.
"Wisconsin improved to 14-4 overall and 5-2 in the Big Ten, despite playing without leading scorer Alando Tucker (sore foot).
"The Lions fell to 7-13 and 1-6. Never mind 38-game home winning streaks, this outfit can't win two in a row at home.
"'I think we picked a really, really bad night to play the worst game we've played in a long time,' PSU coach Ed DeChellis said. '... We had no answers. They beat us in every fashion. They're a very good team.' ... "
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BadgerNation.com: Badgers dominate Penn State:
"The University of Wisconsin men's basketball team may have seemed ripe for the picking Saturday. The 18th-ranked Badgers were coming off a gut-wrenching home loss to Illinois. They were on the road at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center, where they had not won since Jan. 1999. To top it all off, Wisconsin had to play without leading scorer Alando Tucker, who sat out Saturday's game with a right foot injury.
"Plenty of worries. No problems.
"The Badgers used a 12-0 first-half run to jump all over host Penn State, cruising to a 76-50 road victory to improve to 14-4 overall and 5-2 in the Big Ten.
"Sophomore point guard Kammron Taylor replaced Tucker in the starting lineup and scored a game-high 20 points, enjoying another in what has become a series of strong performances on the road.
"'He's a fast, quick, good player,' Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. 'He played well.'
"Senior forward Mike Wilkinson and senior guard Clayton Hanson added 11 points each for the Badgers, who received point contributions from 10 players. ..."
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Saturday, January 29, 2005
FightOnState.com: Hoop Preview -- Wisconsin:
"
Penn State Notes:
- "Penn State has not beaten a ranked opponent since toppling No. 5 North Carolina in the 2001 NCAA tournament. Chambliss was a freshman on that team but did not play in the game. No active member of the Lions was with the team that year.
- "Wisconsin plays a patient game, dictating pace and cutting down on opponents' possessions. That means Penn State must reduce its 16.1 turnovers per game if it hopes to compete."
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JS Online: Badger at heart:
"Madison - Sharif Chambliss, facing one of the biggest decisions of his life, was having second thoughts.
"It was March 2003, and the Racine native heard newly hired Penn State coach Ed DeChellis lay out his vision for the men's basketball program. The Nittany Lions' senior-to-be liked what he heard and DeChellis seemed like a good man, but the timing was all wrong.
"Chambliss didn't have time for rebuilding, especially after enduring rebuilding efforts during his sophomore and junior seasons. DeChellis wanted him to stay but released him from his scholarship when Chambliss stuck to his guns. ..."
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JS Online: Defense mechanism:
"Madison - Earlier this month, Michael Flowers shared the vision he has for himself as a University of Wisconsin basketball player and spoke of a hustling dynamo who would play with little regard for statistics or his body.
"Former walk-on Clayton Hanson has started every game for the Badgers this season.
"He wanted to be a player identified by his defense, he said, a hard-nosed competitor who wouldn't think twice about diving on the floor for a loose ball.
"'Basically a guy like Clayton Hanson,' the freshman guard said. 'He's an ideal player of Coach Ryan's. I just want to be the next Clayton Hanson.'
"That might be a surprising statement to some, but it speaks to Flowers' blue-collar mentality as a player and even more to the status achieved in the program by Hanson, a former walk-on. ...
"...Hanson's is a great story but he isn't the only one in the Big Ten. Wisconsin (13-4, 4-2 Big Ten) gets a close look at another at 7 [Central] tonight when it plays Penn State (7-12, 1-5) at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa.
"Aaron Johnson, a 6-9, 240-pound junior, is the only player in the conference averaging in double figures in scoring (13.7 points) and rebounding (10.6). He leads the Nittany Lions in both categories.
"Like Hanson, Johnson was an invited walk-on who earned a scholarship. ..."
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Wisconsin State Journal | Sharif back in town:
"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - University of Wisconsin senior forward Mike Wilkinson remembers those narrow losses at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center.
"He also recalls the long-range marksman who made five 3-point shots and scored 20 points in Penn State's 51-49 victory Jan. 9, 2002, and who converted four 3-pointers and totaled 16 points in the Nittany Lions' 58-57 win Feb. 19, 2003.
"'They had a guy who used to kill us,' Wilkinson said. 'He's on our team now.'
"Wilkinson is glad to have senior guard Sharif Chambliss on his side entering the Big Ten Conference men's basketball game between 18th-ranked UW (13-4 overall, 4-2 Big Ten) and Penn State (7-12, 1-5) tonight at 7 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
'I'm looking forward to going out with my new team and doing all we can to get a win,' said the 6-foot-1 Chambliss, who has 1,007 points in his career after scoring 14 in UW's loss to top-ranked Illinois Tuesday in Madison. ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/29/2005 | Penn State plays host to former teammate:
"There will be smiles, handshakes, applause from the crowd, but don't expect too much fanfare tonight when Sharif Chambliss returns home.
"The Nittany Lion-turned Badger is more concerned with getting Wisconsin, which meets Penn State at 8 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center, back on track than with the team he will try to do it against.
"Penn State, too, has enough to worry about already. The Nittany Lions (7-12, 1-5 Big Ten), who haven't cracked 70 points in a month, will face the conference's best scoring defense. Coming off a 75-65 loss to No. 1 Illinois that snapped its 38-game home winning streak, Wisconsin (13-4, 4-2) has lost six of its last eight games in the Jordan Center, most recently a 58-57 defeat in February 2003.
"Chambliss, then a sophomore at Penn State, led all scorers with 16 points in that game. He led the Nittany Lions in scoring in both 2001-02 and 2002-03 and was the Big Ten's best 3-point shooter in 2003.
"But Chambliss wanted to play point guard, and then-Penn State coach Jerry Dunn wanted him at shooting guard. Chambliss asked for and was granted his release from the team following the 2003 season. When Dunn resigned three days later, Chambliss decided to linger until Dunn's replacement was hired and go over his options with the new Penn State coach. He met with Ed DeChellis in early April before announcing he would transfer to Wisconsin...."
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Friday, January 28, 2005
Centre Daily Times | 01/28/2005 | Penn State expanding back yard to recruit:
"Very little separated the Penn State and Ohio State men's basketball teams Wednesday night in Columbus. Experience, certainly -- the Buckeyes played one freshman and four juniors, the Nittany Lions four freshmen and two juniors -- and, of course, the six points on the scoreboard.
"The distinction Penn State coach Ed DeChellis found the most telling, though, was geographical. Nine of 14 Buckeyes hail from Ohio; three of the nine active Nittany Lions are from Pennsylvania.
"Sounds easy. Worry about the kids in your own backyard, particularly if that backyard is as lush with high school talent as Penn State's. While recruiting home-grown players is certainly no guarantee for success, the nation's top collegiate teams at least have the option.
"When you've won eight Big Ten games in three and a half seasons, though, your recruiting pool shrinks. At the same time, your hunting ground expands, out of the state and lately, across the ocean.
"As they continue to build for the future, the Nittany Lions are finding the best recruits they can wherever they can. Finland, Serbia & Montenegro, junior colleges throughout the U.S. They would love to pluck the top prizes from Philadelphia or the state's other fertile recruiting areas, but they know there is only so much elbow room for teams with their recent record.
"'Until we can get there, we've got to try to piece this thing together,' DeChellis said. 'Mix and match.'
"Midway through Year 2 of the DeChellis era, the Nittany Lions already have a pieced-together feel. The starting forwards are a former walk-on and the team's first JUCO in 20 years. The starting guards are Pennsylvania products who rely more on their wits than sheer athletic ability..."
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Thursday, January 27, 2005
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Claxton makes presence felt against Ohio State:
"If there has been one constant for the Penn State men's basketball team all season long, it's been inconsistency. Brief flashes of solid play have been overshadowed by youthful mistakes.
"In spite of these lapses, freshman Geary Claxton has found a way to be the Nittany Lions' (7-12, 1-5 Big Ten) most consistent player, day-in and day-out. Last night's 68-62 road loss to Ohio State (13-7, 2-4) was no different.
"With 18 points, the forward was the only Lion to reach double digits in scoring and was two away from tying his career high of 20 points.
"He did tie a career high with rebounds, collecting nine on the evening. ..."
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AP Wire | 01/27/2005 | Ohio St. 68, Penn St. 62:
"COLUMBUS, Ohio - It's no secret that to beat Ohio State you clamp down on center Terence Dials and let point guard Brandon Fuss-Cheatham shoot to his heart's content.
"Penn State followed that blueprint to perfection, only Fuss-Cheatham had one of the best games of his career in leading the Buckeyes to a 68-62 win on Wednesday night.
"Fuss-Cheatham a senior guard from Beaver Falls, Pa., scored 15 points including a critical 3-pointer down the stretch that gave the Buckeyes (13-7, 2-4 Big Ten) some breathing room.
"'Fuss-Cheatham made a big 3,' Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. 'That's the chance you take. We didn't want Dials to beat us, but Fuss-Cheatham stepped up as a senior and made the big shot.'
"Averaging 6.1 points a game, Fuss-Cheatham hit 6-of-11 shots from the field including 3-of-5 3-pointers. He came into the game having made only four 3-pointers in Ohio State's five previous Big Ten games.
" 'It seemed like they left me open a lot,' said Fuss-Cheatham, just a 41-percent free throw shooter who has had difficulty throughout his career making perimeter shots. 'I take that personal. I don't think this has been like the last three years. Guys could definitely leave me and maybe the shots weren't going down. But this year I don't think they can do that. When guys leave me I want to hit them with a dagger.' ..."
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Buckeyes hold off Penn State rally:
"Ohio State had plenty of chances to put the Nittany Lions away, but it waited until the final seconds of last night's game.
"The Penn State men's basketball team continued its road-game woes with a 68-62 loss to the Buckeyes, extending its conference road losing streak to 27 games."
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Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Morrissey's dream plays out at Penn St.:
"Danny Morrissey was no different than any other high school basketball player of exceptional ability when he envisioned signing a college scholarship to play Division I basketball.
"Then he moved away from home, leaving his parents and family behind, to pursue that dream and prove just how different he was.
"Morrissey, a 6-3 freshman guard at Penn State, comes back home tonight when his team plays Ohio State at 8 p.m. at Value City Arena.
"It's been three seasons since he left Cleveland's University School and moved to Florida, where as a student at International Management Group's Basketball Academy, Morrissey proved he would give up just about anything to play Big Ten basketball.
"Even his ZIP code.
"'It was tough to leave my family and friends, but in the big picture, as I look at it now, it was all worth it,' Morrissey said. 'I had a goal in mind, and I'm on the road to achieving that goal. Being homesick is something just about everybody at The Academy goes through. But if you want to realize your dream, it's a step you're willing to take.' ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/26/2005 | PSU's 'bull' will key effort vs. Ohio State:
"If you were hard-pressed to describe Penn State forward Aaron Johnson on the low block, 'bull in a china shop' would be more appropriate than 'Baryshnikov.'
"The 6-foot-9, 240-pound junior spins, pivots, spins and bumps until the ball is in the basket or the goggles are off his head.
"Because Johnson's teammates have often struggled from the perimeter this season, Big Ten opponents have taken to swarming around the Penn State big man, cutting down on much of the chaos. They've been hesitant to do the same with the big man the Nittany Lions will face tonight in Columbus, Ohio.
"Junior Terence Dials is having a terrific season inside for the Ohio State (12-7, 1-4 Big Ten), but the Buckeyes, which entertain Penn State (7-11, 1-4) at 8 p.m. at Value City Arena, have a healthy array of weapons from the outside as well.
"Ohio State is the Big Ten's best 3-point shooting team, hitting nearly 40 percent from long range. Four different Buckeyes are shooting better than 43 percent, while senior guard Tony Stockman has hit 51 threes, second in the conference only to Illinois' Luther Head (59)...."
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FightOnState.com: OhioState Preview
- "Penn State has lost 26 straight Big Ten road games. Including conference tournament action, the Nittany Lions have dropped 29 consecutive league outings away from the BJC. Penn State’s last Big Ten road win was at Iowa (78-73) in the next to last game of the 2000-01 regular season.
- From the oops department: The OSU press notes list Marlon Smith as a probable starter for the game, even though the sophomore guard has been lost for the season (and potentially will not play again) due to a blood clot in the brain.
- Claxton has been the most effective Lion in Big Ten play, where he is averaging 15.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game."
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Freshman Walker always on the go:
"Ten feet.
"It's what separates two particular doors opposite the South Gym in the Bryce Jordan Center.
"It separates a bottom-of-the-conference team from an Elite Eight contender.
"Ten feet is the distance between the locker rooms of the struggling, not-so-popular Nittany Lion basketball team and the nationally ranked, fan-favorite Lady Lions.
"Freshman guard Mike Walker is among the players on the Penn State men's basketball team who passes through the less appealing doorway of the side-by-side locker rooms, day-in and day-out. Tired or rejuvenated. Bombarded with school work or not. Whether he feels like it or doesn't. After a win or loss.
" 'There's so much that goes into it,' Walker said. 'I mean, every day, just like the girls, who are doing good, we're doing the same stuff. We're losing, but it's not like we aren't preparing as much.'
"His day doesn't start and end in the locker room, though. It's much more complicated than that. ..."
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Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Centre Daily Times | 01/25/2005 | Nittany Lions living, dying with freshmen:
"Jamaal Tate had the ideal setup for a freshman, and not just because he played for one of the most remarkable teams in Penn State men's basketball history.
"Talented enough to get some playing time -- just under 10 minutes per game in 2000-01 -- Tate had enough experienced guards ahead of him that he could ease his way into the college game.
" 'They helped us out with everything,' Tate recalled. 'I mean, we learned as we went, but it was easier than what they have.'
"The first 'they' referred to Joe Crispin and Titus Ivory, the starting guards and senior leaders of the team that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2001 NCAA Tournament. The second 'they' referred to the current Penn State crop of freshmen, whose first year in a Penn State uniform couldn't be more different from Tate's. ..."
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Parker is 'living a dream':
"Travis Parker always believed he could play among the nation's best college basketball players. Penn State decided Parker could, too.
"Parker, a former standout at North Pitt High School, now is one of the starters for the Nittany Lions, who play in the Big Ten Conference, a league that boasts the No. 1 team in the country -- Illinois. Parker is more than two years removed from his days with the Panthers, where he helped them advance to the Class 2-A state championship game. But now Parker might be having the best time of his life, playing basketball while earning a college diploma.
" 'This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, play at the highest college level,' Parker said during a phone interview from State College, Pa. 'You really can't get much higher than this. . . . Right now I'm just living a dream. This is something I've wanted to do since I was real young. I'm just trying to take it all in, be a good student and play hard.'
"Parker spoke about academics almost as much as basketball. He's majoring in recreation and parks management with a minor in business with the hopes of securing a position in sports marketing.
"Working on grades as much as jump shots started while being away from home for the first time. And Parker's been far away from home long before he arrived at Penn State. ..."
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DeChellis: Lions win when this trio scores:
"If a certain trio scores, the Penn State men's basketball team tends to win. If it doesn't, then chances are, the Nittany Lions fall short.
"Sounds plain and simple, right?
"Making the scenario more complicated is how unfair it is putting the pressure on three freshmen.
"'I hate to put the burden on the young guys,' Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said yesterday at his weekly press conference. 'There was a sense of urgency about [the Northwestern game]. [I told them], 'You freshmen need to step up and do some more.' '
"It only comes with the territory, though, considering forward Geary Claxton and guards Mike Walker and Danny Morrissey average 28.6 minutes per game in the Big Ten. As two perimeter players and a No. 3, it makes sense they are mostly responsible for scoring.
"'Our freshmen have to play very important roles on our team,' DeChellis said. 'Our freshmen have to perform well for us ... We don't have enough guys in other spots.' ..."
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ChicagoSports.com - Arrest, injuries in Ann Arbor:
"Michigan started the basketball season as a team on the rise and full of hope. As the Big Ten season starts its fourth week, the Wolverines can only wonder what's next.
"Junior guard Daniel Horton is the latest question mark, and not just because of a knee injury he suffered in Saturday's loss to Wisconsin. Monday morning, Horton was arraigned on domestic assault charges for allegedly choking his girlfriend during a Dec. 10 incident. Horton was released on bond.
" 'We stand behind Daniel 100 percent,' said Wolverines assistant coach Charles E. Ramsey during Monday's Big Ten teleconference. Michigan coach Tommy Amaker was out of town recruiting and not available. ...
"
Young and restless
"Indiana is not the only team depending heavily on freshmen. Penn State (7-11, 1-4), which won its first conference game last week with a 65-62 victory over Northwestern, has three freshmen playing prominent roles. Geary Claxton, a 6-5 forward, and Mike Walker, a 6-2 guard, start while Danny Morrissey, a 6-3 guard, comes off the bench. They combined for 44 of the Nittany Lions' 65 points against Northwestern. Brandon Hassell, a 6-9 freshman forward, has also started.
" 'Our freshmen have to perform well and score for us to be successful just because we don't have enough guys in the other spots,' Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. 'When they do, when they have shot the ball well and played well … we win.' ..."
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Monday, January 24, 2005
PSU gets first Big Ten win:
"
BY WADE MALCOLM
"For The Patriot-News
"STATE COLLEGE - When his perfectly arced shot ripped cleanly through nylon to give Penn State a five-point lead with 13 seconds remaining, Mike Walker pointed to the sky.
" 'To God,' he later said, grinning boyishly. 'For letting me hit that shot.'
"The shot -- a crossover, pull-up, shot clock-beating three -- seemed to guarantee Penn State's first Big Ten victory of the season.
"And the celebration by Walker, a Penn State freshman and Trinity grad, didn't appear premature.
"But it was.
"True, the Nittany Lions held on to defeat Northwestern 65-62 yesterday at the Bryce Jordan Center, but PSU almost managed to give away another game. Its mistakes gave the Wildcats (8-9, 1-4 Big Ten) a fighting chance at the end, despite their five-point deficit following Walker's clutch bomb. ..."
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Lions snap Big Ten losing streak -- and Northwestern's the victim:
"It was just another Penn State-Northwestern game.
"Staying with tradition, the Nittany Lions (7-11, 1-4 Big Ten) slipped by the Wildcats, 65-62, in front of a national television audience on Saturday.
"The victory gave Penn State its first Big Ten victory in almost a year, which also came against Northwestern (8-9, 1-4) at home in overtime, 63-61. ..."
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Sunday, January 23, 2005
ChicagoSports.com - Cats leave fundamentals at home:
"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Maybe it was just in too much of a hurry to beat the weekend's weather out of town, but Northwestern forgot to pack some essentials for its visit to Penn State.
"Essentials like rebounds and hustle. ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/23/2005 | Nittany Lions hold on against Wildcats:
"UNIVERSITY PARK -- This is the game you play with freshmen -- as much time is spent wringing your hands in frustration as it is spent thrusting them in the air with joy.
"Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis found himself doing plenty of both Saturday as freshman guards Mike Walker and Danny Morrissey led the Nittany Lions to a breathless 65-62 defeat of Northwestern at the Bryce Jordan Center.
" 'We made it so hard on ourselves,' Walker said, 'but we made the plays when we had to and we won.'
"Morrissey tied a career-high with 16 points and Walker had all 15 of his in the second half as Penn State (7-11, 1-4 Big Ten) won for the first time in more than three weeks and tallied its first conference win since defeating the Wildcats last Jan. 28. ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/23/2005 | Nittany Lions starting to recruit JUCO players:
"Dozens of players have been through the beleaguered Penn State men's basketball program in the past two decades. Players tall and small, hailing from Harrisburg to Germany to Idaho, of various abilities and attitudes. One commonality linked them all: None were junior college players.
"For one reason or another, the Nittany Lions never went the JUCO route -- at least not far enough to land one. Perhaps it was because of the negative stereotypes that accompany such players, or because Penn State, like the other schools in the Big Ten, requires 52 transferable credit hours for all incoming juniors, while many junior college graduates have only 48.
"Midway through his second season at Penn State, coach Ed DeChellis is starting one junior college player -- forward Travis Parker -- and is looking at a number of others for next season. A door that had been strangely closed for so many years has been opened, and early returns have been promising.
"'The stereotype was that we can't get 'those kids,'' DeChellis said. 'I never understood who 'those kids' were. What we have to do is work hard to find a kid that fits. Not everybody fits.' ..."
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FightOnState.com: Lions Hold off Late Flurry:
"In the middle of a six-game shooting slump that saw him make 4 of 19 3-pointers, Penn State freshman guard Mike Walker did what he always does when things aren't going well: Work. ..."
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Saturday, January 22, 2005
Game Notes:
"- Penn State established a season high with 14 3-point baskets. For the first time this season, four Penn State players netted at least two 3-point baskets each. Mike Walker established a career high with five 3-point baskets and Danny Morrissey equaled his career high with 4.
"- More than half of Penn State's points (42 of 65) were
generated by 3-point baskets.
"- Penn State's all-time record against Northwestern in games played at University Park is 10-2. The Nittany Lions have won 4 of their last 5 home games against the Wildcats.
"- With 15 points, all in the second half, Mike Walker logged his fifth double-figure scoring effort of the season. ..."
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Press Release - 2:
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Mike Walker
"
How good does this win feel today?
"'This is a real satisfying win. It felt like it had been years from our last win and our hard work is paying off. This is a good feeling now.'
"Talk about the last two minutes of the game.
" ' We made it very hard on ourselves. We could have put the game away when we were up by eight or nine but we made the plays to win the game in the end.' ..."
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Press Release - 2:
"
On the importance of the three-point shooting of Danny Morrissey and Mike Walker:
" 'It was very important. The freshmen have to score. I think they did a great job, we hit big threes. Their scoring is very critical for success.'
"
On the importance of tonight's win:
" 'Obviously it was very, very important. We made one million mistakes. It was gut- wrenching. It's important especially for our young kids to have success. They haven't enjoyed things in a long time so this is special for them. I'm very happy for them.'
"
On tonight's fan turnout:
" 'I want to thank the fans and everybody for coming out today especially with the bad weather. We had great numbers and it gave us great atmosphere.'"
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State College, Pa. - January 22, 2005 - The Penn State Nittany Lion basketball team rode a strong team performance and the shooting prowess of three freshmen to a 65-62 home win over Northwestern in Big Ten basketball action. Lion rookies Geary Claxton (West Haven, Conn.), Danny Morrissey (Pepper Pike, Ohio) and Mike Walker (Lewisberry, Pa.) combined for 44 of Penn State's 65 points; and junior Aaron Johnson (Exton, Pa.) out-rebounded the entire Wildcat team.
Walker would hit the game's decisive shot, a three-pointer with :13 left in the game as the shot clock wound down, giving Penn State a 63-58 cushion. Walker's shot, and two Travis Parker (Greenville, N.C.) free throws with :02 to play, helped Penn State stave off a furious Northwestern comeback attempt.
Penn State led by nine, 60-51, with 2:29 to play. Northwestern would score the game's next seven points to cut the Lion lead to two, 60-58, before Walker's decisive trey. Walker ended the game with 15 points, hitting five of nine three-pointers. Morrissey led Penn State with 16 points (11 in the first half) and was six of eight from the field (and four of six from long-range).
While Walker was hot in the second half and Morrissey in the first, Claxton was was steady throughout the game, posting a solid 13-point, eight rebound, three assists and one steal line. Parker, also in his first year at Penn State, had 13 points as well to go along with five boards.
While Penn State's new faces did the scoring, it was Johnson who carried the load on the glass. The Big Ten's leading rebounder, Johnson had 21 boards. His total was four more than Northwestern had as a team (17). Johnson was the focus of Northwestern's defense in the paint and he scored only eight points (snapping a streak of 20 straight games in double-figures). But the junior took advantage of double and triple-teams to lead Penn State with four assists. Johnson's 21 rebounds is a Penn State Big Ten record, snapping the mark of 18 set by Jarrett Stephens in 2000. It is also a Bryce Jordan Center single-game record. Johnson also becomes the first Nittany Lion to have three games with 20 or more rebounds in the same season since Jesse Arnelle turned the trick in 1955.
The game was close from the start, with freshman Morrissey braking out of a shooting slump in the first half, nailing three of four three-pointers for 11 points to pace the Nittany Lions. Claxton also had 11 points to go along with four boards while Johnson had 10 boards but no points.
Northwestern jumped out to an early six point lead and held that advantage (19-13) with 9:06 to play in the first stanza. Morrissey would knock down a jump shot and a three-pointer to pull Penn State to within one, 19-18, before Northwestern's Vince Scott would knock down a trey, putting NU up 22-18 with 4:19 to play.
Morrissey would answer with another three-pointer, setting up Claxton's go-ahead three-pointer with 2:03 to play, a shot that gave the Lions a 24-22 lead. Scott would hit another three seconds later and Morrissey would answer with :07 to play, giving Penn State a 27-25 lead. Mohamed Hachad would hit a trey at the buzzer to reclaim the lead for NU, giving the Wildcats a 28-27 lead at intermission.
For the game, the Nittany Lions shot .460 from the field (23-50) and a season-best .538 (14-26) from beyond the arc. The Lions out-rebounded NU 42-17. Northwestern shot .472 from the field (25-53) and .440 from long range (11-25).
Penn State is now 7-11 overall, 1-4 in Big Ten play, while Northwestern falls to 8-9, 1-4. The Nittany Lions will visit Ohio State on Wednesday night in an 8 p.m. game. Penn State's next home game is next Saturday when the Lions welcome Wisconsin to the BJC for an 8 p.m. tilt.
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Northwestern vs Penn State (1/22/05 at State College, Pa.)
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Centre Daily Times | 01/22/2005 | Free throws could be key for Penn State:
"They're considered free points if they're made, ones that got away if missed. They are free throws, and they could very well determine which team gets its first Big Ten win (weather permitting) at 4 p.m. today at the Bryce Jordan Center -- Penn State or Northwestern.
"The Nittany Lions (6-11, 0-4 Big Ten) have been mainly solid from the line this season, making 69 percent, good for seventh in the Big Ten. Two problems: The team's best free throw shooter, sophomore guard Marlon Smith, is out for the season. And the remaining Nittany Lions haven't hit free throws when it has counted.
"'The more you talk about it sometimes, the worse it can be,' Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis said. 'I don't think we've been horrible -- if you look at our stats, we're shooting almost 70 percent. It's at the times when (the misses have) come is the most troubling.'
"Particularly during the last few games at home, where Penn State has lost four in a row -- three by a combined total of eight points. The Nittany Lions missed several key free throws during those three games, losses to Buffalo, Texas A&M and Michigan. The fundamentals have been sound -- no Nittany Lion regular is shooting worse than 68 percent -- but no one has been immune to the lapses in the clutch. ..."
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Basketball: Penn State searching for confidence, wins:
"Rebuilding is the general term folks use for this process, but such talk discounts the details. This, more appropriately, is a full-time construction project. And a frustrating one.
"At Penn State, a freshman recruiting class comes in and plants hope. Then a foundation of veterans crumble.
Wins come early in the season. Then losses follow in nine of the team's next 10 games.
"Confidence builds. Then it erodes.
"In his second season as men's basketball coach at Penn State, Ed DeChellis already knows this much about his so-called rebuilding process: When the pieces fall apart just as quickly as they're stacked together, results come slowly. If at all.
"Today, when the Nittany Lions (6-11, 0-4 Big Ten) play host to Northwestern, they'll take the court looking far different from the team DeChellis anticipated at the start of season. In recent games, DeChellis has used, at times, a lineup featuring four freshmen and a junior college transfer. He has just nine scholarship players at his disposal and admits that players are wearing down in practice. If this sounds familiar to the chorus of last season -- young team, little depth, few victories -- that's because, well, it is. ..."
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FightOnState.com: Hoop Preview : Northwestern:
"Penn State Notes:
- PSU shooting guard Morrissey hurt his right (shooting) shoulder during a collision in practice early in the week. That's not good news for a player who has made 2 of his last 16 triples. He is expected to play today.
- With starting guard Marlon Smith lost for the season due to illness, DeChellis may be forced to use the 240-pound Travis Parker on the perimeter at times for the rest of the year. And that will likely mean seeing more of rookie Brandon Hassell at power forward.
- State is down to 11 healthy players, nine of them on scholarship. That means assistant coaches James Johnson is being pulled into five-on-five scout-team situations in practice...."
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Friday, January 21, 2005
FightOnState.com: Pregame Intel: Penn State:
"Pregame Intel: Penn State
By Roy Lamberton Publisher, Purple Reign
Date: Jan 21, 2005
"After playing 3 Big 10 Powerhouse teams in a row [2 on the road], the Northwestern Wildcats hit the road to face an improving Penn State Squad. Once again - those Pennsylvania based Cats are young and trying to build on the future.
"Here's the latest from the snowy land of the Nittany Lion..."
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Penn State lands two Europeans:
"Penn State's men's basketball program is again mining Europe to fill its yawning needs for big men.
"Head coach Ed DeChellis confirmed yesterday that PSU has received verbal commitments from two big Euros -- one from Finland, the other from Serbia & Montenegro in the former Yugoslavia.
"Though DeChellis did not name the players, The Patriot-News learned the Fin is Joonas Suotamo, a 6-9, 225- pound forward who is said to be well built, springy and active. UCLA and Utah were recruiting Suotamo in the fall period before getting commitments from other players and dropping off.
"That left Penn State as the major suitor. PSU lead assistant Kurt Kanaskie has been working hard to find European players since his arrival on the PSU staff. This one, he liked.
"When Kanaskie and DeChellis saw Suotamo in person on a quick visit last month, they could not speak to the player because it was a 'dark' non-contact period under NCAA guidelines. But they extended a scholarship offer.
"Suotamo visited Penn State over the Christmas holiday and liked what he saw. ..."
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The Daily Northwestern - Penn State in 10th place:
"Northwestern's turnover problems may be bad, but no Big Ten team has been worse at taking care of the ball than Penn State.
"The Nittany Lions (6-11, 0-4 Big Ten) are one of three teams in the conference to have a negative turnover margin (NU and Michigan are the other two), but their minus 3.24 margin is 2.3 turnovers worse than the 10th-place Wolverines.
"Penn State has plenty of youth -- of its seven players who see significant playing time, four are first-year players. Freshman forward Geary Claxton has started every game this season, and averages 11.7 points and 6.2 rebounds.
"The Nittany Lions don't have a true center, which means NU (8-8, 1-3) may try to get as many touches as possible for center Mike Thompson, who averages 11.9 points and a team-leading 5.3 rebounds. ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/21/2005 | Freshmen showing their age:
"Since the Nittany Lions started Big Ten play, there has been but one problem with Geary Claxton's game -- he is making the other Penn State freshmen look, well, like freshmen.
"While Claxton has thrived -- scoring 15.8 points per game in conference play -- as the competition has improved, fellow froshes Mike Walker and Danny Morrissey have found the going a lot rougher. And with starting two guard Marlon Smith out for the remainder of the season, both know their performances will need to improve if Penn State is to turn around what has thus far been a brutal Big Ten start.
"'I think Danny and I have to step it up a little bit now,' Walker said before Wednesday's practice.
When sophomore point guard Ben Luber took a five-game leave of absence earlier this season, Walker, a 6-foot-2 point guard with impressive range, filled in admirably, averaging just better than 10 points and 3.5 assists in seven games as the starter. He contracted a stomach virus when the Nittany Lions went to Arizona, playing just 16 minutes, all in the first half, against Valparaiso and missing the Long Island game, and Luber returned to the starting lineup.
"Playing both guard spots, Walker has since struggled to find his shooting touch, averaging just 3.2 points the last five games. What he hasn't lost is the confidence and fire (not to mention the propensity to launch 25-footers) that remind many Penn State fans of Joe Crispin.
"'The shots right now just aren't falling, and they haven't been falling,' Walker said. 'Personally, I'm just as confident as ever. I'm taking shots, I know they're going in.' ..."
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Wildcats, Lions try to move forward:
"Confidence is often hard to regain once it has been shaken. If it were in a box, it would be labeled 'fragile.'
"The Penn State men's basketball team has had its confidence shaken a great deal.
"The Nittany Lions (6-11, 0-4 Big Ten) are currently on a five-game losing streak that includes two heartbreaking losses to Texas A&M -- in which they lost a 17-point lead in the second half -- and Michigan by a combined six points.
" 'You lose a couple of close games like we've had, and get beat soundly on the road; there's no denying that,' Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. 'That confidence is a very, very delicate thing. We just try to be positive with our players.' ..."
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Thursday, January 20, 2005
Luber and Smith: Planned PSU resurgence on hold:
"It hasn't turned out exactly as they planned, just yet.
"They were going to be Penn State's newest version of Fred and Barney, Lenny and Carl, Oscar and Felix, Simon and ... well, you get the point. They were good friends, teammates, even roommates beginning last fall.
"It was their task to try and turn around a struggling program on the court -- together.
"Heading into their second year on the men's basketball team, guards Ben Luber and Marlon Smith were ready to take charge and rescue Penn State from its perennial spot at the bottom of the Big Ten. But there's been one obstacle after another in their way. ..."
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Wednesday, January 19, 2005
AP Wire | 01/19/2005 | Rendell wants to extend Penn State law school's campus life:
"HARRISBURG, Pa. - Gov. Ed Rendell said Wednesday he wants Penn State University to make a longer commitment to keeping its current law school campus in Carlisle if it opens a second campus in State College.
"The university has proposed making the Dickinson School of Law a two-campus school, opening a new facility at its flagship University Park campus by 2010. The plan received preliminary approval from Dickinson's board of governors on Saturday.
"The agreement, which awaits action by the Penn State trustees on Friday, calls for the Carlisle campus to remain open for 10 years, but university officials have made no promises beyond that.
"'We're looking at extending that, making it a more significant number of years,' Rendell said during a news conference, declining to be more specific. 'That's a matter of negotiation.' ..."
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No doubting HoJo: He can ball:
"When he was in grade school, no more than 12 years old, his teachers and nuns looked him straight in the face and told him he'd never go to college.
"When he enrolled at St. Thomas More Prep School after high school, college coaches said he wasn't athletic enough to play at the Division I level.
"After walking on to the Penn State men's basketball team, he wasn't expected to amount to much more than the last man on the bench.
"Even as the Big Ten's leading rebounder and the league's ninth-leading scorer, people continue to doubt Aaron Johnson, as well as his dreams to play basketball professionally after college.
"But Johnson doesn't mind the criticism. In fact, he loves proving people wrong. He's done it his whole life and said he's not finished yet.
"'I know that everyone doubts that I will,' said Johnson, now a junior forward on the Penn State men's basketball team. 'They just think that I am a great story for college, and after this, I will work at the MBNA Center and be a coach here. That's not gonna happen. I will play professionally somewhere.'
"He says that with the boldest look in his eyes and not the slightest bit of doubt in his voice. He's quick to admit he's not ready right now, but promised by the end of next season he will be on his way to the next level...."
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Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Fun hard to find for Lions, Claxton:
"It's never fun to watch a team struggle.
"However, for those strong enough to stick with the Penn State men's basketball team during its current losing streak, fans can see a real star-in-the-making in freshman Geary Claxton.
"The forward from West Haven, Conn., has been the Nittany Lions' most consistent performer in Big Ten play thus far and has been one of the few bright spots in what is turning out to be yet another disappointing season.
"'That kid Claxton, I think he's an outstanding player,' Michigan head coach Tommy Amaker said after Saturday's game. 'He's tough to guard and I think he plays tremendous defense.'
"The forward registered his fourth straight double-digit scoring performance Saturday and had a strong defensive effort against the Wolverines as well.
"Claxton even showed Penn State fans something they had not seen in a long time: a meaningful dunk. (No, Brandon Hassell's dunks against Division II East Stroudsburg do not count.)
"With three minutes left in the first half, Claxton had a two-handed slam after a great pass from Travis Parker. Just one minute later, Claxton finished a pretty alley-oop, again after an excellent look from Parker.
"The freshman also tied a season-high with three blocks on the day, helping the Lions have one of their best overall defensive performances of the season. Fans could see a maturation process before their very eyes, as Claxton only thinks he can get better.
"'I just have to keep playing more games,' he said. 'As I play more games, I'll become more comfortable.'
"That's a good sign of things to come. If Penn State is able to recruit more players like Claxton, the team's prospects could change faster than many may think. ...
"…Another important battle took place during halftime when members of the media squared off against each other for charity.
"Former Daily Collegian sports editor and current Centre Daily Times writer Jeff Rice took the court for the CDT team, along with Penn State men’s basketball super-journalist Dave Jones of Harrisburg’s The Patriot-News and Dan 'The Fan' Victor. The trio took on members of Beaver 103.1 FM in a shooting competition. The CDT combo came out on top with a score of 35-21. 'I have no idea what I was doing,' Jones was heard saying in the media room afterward. ..."
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Monday, January 17, 2005
G-MA rebounds at hoops tourney (phillyBurbs.com):
"...'Our kids were down Friday night, but they came back and showed what they can do. This team we played, I was told, has nine Division One signees on it and also the best unsigned big man in the country.'
"That big man, 6-foot-8 inch Nigerian-born center Uche Echefu, who has narrowed his college choices to Duke, Kentucky and Michigan, was limited to just nine points.
"'(Junior)
Andrew Ott played the game of his life,' Fenerty said. 'He took an elbow to the mouth with two minutes left and lost a tooth, but he's OK.'
"Ott finished with 17 points and seven blocks.
"Lost in Ott's heroics was the game-winning 15-foot jumper by Ryan Ayers with five seconds left that broke a 61-61 tie. Ayers had 14 points and 10 rebounds while
Brian Grimes had a team-high 18 points to go along with 12 rebounds. ..."
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Blood clot causes Smith to sit out rest of season:
"Penn State sophomore guard Marlon Smith will miss the rest of the season due to a blood clot in his brain, Penn State Director of Athletic Medicine Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli said Saturday.
"After what seemed like endless days of blood tests, doctors determined that Smith had a small, transient, partial blockage of an artery in the part of his brain that controls upper and lower extremity strength; it is related to a small blood clot.
"Sebastianelli pointed out that it was not an aneurysm, meningitis or any kind of infectious disease.
"Because of the clot, Smith has been placed on blood thinners for three months. Smith will be on a needle form of the medicine until the pill form arrives, which Sebastianelli said usually takes three to five days.
"Penn State men's basketball team physician Dr. Doug Auckerman said playing is out of the question for the Nittany Lions' second-leading scorer while on the medication. ..."
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Lions lose another Big Ten matchup:
"This year was supposed to be different.
"This team was supposed to be far improved from a 9-19 season.
"Take away the misfortunes, such as guard Marlon Smith now sidelined for the season with a transient blood clot. Forget about the players who departed the team for different reasons, leaving Penn State coach Ed DeChellis with a not-so-deep 10-man roster. And take away the adversity the Nittany Lions have faced, and things could be different.
"But until then, Penn State (6-11, 0-4 Big Ten) continues to struggle, most recently with its 14th consecutive Big Ten loss and ninth loss in its last 10 games -- a hard-fought 66-62 defeat to Michigan (12-5, 3-0 Big Ten) on Saturday.
"It's a defeat made worse by the Nittany Lions week off next week.
"'You got a horrible feeling in your stomach and a horrible taste, and you get to be miserable for a whole week instead of four or five days,' DeChellis said. ..."
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Sunday, January 16, 2005
FightOnState.com: Rudel Column: Hoop Woes Continue:
"Shortly before tipoff Saturday afternoon at the Jordan Center, Penn State coach Ed DeChellis was informed starting guard Ben Luber had been vomiting in the restroom.
"DeChellis, presiding over a program crippled by injuries and defections for two years, could only sigh.
"'We'll see what else we can come up with,' he said of the Nittany Lions' hard luck. ..."
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Young Michigan marksman chills PSU:
"STATE COLLEGE - It wasn't as if Ed DeChellis had much reason to be afraid of Michigan's 3-point threat. Three-fourths of the way through yesterday's game at the Jordan Center -- eventually won 66-62 by Michigan -- the Wolverines stood 3-of-17 from the arc.
"So, as his Nittany Lions stood tied with U-M 42-42, the PSU coach was toying with a classic dare-you junk defense -- the triangle-and-two.
"It was designed to put man pressure on the Wolverines' most lethal weapons, guards Dion Harris and Daniel Horton while daring any of the U-M wingers to hoist a bomb.
"The defense was working, too. After combining for 18 points in the first half, the Michigan backcourt duo would finish with two free throws, by Horton, in the second half and no field goals at all.
"Moreover, freshman forward Ronald Coleman had ballooned an embarrassing airball late in the first half, had followed it with a walk, and looked thoroughly flustered when coach Tommy Amaker pulled him.
"But just like everything else in this squalid Penn State season, even reasonable coaching moves are blowing up in DeChellis' face.
"Without warning, Coleman, a .340 3-point shooter on the season, caught fire when it mattered. ..."
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Smith had brain artery blockage:
"STATE COLLEGE - Marlon Smith's 2004-05 basketball season is over and it's unknown if he'll play again.
Penn State's sophomore guard and leading scorer from a year ago met with reporters yesterday after PSU's game with Michigan and announced he will not be able to play again this year.
"The reason is what PSU doctors termed 'a small, transient, partial blockage of an artery in his brain related to a small blood clot.'
"Smith collapsed at practice on Jan. 7 and felt numbness in his hands and feet. He entered the hospital that night after Penn State physicians suspected an arterial blockage. He spent the week in Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center undergoing tests designed to pinpoint the cause of the clot and blockage.
"He will spend the next three months taking blood thinners that will prohibit him from any athletic activity during that span, according to PSU team physician Dr. Doug Auckerman:
"'When someone is on blood thinners, any hard contact can cause a huge bruise or even bleeding.'
"Smith made only a brief statement and chose not to answer any questions for now:
" 'I'd like to thank everyone for their concern and support,' said Smith, who appeared in perfect health. 'I feel good and I just feel blessed to be back with the guys.' ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/16/2005 | Wolverines hold off Nittany Lions:
"UNIVERSITY PARK -- The final minute couldn't have summarized the half, and the game, any better.
"With Michigan clinging to a 59-57 lead, freshman forward Ron Coleman drilled his fourth 3-pointer of the half, and junior forward Graham Brown drew a charge on the following possession, slamming the door on a game Penn State team as the Wolverines went on to win 66-62 Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center.
"Coleman scored all 12 of his points in the second half while Brown added his first career double-double off the bench with 13 points and 10 rebounds as Michigan (12-5, 3-0 Big Ten) withstood a late Nittany Lion charge and won for the ninth time in 11 games.
"'We didn't take advantage of our opportunities,' Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis said, 'and (Coleman) made a couple big shots, and that's what this league is, and that's what this game is all about. You've got to make big shots when they arise, and if he misses the shots, it's a whole different story.' ..."
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Wolverines foil strategy - 1/16/05:
"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State figured the strategy would work Saturday against Michigan. The Nittany Lions' defense would concentrate on containing Daniel Horton and Dion Harris.
"It sounded good. U-M center Courtney Sims got in foul trouble (he played only 20 minutes) and the Wolverines were already playing without injured starters Chris Hunter (ankle) and Brent Petway (shoulder).
"'We played some triangle-and-two (three players in a zone defense and man-to-man defense on Horton and Harris) and tried to take Harris and Horton out of the game,' Penn State Coach Ed DeChellis said. 'We tried to roll the dice and make someone else beat us.'
"It happened. Freshman Ron Coleman and junior Graham Brown came through in the second half to lead the Wolverines to a 66-62 victory.
"Coleman scored all 12 of his points in the final six minutes, seven seconds on four three-point shots. Brown, who was playing in his second game after missing the previous eight because of hernia surgery, had nine of his 13 points in the second half. Brown also had 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. ..."
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Saturday, January 15, 2005
U-M defeats Lions, 66-62, after rookie's rebound:
"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Ronald Coleman looked lost in the first half.
The University of Michigan's freshman forward took just two shots before halftime, missing both badly, including an air ball that ignited a partisan Penn State crowd.
"But coach Tommy Amaker told his rookie wing to calm down and just keep shooting in the second half.
"It was good advice.
"Coleman scored 12 points, all on four second-half 3-pointers, as Michigan defeated Penn State, 66-62, on Saturday. The Wolverines remained undefeated in conference play, winning their sixth-straight game this season and their seventh-straight over the Nittany Lions. ..."
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FightOnState.com: Good News on Marlon Smith:
"Penn State fell to Michigan, 66-62, at the Jordan Center Saturday, extending its losing streak to five games while dipping to 0-4 in the conference and 6-11 overall.
"While it may have been tempting for the Nittany Lions to ask themselves how much worse things could get, they didn't. Because sitting on the bench with them was a person whose recent real-life drama lends perspective to anything happening on the floor.
"Sophomore guard Marlon Smith, who spent a week at Hershey Medical Center due to a blocked artery in his brain which caused him to collapse at practice Jan. 7, returned to campus Friday. He sat with his teammates Saturday, wearing a gray sweatsuit with white stripes down the side.
"And a smile.
"Though he will miss the remainder of the season because he must spend at least three months on blood-thinning medication, Smith was upbeat at a postgame press conference, too.
"'As of right now, I'm feeling pretty good,' Smith said. "I'm pretty happy and excited to be back with my team, and to be back here at Penn State. I'm kind of blessed to be here right now. It's a great thing.' ..."
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Nittany Lion Basketball Team Drops 66-62 Heartbreaker to Michigan
State College, Pa. - January 15, 2005 - The Penn State Nittany Lion basketball team dropped a hard-fought 66-62 decision to visiting Michigan on Saturday in the Bryce Jordan Center. Junior Travis Parker (Greenville, N.C.) led an outstanding Penn State effort with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists, but Michigan's Ronald Coleman made four second-half three-pointers to spur UM on to the win.
The Nittany Lions and Wolverines played an even and energized first half, with each team leading by as many as six points. Penn State opened the game up by outscoring UM 14-6 over the first five-plus minutes. But Michigan would battle back with an 11-1 run to take a 19-5 lead at the 7:59 mark. Close throughout the first stanza, Michigan owned a 30-26 lead at intermission.
Parker led Penn State with seven points in the half while freshman Geary Claxton (West Haven, Conn.) had five points (including two dunks), four rebounds and two blocks. Aaron Johnson (Exton, Pa.) added four and six boards. Penn State shot .409 from the floor, but its defense held Michigan to just .394 shooting. The Nittany Lions also out-rebounded UM 19-16 over the game's first 20 minutes.
The second half began with Penn State pulling into the lead, 37-35, on a traditional three-point play from Johnson at the 14:05 mark. The teams would continue to trade buckets until, with the game tied at 42-42 at the 9:28 mark, Michigan would go on a 10-3 run and grab a 50-43 lead with only 4:57 to play. The Wolverines would extend that lead to eight, 57-49, with just 2:36 left when Penn State would mount a furious comeback effort.
Parker would score five points (a trey and two free throws) to pull the Lions to within two, 59-57, at the 1:04 mark. But Coleman would hit his fourth and final trey with :34 to play and Michigan would make its free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
Claxton also had a fine game, with the freshman continuing to play well in Big Ten action. Claxton had 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Johnson posted his eighth double-double of the year with 11 points and 11 rebounds while Ben Luber (Richboro, Pa.) scored 13. Dion Harris led UM with 14 while Coleman ended the game with 13.
Penn State out-rebounded Michigan 40-29. The Nittany Lions shot .404 from the field, but hit only four of 14 three-pointers (.286). Michigan was 11 of 13 from the stripe and committed only eight turnovers.
Penn State is now 6-11, 0-4 Big Ten, while Michigan moves to 12-5, 3-0. The Nittany Lions will host Northwestern next Saturday at 4 p.m. in their next game. The contest is an ESPN2 national broadcast. Nittany Lion single game tickets can be purchased either at the Bryce Jordan Center ticket windows or on-line at www.GoPSUsports.com (click on the tickets button or the tickets tile). Single game and ticket packages can also be ordered by phone by calling 1-800-863-3336 or locally 865-5555.
HEAD COACH ED DECHELLIS QUOTES
Opening statement
"We kept climbing back into the game and getting to where we needed to be but then we kept turning the ball over and we didn't take advantage. Michigan hit some big shots and that's what this league is all about. We tried to take Dion Harris and Daniel Horton out of the game and I think they hurt us, especially in the first half. Graham Brown played exceptionally well. Our game plan was to take Harris and Horton out of the game and try and make someone else step up and beat us. Brown stepped up and did it."
Talk about the play of Ben Luber
"Luber's effort was outstanding, considering he was sick with the flu before the game. He plays hard and is a tough competitor. I thought he did a good job passing and he played very well defensively."
What was it like having Marlon Smith back with the team?
"It was nice to have the guys see him at practice and in the locker room. It was a real pick-me-up for our guys."
How important is it to not have to play the midweek game?
"It's both good and bad. You have this sour taste in your mouth from the loss and Wednesday could be a day to get a win and erase that taste. But we'll do some things academically in the next two days and then practice hard the rest of the week in preparation for Saturday."
PENN STATE PLAYER QUOTES
Travis Parker
On playing without Marlon Smith:
"I thought we still had a good chance to win. We should have won. They just hit big shots at the end."
On emotions in regards to Smith's return to team activity:
"We were already emotional, coming into the game with an 0-3 Big Ten start. Marlon coming back and going to practice and sitting on the bench gave us an extra boost."
On the physicality of the game:
"It wasn't the most physical game we've played thus far. I would say Michigan State was the most physical. It was still a fast paced game but not like Michigan State with their fast breaks."
Geary Claxton
On emotional aspect of the game:
"It was emotional. We just tried to play hard. We have to just keep on playing."
On becoming comfortable with the style and play of the college game:
"I just have to keep playing more games. As I play more games I'll become more comfortable. I just have to focus on the next game right now."
On competitiveness of second half play today:
"You just have to play hard, 40 minutes each game like Coach says. We're giving all of our effort and all we can do is keep trying and play harder."
GAME NOTES:
- Travis Parker led both teams in scoring with a career-high 19 points and has now reached double figures in scoring in 14 of 17 games this season, including 11 of the past 12.
- Aaron Johnson extended his double-figure scoring streak to 20 consecutive games, despite being limited to one field goal in only five attempts. Johnson was 9-of-13 from the free throw line.
- Johnson collected a game-high 11 rebounds, his 8th double-figure rebounding effort of the season and the 16th of his career.
- Geary Claxton registered three blocks, the third time the freshman has achieved that mark. His 11th double-figure scoring effort of the season produced 13 points.
- Ben Luber scored a season-high 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field in 34 minutes of play. He converted 2-of-3 free throw attempts.
Marlon Smith Out for Season:
"State College, Pa. - January 15, 2005 - Penn State Nittany Lion basketball player Marlon Smith (Bronx, N.Y.) met with the media after Penn State's game with Michigan this afternoon to announce that he will not play for the remainder of the season.
"Smith, who got ill at practice on Friday, Jan. 7, underwent extensive testing to determine the cause for some weakness in his extremities. Penn State Director of Athletic Medicine Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli, announced that Smith had a small, transient, partial blockage of an artery in his brain related to a small blood clot. ..."
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Big Ten Conference - Official Athletic Site - Men's Basketball:
"SCORING ## Player-Team G FG 3FG FT Pts Avg/G ---------------------------------------------
1.Pierce, Pierre-IOWA...... 2 18 2 8 46 23.0
2.Horton, Daniel-MICH...... 2 13 3 8 37 18.5
Wright, Bracey-IND....... 2 13 1 10 37 18.5
4.Vukusic, Vedran-NU....... 3 17 7 10 51 17.0
5.Wilkinson, Mike-WIS...... 3 18 2 12 50 16.7
Landry, Carl-PUR......... 3 19 1 11 50 16.7
Claxton, Geary-PSU....... 3 15 0 20 50 16.7"
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Includes video interview with Danny Morrissey
FightOnState.com: PSU Hoop Preview: Michigan:
- "Starting guard Marlon Smith (11.8 ppg) will miss his third straight game due to an unspecified illness. He is hospitalized at the Hershey Medical Center. DeChellis said Smith and his family would like to keep the matter private. There is no timetable set for a return. Morrissey will continue starting in Smith's place (see video).
- "Penn State has gotten a total of 59 points from its guards in three Big Ten games. By comparison, Illinois received 51 points from its backcourt in a single game against PSU. ..."
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PSU's Smith may show up at today's tilt: "Terrific news will greet the Penn State Nittany Lions today when they host the Michigan Wolverines at the Jordan Center (12:15).
"Marlon Smith has been released from Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and was planning last night to attend the game, according to coach Ed DeChellis.
"PSU's sophomore guard has undergone a weeklong battery of tests since collapsing during practice on Jan. 7 and has been cleared of any imminent life-threatening condition.
" 'He's back on campus,' DeChellis said last night. 'We're hoping he'll be able to talk to everyone [today] after the game.'
"DeChellis was planning to ask for the blessing of Smith's family in order to hold a postgame news conference to clear the air about the player's diagnosis. ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/15/2005 | Battle of the bruised:
"Any breaks the Penn State men's basketball team have caught this season have gone unnoticed, if they've existed at all. One player left the team, another took himself out of uniform and a third is currently in the hospital, leaving Penn State with nine scholarship players, four of whom are true freshmen.
"Through it all, the Nittany Lions (6-10, 0-3 Big Ten) have been careful not to whine. Otherwise, they would look pretty silly next to today's opponent, because if there is a team that has caught fewer breaks, it is Michigan.
"The Wolverines (11-5, 2-0), who will meet Penn State at 12:15 p.m. today at the Bryce Jordan Center, have been decimated by injuries, starting 11 different players in 10 different lineups, but have still found ways to win eight of their last 10 games.
"'They're pretty deep, and it's seemed like they've had guys step up on different nights and play,' Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis said. 'They've done a great job of holding things together and still continue to win.'..."
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Friday, January 14, 2005
Centre Daily Times | 01/14/2005 | Nittany Lions only worried about teammate's health:
"The player is in a hospital bed some 100 miles away. He doesn't know what is wrong with him, what made him, in the prime of his life, collapse in the middle of a practice. He and his family want to keep things quiet, at least until they know more.
"The coach has enough to worry about already. At one point during Wednesday's game against the nation's top-ranked team, he sent four true freshmen and a junior-college transfer onto the floor. As he prepares his team for another Big Ten game, he continues to receive the question:
"What is the matter with Marlon Smith?
"And there isn't much Ed DeChellis can say, really. Not because he wants to keep the media or the fans in the dark. Because he made a promise to the Smith family to keep things confidential.The week hasn't been any easier for DeChellis and the Penn State basketball family, but they must continue to go about their business, part of which includes keeping that promise and part of which means facing the media.
"Penn State fans, however, have an insatiable need for information. When they don't have it, many will compensate by creating their own stories. ..."
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The Michigan Daily -- Penn State next road test for 'M'
"Over the next 15 days, the Michigan men’s basketball team might be embarking on its toughest stretch of the season. The Wolverines won’t be playing the toughest opponents of their Big Ten slate, but they will face one of their toughest challenges from last season: playing on the road.
"Michigan (2-0 Big Ten, 11-5 overall) plays four of its next five Big Ten games on the road, starting with a trip to State College for a game against Penn State (0-3, 6-10) tomorrow. The Wolverines have two road games in the next two weeks with a home game against Wisconsin sandwiched between them.
"Last season, Michigan went 2-6 on the road, with its two wins coming against Big Ten cellar-dwellers Northwestern and Penn State. Perhaps the most disappointing loss of the year came at Minnesota, where Michigan gave up 47 points in the second half en route to an 81-78 loss. ..."
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Michigan next on Lions' slate:
"If there was ever a team that needed to suffer a case of short-term memory loss, the Penn State men's basketball team is the perfect candidate for it.
"The Nittany Lions' (6-10, 0-3 Big Ten) trip to the heart of Big Ten country was one they would like to soon forget.
"Penn State lost both games by more than 20 points and was completely outplayed in every aspect of the game. The Lions were outrebounded and out-scored in nauseatingly high numbers when the game was still in doubt. ...."
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Thursday, January 13, 2005
FightOnState.com: Marlon Smith Update:
"Penn State basketball coach Ed DeChellis met the media Thursday afternoon, but could only offer a few details about hospitalized guard Marlon Smith. Smith, who collapsed at practice last Friday, is still undergoing tests at the Hershey Medical Center.
"'He's resting comfortably,' DeChellis said, noting that Smith and his family do not want the details of his illness to become public at this time. 'He seems to be in pretty good spirits. We're hoping to know more. They're still undergoing some tests.'
"Smith, a sophomore starter, has missed Penn State's last two games due to his illness. He was listed in serious condition at Hershey as of Tuesday, and will not play in this Saturday's home tilt with Michigan. Beyond that, DeChellis had no idea when or if Smith might return.
'It's a game-by-game thing, it's a day-to-day thing,' the coach said. 'He could be here for practice tomorrow. I just don't know.'
In the meantime, Smith's fellow Nittany Lions addressed the situation to the media for the first time Thursday.
'It's been pretty tough on me,' said point guard Ben Luber, Smith's roommate and classmate. 'Going back to the room and not seeing him there at night and just wondering what's wrong with him. When I saw what happened at practice, it scared me a lot. I couldn't even practice from then on out because I couldn't stop thinking if he was all right. I just hope he is well. Regardless of anything with basketball -- if he gets to play again or anything -- I just hope his health is well.' "
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Wednesday, January 12, 2005
STLtoday - Sports - Illini:
"CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Penn State lost 83-62 at Minnesota last week, and tonight the Nittany Lions are in for a tough assignment at No. 1-ranked Illinois (16-0 overall, 2-0 in Big Ten).
"The only thing that makes Penn State coach Ed DeChellis feel better is that his Nittany Lions (6-9, 0-2) will play the following game at home.
"At the unanimous urging of its men's basketball coaches, the Big Ten has altered the league's schedule this season so that no team will play three consecutive road games.
"'I think three in a row was tough, so it's a positive to have only two on the road in one stretch,' said DeChellis, whose team has recorded four of its six victories at its Bryce Jordan Center. 'It could help a young team like us.' ..."
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Pantagraph.com - Sports - Illini's Randle set to dress, not play -- yet 01/12/05:
"CHAMPAIGN -- Brian Randle will be in uniform for the first time this season tonight.
"Don't get too excited.
"The University of Illinois sophomore forward, who suffered a broken hand on Nov. 11, still doesn't know whether he will play this season or seek a medical redshirt. He definitely won't play when the No. 1-ranked Illini try to match the best start in school history by entertaining struggling Penn State at 8 o'clock at the sold-out Assembly Hall.
" 'I'm still very hopeful. I'm not going to stop being optimistic about the situation,' said the 6-foot-8 Randle. 'I hope to come back. That's what we're shooting for.' ... "
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ChicagoSports.com - Illini want to avoid lull:
"CHAMPAIGN -- Illinois basketball players excitedly talked up their dates with Wake Forest and Cincinnati months before tipoff. A fraction of that enthusiasm could be enough Wednesday night to defeat floundering Penn State.
"But will the top-ranked Illini (16-0, 2-0) muster any eagerness for this Big Ten game against the Nittany Lions (6-9, 0-2), who have lost seven of their last eight games?
"Illinois coach Bruce Weber wants to stir up his team's intensity, like previous attempts before playing Longwood and Northwestern State two weeks ago in the Las Vegas Classic. His success rate has been 50-50.
" 'It's the first time in my career I've actually told them before games if they don't win by 30, it's disappointing,' Weber said Monday. 'You're not living up to your potential. I already know they're mentally complacent. I'm trying to give them a challenge.' ..."
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FightOnState.com: Hoop Preview ? @ Illinois:
- "DeChellis, on the prospect of facing No. 1: 'We should be loose. No one thinks we're supposed to win. Why not go in and have some fun? ... Let's go take our shot.' "
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PSU's Smith in hospital:
"Marlon Smith was in serious condition last night at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with an illness that school officials declined to disclose.
"A spokeswoman at the medical center said late yesterday that the Penn State basketball player's condition was listed as serious and that he was admitted on Friday night. She refused to elaborate on any diagnosis or prognosis, citing patient confidentiality regulations.
"According to the center's guidebook definition, serious condition means: 'Vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. The patient is acutely ill. Indicators are questionable.'
"Sources close to the PSU basketball team said Smith, the Lions' leading scorer a year ago and a two-year starter, fainted on Friday at practice, hours before the Nittany Lions' flight to Minneapolis.
"Initially, it was suspected Smith was suffering from a flu bug that has attacked the team for a month. Smith's backcourt teammate Mike Walker was knocked into the hospital by the flu two weeks ago during the team's holiday tournament trip to Arizona State."
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Tuesday, January 11, 2005
PennStateHoops.com | Penn State Basketball Message Board for News, Nittany Lion Basketball Recruiting, PSU talk:
TJM78 writes,
"They got us!!!
"Got this e-mail from Brad Rinehart of WFMZ:
"______________________________________________________
"Well, who says one person can't make a difference?
"Barring any unforseen circumstances, we will be carrying the following games:
"Wednesday, Jan. 26 at Ohio State
"Wednesday, February 9 at Purdue
"Wednesday, Feb. 16 Illinois
"Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Michigan
"Saturday, March 5 Michigan State
"Thanks for giving me the heads up on this.
"Brad Rinehart
"WFMZ
"______________________________________________________
"My Comcast in Delaware County gets WFMZ, and I imaging most, if not all, of the Comcast cable systems in Philly carry it.
"You can e-mail a thank you to Brad at:
bradr@wfmz.com"
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FightOnState.com: Smooth Transition:
"He is asked the question all the time. And for the record, yes, Cilk -- pronounced 'Silk' -- is his actual first name.
'Nobody believes me,' Cilk McSweeney said with a smile before Penn State practiced at the Jordan Center last week. 'They say, what's your name? I say Cilk. ... But most of the time, since it's spelled C-i-l-k, they call me Click.'
Which is fitting, in a way, because after spending the last few years traveling around the country in search of a basketball home, McSweeney believes his career is finally clicking with the Nittany Lions.
The 6-foot-6, 205-pound shooting guard transferred into the program for the fall semester after spending a season and a half on scholarship at Towson University, and the spring of 2004 working out at San Diego City College. Under NCAA transfer rules, McSweeney is not eligible to play for the Nittany Lions until the 2005-06 season, at which time he will have two years of competition remaining.
McSweeney is not on scholarship. But he is practicing with the team every day and offering moral support from the bench during home games.
'He's working hard,' forward Aaron Johnson said. 'If we had him this year, he'd be a huge help.' ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/11/2005 | Backcourt has taken Illini to the top:
"It doesn't seem fair, having that much talent in one backcourt.
Penn State has for much of the season struggled to trot two healthy starting guards onto the floor. Illinois has three who could easily wind up first-team All-Big Ten selections.
"Need a bucket? A steal? An assist? Pick one.
"No. 1 Illinois (16-0), two wins away from its best start ever, is loaded at every position, but the Fighting Illini who figure to do the most damage when the shorthanded Nittany Lions visit Assembly Hall on Wednesday are senior
Luther Head and juniors Dee Brown and Deron Williams, the nation's best backcourt and maybe the best guard trio in conference history.
"Head, Williams and Brown are 1-2-3 in scoring for the Illini, in that order, combining for 42.9 of Illinois' 81.6 points per game. All rank in the Big Ten's top 20 in scoring and top five in assists. ... "
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Smith to miss more time:
"To say things haven't been looking good for the Penn State men's basketball team would be an understatement.
"After starting the season 5-2, the Nittany Lions (6-9, 0-2 Big Ten) have lost seven of their last eight contests. In the team's two most recent outings, it has fallen to Big Ten foes Michigan State and Minnesota by more than 20 points each.
"Oh yeah, and the Lions travel to play the top-ranked team in the country, undefeated Illinois (16-0, 2-0), tomorrow night.
"Sounds a little daunting, doesn't it?
" 'We're still trying to climb the mountain one step at a time, one day at a time,' Penn State head coach Ed DeChellis said yesterday at his weekly press conference.
" 'When you have as many guys on the floor that have not played Big Ten basketball before [as his team has], you just have breakdowns. Athletically, we have breakdowns, and then mentally we have breakdowns.'
"Making matters worse, DeChellis said sophomore guard Marlon Smith will miss his second straight game tomorrow due to illness.
"The coach said the sophomore was doing better but there is still no timetable for his return.
"The loss of Smith only makes things tougher for the Lions.
" 'He's just a guy who can break you down with the dribble and get somebody else a shot,' DeChellis said. 'He helps you defensively because he knows what [the team is] doing on the floor.'"
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Monday, January 10, 2005
PSU's struggles continue in 2005:
"The calendar has flipped to 2005, but the Penn State men's basketball team is still playing like the 2004 version of itself.
"The Nittany Lions (6-9, 0-2 Big Ten) lost Saturday night in Minneapolis, their second consecutive Big Ten loss by 20-plus points, falling 83-62 to the upstart Minnesota Golden Gophers (11-3, 1-0).
"In a fashion similar to that of its 84-58 loss to Michigan State Wednesday, Penn State played the Gophers close for the first 12 minutes. The Lions were within one point, 22-21, before Minnesota blew the game wide open."
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Sunday, January 09, 2005
Centre Daily Times | 01/09/2005 | Gophers eat up Nittany Lions:
"A different Penn State team went on the road in search of a conference win Saturday night. It found the same, all-too-familiar result as its predecessors.
"The Nittany Lions lost their first Big Ten road game of the season and 25th consecutive conference road game overall, 83-62 to Minnesota at Williams Arena.
"The Golden Gophers (11-3, 1-0 Big Ten) won their ninth straight, getting 19 points from senior point guard Aaron Robinson and 18 from senior center Jeff Hagen, never trailed and led by as many as 29. The Nittany Lions (6-9, 0-2) have lost three in a row and seven of eight.
"'They were a good team, and we just continue to let one mistake lead to another mistake,' Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis said. 'We don't pull it together on the floor, and they made some big shots.'"
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AP Wire | 01/08/2005 | Minnesota 83, Penn St. 62:
"One game into the Big Ten season, the Minnesota Gophers already have surpassed most people's expectations.
"'Two months ago, people said we wouldn't win a game, let alone a Big Ten game,' Gophers coach Dan Monson said.
"How about nine in row?
"Aaron Robinson hit six 3-pointers to finish with 19 points, Jeff Hagen added 18 and Minnesota opened conference play with its ninth straight victory, beating Penn State 83-62 on Saturday night.
"The Gophers' winning streak is the longest under Monson, whose team hasn't lost since falling 70-69 to Florida State on Nov. 30. Minnesota last won nine in a row in 1997, when the Gophers had 12 straight victories. That season was wiped from the record books, though, after the Clem Haskins academic fraud scandal.
"This year's team probably would prefer to delete last season, also. A year ago, Minnesota lost its Big Ten opener to the Nittany Lions, the first of nine straight conference losses. Hagen said the team had high expectations last year.
"'This year it's nice to be able to back it up,' he said with a grin. 'We're actually going to do well this year.'
"Minnesota (11-3, 1-0 Big Ten) entered this season with extremely low expectations with the losses of forward Kris Humphries to the NBA, point guard Adam Boone to a torn biceps tendon and guard Moe Hargrow to ineligibility.
"Only five lettermen are back from last year's team. But Robinson and Hagen - two of those lettermen - provided Minnesota, which led by as many as 29 points, the impressive outside-inside combination on Saturday night the Gophers badly lacked in recent seasons. ..."
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Saturday, January 08, 2005
Centre Daily Times | 01/08/2005 | Revamped Gophers await Nittany Lions:
"Looking for its first Big Ten road win in nearly four years, the Penn State men's basketball team visits Williams Arena at 8 p.m. today to meet a Minnesota team vastly different than what the Nittany Lions saw last season.
"But the Nittany Lions (6-8, 0-1 Big Ten) will keep their focus squarely on the one team they've worried about all season long.
"Themselves.
" 'They're a solid team, but it's not so much about them,' Penn State junior forward Aaron Johnson said. 'It's much more about us, us playing defense and sticking together on the road.'"
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FightOnState.com: Hoop Preview ? @ Minnesota:
"
Penn State Notes:
- Penn State has lost 24 straight Big Ten road games. Including conference tournament action, the Nittany Lions have dropped 27 consecutive league outings away from the BJC.
- Penn State's last Big Ten road win (quiz clue) was at Iowa (78-73) in the next to last game of the 2000-01 regular season. No one on the active roster played in the game. In fact, Jamaal Tate, now serving as a student assistant coach, is the only person in the entire program who was involved in that game."
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Friday, January 07, 2005
Centre Daily Times | 01/07/2005 | Izzo has luxury of detailing his team:
"The Nittany Lions were in trouble as soon as Tom Izzo rattled off Aaron Johnson's rebounding average -- offensive rebounding average, mind you -- as if it were his social security number.
"Michigan State's coach is energetic. He is driven. More than anything else, though, he is detail-oriented. That was as good a reason as any why his No. 20 Spartans strutted into the Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday and strutted out two hours later with an easy-as-you-please 84-58 win.
"OK, so maybe reciting Johnson's rebounding stats (4.0 offensive boards entering Wednesday's game, by the way), as Izzo did during a Monday teleconference, isn't that impressive. There isn't a Big Ten coach that doesn't know that HoJo is the conference's leading rebounder as well as the Nittany Lions' lone proven commodity.
"It was just another example, though, of the details that separate a seasoned, discliplined team like the Spartans from young, inconsistent Penn State, the details that are rarely noticeable in December but make all the difference in March.
"This is not to say that Nittany Lions coach Ed DeChellis doesn't care about details. If and when his raw but talented team starts to put it together, you'll see that DeChellis does. At this stage of his Penn State tenure, with his current personnel, he simply has different priorities.
"While Izzo has the luxury of getting his players to focus on things like making the extra pass or coming a certain way off a screen, DeChellis can only watch as his players struggle to complete the initial pass or actually set a solid screen. Penn State must master the rudimentary parts of the game -- taking care of the basketball, blocking out, taking care of the basketball -- before it can take on the subtleties.
" 'Eddie's going to have a good team,' Izzo said after his team systematically picked the Nittany Lions apart. 'He's just gotta get a couple of those young kids now to be a little older. Unfortunately, that takes seasons.' ..."
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Thursday, January 06, 2005
Centre Daily Times | 01/06/2005 | PSU HOOPS: Spartans capitalize on PSU turnovers, beat Lions 84-58:
"It took a while for Michigan State to scrape the ice off the windshield and get the engine warm on a sleety Wednesday evening. Once it did, things got chilly for Penn State in a hurry.
"Trailing early in the first half, the No. 20 Spartans (9-2, 1-0 Big Ten) used a 17-2 run to put the Nittany Lions (6-8, 0-1) on ice, then pulled away in the second half in an 84-58 win in the conference opener for both teams at the Bryce Jordan Center.
"Penn State, which lost for the sixth time in seven games, led 16-13 at the 14-minute mark of the first half before the Spartans shook away the cobwebs from a week-long layoff and started slicing up the Nittany Lion defense. Michigan State led by 10 at the half and Penn State, which committed 13 of its 20 turnovers in the second half, would get no closer.
" 'They got 33 points off our turnovers and there's the game,' Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis said. 'We just can't continue to turn the basketball over, and we continue to do it every night.' ..."
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Basketball: No. 20 Michigan State trounces Lions, 84-58:
"STATE COLLEGE -- Michigan State looked sluggish in the first half against Penn State. Tom Izzo made sure that changed after halftime.
"Alan Anderson scored 17 points and Shannon Brown added 16 to lead No. 20 Michigan State to an 84-58 win over Penn State last night in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
" 'We challenged them a bit because we weren't happy with the energy,' Izzo said. 'We've had more energy in practice the last four days than we had at the beginning of the game. But sometimes when you have long layoffs -- and that's what we're battling here, we've played so few games in so many days -- they're sick of practicing and sometimes they don't carry it over.
" 'It was a tough night with the weather and everything and a lot of excuses why we didn't play as hard, but we're going to have to.'
"Michigan State (9-2) shot 30-of-59 for the game and 16-of-17 from the free-throw line. With a 10-point lead at halftime, the Spartans outscored the Nittany Lions (6-8) 44-28 in the second half and held them to just eight field goals."
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Spartan becomes active on offense - 1/6/05:
"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo has been pushing Alan Anderson in recent weeks to provide more rebounding.
"Anderson not only did that in the first half Wednesday night, but he also scored more.
"His 13 points and five rebounds in the half helped the Spartans to get rolling after a slow start, leading to an 84-58 victory over Penn State.
"Anderson's production slowed in the second half, but the Spartans didn't. They dismantled a young team that appears destined for last place in the Big Ten."
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FightOnState.com: Nittany Lions Tumble:
"Penn State has one 6-foot-5, 210-pounder who can slash, dunk and rip offensive rebounds, and use his long arms to disrupt passing lanes and block shots. Michigan State, meanwhile, has six such wings.
"Not quite exact duplicates of one another. But athletes with similar bodies and skill sets.
"Which explains why the Spartans overwhelmed the game but outclassed Nittany Lions at the Jordan Center Wednesday night, 84-58.
"PSU's prime athlete -- freshman Geary Claxton -- did his part, going off for a career- and game-high 20 points, three blocks and a steal. He went to the line 14 times, making 10.
"'The young freshman is going to be a player,' said MSU coach Tom Izzo, who has propelled his program into college basketball's stratosphere on the backs of players like Claxton.
"But the rookie wasn't enough against the 20th-ranked Spartans, who improved to 9-2. Izzo sent waves of athletic wing men at the Nittany Lions (6-8), building a double-digit lead in the first half. The onslaught never stopped in the second. ..."
ALSO: Link to audio
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MICHIGAN STATE 84, PENN STATE 58: Spartans tame Nittany Lions, roll to sixth straight victory:
"BY GEORGE SIPPLE
"FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- For six minutes Wednesday night, the Spartans were pushed by a young Penn State squad. Fortunately for Michigan State, that stretch came at the start.
"The No. 20 Spartans regrouped quickly and used a 15-2 run midway through the first half to take control of their Big Ten opener. They never led by fewer than eight points thereafter in an 84-58 victory at the Bryce Jordan Center. Michigan State (9-2) has won six games in a row.
"'I thought we played very average early,' said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. He said his team had more energy in recent practices.
'A lot of excuses on why we didn't play as hard,' Izzo said. 'One of them is Penn State. I thought they had some enthusiasm. They played very well early.'"
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Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Nittany Lion Basketball Team Drops 84-58 Decision to No. 19 Michigan State in Big Ten Opener
Claxton's 20 Leads Penn State
State College, Pa. - January 5, 2004 - Freshman Geary Claxton (West Haven, Conn.) had a fine Big Ten debut with 20 points but the Penn State Nittany Lion basketball team dropped an 84-58 decision to No. 19 Michigan State in the Big Ten season lid-lifter for both teams.
Claxton hit five of nine field goals and ten of 14 free throws his season-best 20 points. He also had four rebounds and three blocks in the game. Michigan State, however, used a 15-4 run early in the second half to pull away from a Penn State team that had battled them tough throughout the game's first half.
The Nittany Lions began the first half with a flourish; jumping out to an early five point lead. Aaron Johnson's (Exton, Pa.) lay-up at the 16:18 mark had Penn State up 13-8. But the Spartans would score the game's next five points to tie the game. Penn State would reclaim a three-point lead, 16-13, with 14:01 to play in the half, but Michigan State would go on a 9-0 run to lead 22-16 with 9:34 to play. The Spartans would stretch their first half lead to as many as 13, but Penn State would battle back to pull within ten at the break, 40-30, thanks to two Ben Luber (Richboro, Pa.) free throws.
Claxton led Penn State with ten first half points while Johnson added nine and six boards. The Nittany Lions shot .370 from the field, hitting 10 of 27 shots and were out-rebounded by MSU 21-16 in the first stanza.
Claxton scored the first bucket of the second half for Penn State, cutting the Spartan lead to eight, 40-32, only :12 into the stanza. But MSU's Kelvin Torbert would answer with a three-pointer less than a minute later and the Spartans were off on their decisive run. Michigan would lead 55-36 with 14:07 to play. Penn State would cut the lead to as little as 15 but get no closer.
Johnson had 13 points for Penn State and a team-best nine rebounds. Freshman Brandon Hassell (Farmersville, Ohio) played a season-high 17 minutes and was second on the team with four rebounds. Hassell also had five points and a team-best two steals. The Nittany Lions shot .391 from the field (18-46) and .200 from beyond the arc (3-15) while MSU would hit 30 of 59 for a .508 mark and can 16 of 17 free throws (.941). The Spartans also out-rebounded Penn State 33-28, becoming the first team since Rutgers on Dec. 1 to out-rebound Penn State.
Penn State is now 6-8, 0-1 in the Big Ten, while Michigan State improves to 9-2, 1-0. The Nittany Lions will visit Minnesota for a Saturday night game in Minneapolis. Tip-off in Williams Arena is set for 8 p.m. Eastern and the game can be seen locally on Fox Sports Pittsburgh. Nittany Lion single game tickets can be purchased either at the Bryce Jordan Center ticket windows or on-line at www.GoPSUsports.com (click on the tickets button or the tickets tile). Single game and ticket packages can also be ordered by phone by calling 1-800-863-3336 or locally 865-5555.
Men's Basketball vs. Michigan State
Head coach post-game quotes
Penn State's Ed DeChellis
How happy were you with the play of Geary Claxton?
"Geary played very well. He was aggressive and took the ball to the basket. As a young guy in his first Big Ten game I think he did a great job."
How difficult is it to coach against the depth of Michigan State?
"They have a lot of good players especially juniors and seniors. That's why they are one of the top 20 programs. They posted our players well and we were not strong defensively. We had to take care of the ball more if we wanted to make a difference in the game."
Talk about the comparison of the guards between both teams tonight.
"Their guards outplayed us all night. We have to get more confidence in our guards if we want them to play better."
What comes next after this tough Big Ten opener?
"This was a tough conference opener and we run into tough teams in the next three games. It's not the ideal situation for us but it's where we are and we have to get ready to go out and compete with these teams."
Michigan State's Tom Izzo
Opening Statement
"I thought this was a game of twists and turns. We played average early on with no energy. Our team has been practicing well but that only gives you the right to play well, it doesn't cause our team to play well."
What was the difference between the first and second halves?
"We had good looks in the first half but couldn't buy a bucket. We did a good job defensively all game and then we were able to shoot well and rebound well in the second half. It was a good win for us on the road.
Game Notes
- Freshman Geary Claxton had a career night in his Big Ten debut. His game-high 20 points and 10 free throws represent career bests. Claxton netted 10 points in each half.
- With a 13-point effort, Aaron Johnson extended his double-figure scoring streak to 17 games. Although he just missed another double-double with 9 rebounds, Johnson did top both teams in that category.
- Freshman Brandon Hassell established a new career high with 5 points, all in the second half.
- By converting 16 of 17 free throw attempts, Michigan State established a season best among Penn State opponents with a free throw percentage of 94.1.
- In 13 seasons in the Big Ten, Penn State has opened conference play against Michigan State three times. The previous openers were at East Lansing, Mich., on January 5, 2000, and January 3, 2001. Michigan State prevailed in the three openers.
Penn State Player Quotes
Geary Claxton
On how they respond to the result of this game
"It's going to be tough. We have to keep working hard. We have to improve our execution and we can't give up."
On how they played early
"In the first half we played well. In the second half we didn't come out like we did in the first. We need to play harder on defense and cut down on mistakes. We just have to correct those things in practice."
On how this team can do in the Big Ten
"We can compete with anybody. We just have to come out, work hard, and give it our all."
A Shawnee star in the past, Earl now assesses his future:
"If he could relive his basketball days at Shawnee High School, Danny Earl says he wouldn't hesitate. Those were great days for Earl, a 6-foot-4 point guard who never ventured far from the sport that put him on the map.
" 'If I could go back, I would love to,' he said last week from his brother Brian's home in Moorestown, where he's living. 'I don't think I'd change too many things. I went to a Shawnee game two weeks ago and saw all the kids and parents and cheerleaders. It brought back memories. Yeah, those were good times, definitely.'
"Brian, now a lawyer and two years younger than Danny, was a teammate during Danny's junior and senior years at Shawnee.
"Few high school basketball players accomplish what Danny Earl did at Shawnee between 1990 and 1993. Not only was he a varsity starter all four years, but he led his team to the Tournament of Champions title in 1992, was named the tourney's MVP that year, was crowned South Jersey Player of the Year in 1992 and captured New Jersey Player of the Year laurels one year later.
"Coach Joe Kessler, who still heads the program at Shawnee, will never forget the right-hander from Medford Lakes who could shoot, score and defend. He'll never forget his intelligence either.
" 'Basketball-wise, he probably was the smartest player ever to come out of South Jersey,' Kessler said fondly. 'He just understood the game better than anybody I've seen. He was great, one of the best to ever play in this area.'
"After graduating from Shawnee, Earl stayed close to the hardwood.
"He was heavily recruited by Penn State and played six years for the Nittany Lions, being redshirted twice because of injury. During his junior year, Penn State won the Big Ten title and was ranked No. 8 in the country. Earl made the All-Big Ten team that year ..."
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FightOnState.com: Hoop Preview -- Michigan State:
"Penn State Notes:
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- DeChellis has lauded his team for playing with heart, even in losses. We're about to see what kind of collective ticker the Lions have. The last three meetings in this series have all been PSU rollovers. With that in mind, Johnson, one of the few Lions who has not backed down from the Spartans, is happy there are so many new faces on his roster this year.
" 'All the players that left, they weren't exactly the toughest-minded people in the world,' Johnson said. 'We do have a tough team now. ... I'm not gonna be pushed around. I refuse to be pushed around by anybody. A lot of the guys have the same mentality. If we do that against Michigan State, we'll be fine.' "
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Centre Daily Times | 01/05/2005 | Penn State faces experienced Spartans:
"With six points tonight, Michigan State senior guard Kelvin Torbert will hit 1,000 for his career. Penn State's four guards, sophomores Marlon Smith and Ben Luber and freshmen Mike Walker and Danny Morrissey, enter tonight's game with 926 combined career points.
"Oh, and Torbert comes off the bench for the Spartans.
"The experience factor that the Nittany Lions (6-7) are facing during this Big Ten season doesn't get any more pronounced than it will at 7 p.m. today against No. 20 Michigan State (8-2), which will try to make it seven straight wins at the Bryce Jordan Center.
"Five of the Spartans' top eight players are juniors or seniors. Of the Nittany Lions' first eight players, only junior Aaron Johnson has played more than one Big Ten season.
Inside, the Spartans have 6-10 junior center Paul Davis, the Big Ten's most polished post man. Outside, there are guards Maurice Ager and Shannon Brown, who can take you off the dribble, and Chris Hill, a savvy senior point guard who is hitting 46 percent of his 3-point shots.
" 'Everybody can score on the floor, there's not a guy that can't score,' Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis said. 'You look at their scoring, and it's very, very balanced. They really push the ball, maybe as well as anybody that we've played, and that'll be a challenge for us.' ..."
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Tuesday, January 04, 2005
FightOnState.com: DeChellis Press Conference Audio:
"Nittany Lions' men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis entertained questions from the Big Ten media conference call and local reporters Monday.
"Penn State, 6-7 and fresh off a crushing loss to Texas A&M Sunday, begins Big Ten play with a home game against Michigan State at the Jordan Center Wednesday night.
"To hear what DeChellis had to say Monday, listen to our streaming audio file [on Fight On State.com] ... "
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Monday, January 03, 2005
Centre Daily Times | 01/03/2005 | Nittany Lions squander lead against Aggies:
"They have the same players, the same uniforms, the same coach. The Penn State men's basketball team, however, continues to be two very distinct, very dissimilar entities.
"And the wrong one continues to show up at crunch time.
"One team of Nittany Lions shut down and smacked around Texas A&M for about 18 minutes and change Sunday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center before the other team showed up, blew a 17-point second-half lead and was dealt another heartbreaking home loss, 62-60.
"Acie Law, who hit the game-winning free throws with 11 seconds remaining, and Antoine Wright scored 19 points apiece for the Aggies (11-0) and the Nittany Lions' Marlon Smith missed a game-tying attempt with one second left as Penn State (6-7) lost for the fifth time in six games, including its third straight at home.
" 'We played 30 minutes of basketball,' said junior forward Aaron Johnson, who led Penn State with 16 points and 12 rebounds. 'We didn't finish the game out. We came out with tremendous effort, tremendous intensity, and our defense just flat-out stopped.'
"The Nittany Lions shot 64 percent and were downright stubborn defensively on their way to a 39-28 halftime lead, and a quick 6-0 run after the break stretched the margin to 17.
" 'They totally exposed us,' Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie said, 'and just whipped us.'
"Then, as if a switch had been flipped, Penn State changed teams."
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Lions' cushion not big enough:
"STATE COLLEGE - Funny thing about intensity.
When you've got plenty of it, especially in the wacky world of major college basketball, things usually are pointing in a positive direction.
"When you don't, or when it drops off considerably, that's when the negative waves generally start crashing. Or so it seems.
"Well, intensity was the magic word being tossed around aplenty yesterday in the Bryce Jordan Center following a second-half cave-in during which Penn State turned a sizable lead into a 62-60 loss to an unbeaten Texas A&M side making its first road start.
"For those befuddled members of Nittany Nation, Penn State (6-7) was leading by 17 points with 18:24 to play following two Marlon Smith free throws.
"That's right, PSU was cruising with a 17-point cushion against an 11-0 Aggie club that was roasted by ESPN's Doug Gottlieb Thursday night for its pastry-filled non-con schedule.
Five minutes later, the Nittany Lions' lead stood at four (47-43).
"PSU's intensity? Gone. Poof. Scurried off to the Creamery for a mid-afternoon pint of Peachy Paterno. "
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Sunday, January 02, 2005
FightOnState.com: Lions Lose to A&M
Two very different views were presented in the Jordan Center media room after Texas A&M overcame a 17-point, second-half deficit to beat Penn State Sunday afternoon.
The Aggies felt they stepped up their defense and intensity to come from behind to beat the Nittany Lions, 62-60, and in doing so improve to 11-0 on the season.
“I think we wanted it more in the second half,” said forward Antoine Wright, who matched teammate Acie Law for game-high scoring honors with 19 points. Law did him one better, though, tallying the game-winners on a pair of free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining.
The Nittany Lions, on the other hand, believed their own inept play — particularly in the final 10 minutes — caused them to come from ahead to lose, dipping to 6-7 heading into Wednesday’s Big Ten opener against Michigan State at the BJC.
“It’s plain and simple,” said junior forward Aaron Johnson, whose seventh double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds) led Penn State in both departments. “With 10 minutes left, we just collapsed.”
The more accurate account of the game, of course, can be found somewhere in the middle.
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Nittany Lion Basketball Team Drops 62-60 Heartbreaker to Undefeated Texas A&M:
"State College, Pa. - Jan. 2, 2005 - Texas A&M outscored Penn State 10-3 over the game's final 5:37 to steal a hard-fought 62-60 win from the Nittany Lions in Penn State's final non-conference game of the year. Penn State let a 17-point second half lead slip away despite 16 points and 12 rebounds from junior Aaron Johnson (Exton, Pa.)"
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Texas A&M vs Penn State (1/2/05 at State College, Pa.):
"Official Basketball Box Score
Texas A&M vs Penn State
1/2/05 1:00 p.m. at State College, Pa."
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HoustonChronicle.com - Today's Games:
"Texas A&M at Penn State
- When/where: Noon; University Park, Pa.
- Radio: KPRC (950 AM).
- Records: Texas A&M 10-0; Penn State 6-6.
- Texas A&M update: The Aggies go on the road for the first time and, while the Nittany Lions don't present the toughest of challenges, Penn State clearly brings more talent than Trinity, Texas-Permian Basin, Prairie View A&M, Chicago State and Grambling. The road gets tougher after today - the Aggies' next game is a visit to No. 2 Kansas on Wednesday.
- Penn State update: Among the teams to beat the Nittany Lions are South Carolina State, Valparaiso and Buffalo. Second-year coach Ed DeChellis led Penn State to a 9-19 record last season after the team won seven games each of the two preceding seasons."
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Centre Daily Times | 01/02/2005 | Nittany Lions look for consistency against Texas A&M:
"On Tuesday, Penn State trailed by 19 points at halftime. On Wednesday, it led by 19 at the half.
"On Tuesday, the Nittany Lions were outshot 51 percent-33 percent. On Wednesday, they outshot their opponents 50 percent-30 percent.
"On Tuesday, Marlon Smith scored a season-low two points. On Wednesday, he had a career-high 33.
"And so it went for Penn State during a wacky two days in Arizona. The result was one loss, one win and even more questions about what was already an erratic young team. The most pressing: Which team will show up when the Nittany Lions (6-6) play host to Texas A&M at 1 p.m. today?"
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Saturday, January 01, 2005
FightOnState.com: Hoop Preview - Texas A&M:
"Penn State Notes:
"* Point man Walker missed the LIU game with a case of the flu. But Ben Luber played extremely well in his absence, coming through with 10 points and 11 assists. This is shaping up to be PSU's best one-two punch at the point since Joe Crispin and Brandon Watkins in 2000-01."
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