Penn State Basketball News, Nittany Lion Basketball Recruiting, PSU Message Board: PennStateHoops.com

Monday, February 28, 2005

Dave Jones: Good news for PSU: Freshman class remains on board

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"If you're a Penn State men's basket ball fan -- one of the few and, at this point, not so proud -- you've probably been searching for good news. Any smidgen of good news.

"Well, I have some:

"Geary Claxton told me Saturday after another abysmal PSU loss he's definitely coming back for his sophomore season and that he's in this thing for the long haul.

"Considering the wreckage of this Penn State season and the fact that Claxton is the team's only Big Ten-caliber athlete, that's not just good news. It's vital news for PSU coach Ed DeChellis. As in, the patient is still critical but vital signs are stable.

"I caught the 6-5 freshman forward soon after the Lions' listless 22-point loss to struggling Iowa Saturday afternoon and asked, 'Is there any possibility at all you would transfer from Penn State?'

"Said Claxton: 'No. None. Coach DeChellis and the staff promised me the chance to play right away here and no one else did that.

"'It's rough right now. But I'm sticking this out. This is the place for me.'

"That sentiment was echoed yesterday by the three other freshmen who must be a steel core if DeChellis is able to build anything of a program headed for its fourth straight last-place Big Ten finish. ..."

Collegian: Lions fall flat on Senior Day

Lions fall flat on Senior Day:

"Things started out pretty well for Penn State's Jason McDougald on Senior Day.

"With family and friends in attendance at his next-to-last home college basketball game, the seldom-used McDougald scored the game's opening points against the Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday afternoon on a pretty two-handed slam.

"He would get the chance for another dunk later in the contest -- but the situation had changed to something he and fellow seniors Kevin Fellows and Jamaal Tate have been all too familiar with during their stay in Happy Valley.

"This time, McDougald's dunk cut Iowa's lead to just 22 points.

"Can you say deja vu?

"In yet another one of their lackluster efforts this season, the Nittany Lions (7-20, 1-13 Big Ten) were easily defeated by Iowa (17-10, 5-9), 78-56. Penn State coach Ed DeChellis went so far as to apologize to the seniors afterward, embarrassed by his team's performance.

"'Obviously, our start was absolutely horrendous; our first half was horrendous,' DeChellis said. 'I don't have an answer for that; they didn't have an answer for that. I apologize to the seniors because that's not the way they should have senior night. Obviously we didn't do a really good job of preparing them -- I didn't do a very good job of preparing them.' ..."

Sunday, February 27, 2005

Patriot-News: Lions' tank is on empty as they fall to lowly 1-13 in Big Ten Conference

Lions' tank is on empty as they fall to lowly 1-13 in Big Ten Conference:

"STATE COLLEGE - The overriding lesson of this Penn State men's basketball season is this:

"It's foolish to say it can't get any worse. It can always get worse.

"It did yesterday afternoon for the Nittany Lions. Seventeen days after getting blown out by 27 at then-last-place Purdue, a week after scoring 39 points at Northwestern and three days after snapping Michigan's 10-game losing streak, the Nits sleep-walked through a 78-56 loss that handed the Iowa Hawkeyes their first Big Ten road win of the aging season.

"It's one thing for a young, under-confident team to spiral into a losing mind-set. This team doesn't even seem to be trying to pull back the yoke. Even before home crowds lately, they have offered no fight, no struggle. They look like rabbits in a cage of pythons waiting for an inevitable termination.

"This is a troubling sign. And not just for the here and now. ..."

Centre Daily Times: Frustrations continue to mount as Nittany Lions lose ninth straight

Centre Daily Times | 02/27/2005 | Frustrations continue to mount as Nittany Lions lose ninth straight:

"UNIVERSITY PARK -- Mike Walker trotted to the Penn State bench and sat down dejectedly. Assistant coach James Johnson patted Walker's knee, but the usually upbeat freshman would not be consoled, shaking his head and staring into space.

"Moments later, Geary Claxton, the Nittany Lions' unflappable Freshman-of-the-Year candidate, could be seen mouthing 'Oh, my God' as he headed back up the floor following a call that didn't go his way.

"Frustration is mounting upon frustration in Happy Valley, and it reached a new apex Saturday as Penn State spotted Iowa a 27-point halftime advantage, eventually falling 78-56 on a subdued Senior Day at the Bryce Jordan Center.

"The Nittany Lions (7-20, 1-13 Big Ten) lost their ninth straight game, this one to a group of Hawkeyes (17-10, 5-9) that hadn't won a conference road game all season.

"Guards Adam Haluska and Jeff Horner, Penn State's primary points of focus in practices this week, scored 22 and 19 points, respectively, many of them in transition -- the Nittany Lions' other focus.

"'We really didn't execute the things we talked about needing to execute,' Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said, 'and I think that's the most disappointing thing to me.' ..."

Saturday, February 26, 2005

FightOnState.com: Penn State Has No Answer

FightOnState.com: Penn State Has No Answer:

"Iowa hit Penn State with an early haymaker at the BJC Saturday. The struggling Lions failed to respond and were blown out again.

"Say this much for Penn State basketball coach Ed DeChellis: He knows the game.

"Prior to facing Iowa at the Jordan Center Saturday, DeChellis told his team (and the media) about two keys to stopping the Hawkeyes. The first was using strong transition defense to encumber Iowa's fastbreak. The second was keeping a hand in the respective faces of Hawk deadeyes Jeff Horner and Adam Haluska.

"He couldn't have been more right. Because in pounding the Nittany Lions 78-56 on a forgettable PSU Senior Day, Iowa churned out 22 points on breaks, 16 of them when the game was decided in the first half. Horner and Haluska, meanwhile, got open looks at will, combining to make 17 of 29 shots (6 of 12 3-pointers) for 41 points.

"'We identified what we needed to do,' DeChellis said. 'We talked about that for a couple days, and we couldn't get it done. ... We really didn't execute the things that we talked about [that] we needed to execute, and that's the most disappointing thing to me.' ..."

Centre Daily Times: Despite records, Fellows and McDougald bidding a fond farewell

Centre Daily Times | 02/26/2005 | Despite records, Fellows and McDougald bidding a fond farewell:

"Kevin Fellows can count the number of Big Ten wins he has been a part of in four years on two hands, but he can't forget Senior Night 2003.

"B.J. Vossekuil and Brandon Watkins combined for just nine points that night -- Watkins left the game late with a bruised tailbone -- but their teammates rallied around them as Penn State defeated Indiana 74-66 to record just their second conference win of the season.

"'I didn't touch the floor that night but it was still my favorite game,' said Fellows, who will be honored with fellow seniors Jason McDougald and Jamaal Tate before the Nittany Lions host Iowa at 12:15 p.m. today at the Bryce Jordan Center. 'To have (the seniors) get a win that night, it was just amazing.'

"Traditionally, Senior Night is held on the team's final home game of the season, which this year is Wednesday against Minnesota. The Nittany Lions decided to move the ceremony to a weekend to accommodate the seniors' families. ..."

Friday, February 25, 2005

FightOnState.com: Senior Day for Nittany Lions (Iowa Preview)

FightOnState.com: Senior Day for Nittany Lions (Iowa Preview):

"Penn State faces Iowa at the Jordan Center Saturday. It is the next to last home game of the season for the Lions, and seniors Kevin Fellows, Jason McDougald and Jamaal Tate will be honored. We caught up with Fellows and McDougald at a press conference Friday, and posted the audio of the interview [on the site]. ..."

Centre Daily Times' Jeff Rice: Nittany Lions stepping back to move forward

Centre Daily Times | 02/25/2005 | Jeff Rice | Nittany Lions stepping back to move forward:

"The question of the day, Penn State men's basketball fans: Can you move forward and move backward at the same time?

"As coach Ed DeChellis, his youthful players and that small but fervent section of Nittany Lion faithful continue to promise that sunny days are ahead, the losses that occupy the present grow uglier and more frequent, and the majority of the fans struggle to stay patient.

"Barring at least one more win, which would require a level of play the Nittany Lions haven't displayed this season in its four (or more) remaining games, Penn State will record the worst season in its 109-year history.

"Losses in their final three regular-season games and the first round of the Big Ten Tournament would put the Nittany Lions at 7-23 and 1-15 in the Big Ten.

"No Penn State team has ever had that many losses (the 1984 Nittany Lions were 5-22) and only one has had more conference losses (the 1993 Nittany Lions were 2-16 in the Big Ten). ..."

Thursday, February 24, 2005

FightOnState.com: Penn State's Streak Goes On

FightOnState.com: Penn State's Streak Goes On:

"Penn State's last best hope to end its Big Ten road losing streak this season fell by the wayside in Ann Arbor Wednesday night. Michigan, riding a 10-game skid of its own, dispatched the Nittany Lions 63-48.

"The loss, Penn State's eighth straight overall this season, was also the Lions' 31st on the road in the conference (dating back to 2001). Including the Big Ten tournament, PSU has now lost 34 consecutive league games away from the Jordan Center. ..."

Collegian: Lions falter again on road

Lions falter again on road:

"The Penn State men's basketball team snapped a streak last night -- Michigan's 10-game losing stretch, that is.

"Thanks to the Nittany Lions (7-19 Big Ten, 1-12), Michigan (13-15, 4-10) picked up its first win since defeating Penn State on Jan. 15 at the Bryce Jordan Center.

"With a 63-48 win against the Lions at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich., the Wolverines slipped past Purdue and now sit third-to-last in the Big Ten standings.

"Penn State, however, sits pretty comfortably at the absolute bottom of the conference, with nearly a four-year Big Ten road-losing streak still waiting to be snapped. ..."

Centre Daily Times: Wolverine sophomore's career-high helps down Nittany Lions

Centre Daily Times | 02/24/2005 | Wolverine sophomore's career-high helps down Nittany Lions:

"ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- There was No. 5, the most athletic player on the floor, slashing and dashing and raining jumpers from everywhere.

"It wasn't Geary Claxton.

"Dion Harris, the slippery sophomore who has taken slumping Michigan on his back since the suspension of Daniel Horton, matched his career-high with 24 points Wednesday, leading the Wolverines to their first win in 11 games, a 63-48 defeat of punchless Penn State. ..."

MLive.com: Michigan 63, Penn St. 48

MLive.com: SportsFlash - Michigan 63, Penn St. 48

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — It wasn't the unbridled joy the Michigan basketball team had hoped to create for itself and its fans this season, but it was a big sigh of relief.

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Centre Daily Times: Nittany Lions hope to follow Duke's formula for success

Centre Daily Times | 02/23/2005 | Nittany Lions hope to follow Duke's formula for success:

"Duke went through this, too.

"Penn State's freshmen are too young to remember -- OK, they weren't even born yet -- but the Blue Devils, a powerhouse among men's college basketball powerhouses, were 10-17 (4-10 in the ACC) in 1982 and 11-17 (3-11) in 1983, the second and third seasons of coach Mike Krzyzewski's storied career.

"The freshmen of that '83 squad -- Johnny Dawkins, Jay Bilas, Mark Alarie and David Henderson -- went on to produce 20-win seasons the next two years, then went 37-3, won the ACC championship and advanced to the title game of the NCAA Tournament their senior year.

"This week's message from Penn State coach Ed DeChellis to his struggling rookies: Why not you?

"'Here's a team that is on top of the world the last 10 years, but it didn't start out that way,' DeChellis said of the Blue Devils. 'It's all about growing up and maturing and developing.' ..."

Collegian: Turmoil familiar to both teams

Penn State and Michigan have both struggled to compete at various points this season.

Turmoil familiar to both teams:

"The guys are just hanging out at a typical Monday afternoon practice -- smiling, telling jokes, even taking a half-court shot or two for fun.

"None of this is what you would usually expect from a team that has lost seven games in a row and 16 of its last 18. But for members of the struggling Penn State men's basketball team, they know one thing for sure: Things can't get much worse.

"'I don't know how to feel, it's the same feeling,' guard Danny Morrissey said. 'You can't really dwell on it anymore, if you keep dwelling on it ... with all the losses I don't know how much worse it can get. But you can only plan that hopefully it gets better.'

"When the Nittany Lions (7-18, 1-11 Big Ten) look across the court at 8 tonight in Ann Arbor, Mich., they will see a Michigan squad that has also seen better days. The Wolverines (12-15, 3-10) have lost 10 in a row, with their last win coming Jan. 15 -- in the Bryce Jordan Center against Penn State. ..."

Collegian: Parker takes unorthodox route to Penn State

Parker takes unorthodox route to Penn State:

"When you first see Travis Parker, you're probably thinking what a lot of other people are thinking: 'I want to stay on this guy's good side.'

"At 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, Parker is an imposing figure. But it takes only a few minutes with Parker to find out that the image couldn't be further from the truth.

"Not only is Parker one of the more outgoing members of the Penn State men's basketball team, he's one of the loudest.

"'He's just really outgoing, he's loud. He's real loud,' teammate Danny Morrissey said. 'He has a real good personality, more joking around. He'll get on people in practice as everyone else does, he's just real loud. In the locker room, joking around, he's always loud.'

"And you can't blame Parker for talking up a storm and enjoying every minute of his life at Penn State. After all, it wasn't easy getting here. ..."

FightOnState.com: The Bottom Line

FightOnState.com: The Bottom Line: "Michigan's Tommy Amaker (left) has lost 10 straight games. Penn State's Ed DeChellis (right) has dropped seven in a row. Something has to give when their teams meet in Ann Arbor."

Monday, February 21, 2005

Centre Daily Times: Changes backfire on PSU

Centre Daily Times: Changes backfire on PSU:

"In an effort to jump-start his sluggish offense, Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis made wholesale changes to his starting lineup for Saturday's game at Northwestern.

"The result was the Nittany Lions' worst offensive performance of the season.

"Penn State (7-18, 1-11 Big Ten) reached season lows in points and field goals made and a season-high in turnovers in a 54-39 loss to the Wildcats (13-12, 5-7) at Welsh-Ryan Arena. ..."

Patriot-News' Jones: Writer has a story of his own

PennLive.com: Search:

"Ryan Hockensmith awoke from a medically induced coma in Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center on Nov. 6, 1999, three days after his 22nd birthday. Immediately, he wished he hadn't.

"The pain was by far the most excruciating and enduring he had ever felt. This was going to put a crimp in his dream of becoming a staff writer for Sports Illustrated -- if it didn't kill him.

"Hockensmith looked at his mother, Christie, and his then-girlfriend and now wife, Lori Kubacki.

"'It was a surreal moment. I remember thinking, 'There's no way I'm going to survive. This must be how it feels to die. These are the two most important women in my life. Should I tell them how I feel about them before I die?'... ''

Sunday, February 20, 2005

Tribune-Review: PSU hoops hits rock bottom

PSU hoops hits rock bottom - PittsburghLIVE.com:

"UNIVERSITY PARK -- Ex-Penn State basketball star Bob Weiss initially declined to be interviewed for this story, saying he'd lost touch with the Nittany Lions' program.

"Well, who hasn't?

"'They're not really on the radar here,' said Penn State sophomore Bobby Mannino, who sat in the student section Wednesday and watched top-ranked Illinois humiliate his team. 'We just don't get the recruits in basketball.'

"The Nittany Lions fell to 1-10 in the Big Ten that night, dropping their conference record to 9-50 since the beginning of the 2001-02 season.

"Average margin of their conference losses this season: 16.9 points.

"Second-year coach Ed DeChellis, a Monaca native and former Penn State assistant, can only hope this is rock bottom. ..."

Post-Gazette's Collier: PSU basketball stuck in winters of despair

Collier: PSU basketball stuck in winters of despair:

"UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Winter has enforced its typically brutal lockdown at Penn State, where the biting cold, the slush-gray sky and the hardened faces of overworked students headed to the day's first classes all reflect the grim presumption that spring's just about an eon away.

"It is not yet 9 a.m., but Ed DeChellis already has been in his office for hours. He was there well after 1 a.m. the night before as well, going over tape of the Penn State-Illinois game, in which the No. 1 team so overmatched DeChellis' Nittany Lions that the crowd at the Bryce Jordan Center seemed as interested in a courtside wing-eating contest as in the fact that Penn State's players couldn't get close enough to Illinois' ultra-quick athletes to even apply any defensive principles.

"In one startling sequence, Dee Brown, the spectacular Illinois point guard, took a long defensive rebound near the top of the circle and started up court into a den of Lions. Brown was 1 on 3 and he beat all three to the hoop.

"DeChellis grew up in Monaca, never figuring he would end up as one of those guys who was always trying to answer The Question.

"The Question seems ageless now, not that it predates the chicken-egg conundrum, but long enough to make the if-a-tree-falls-in-the-forest thing look almost fresh. The Question -- why isn't Penn State any good at basketball? -- has walked this campus like a specter for generations. ..."

FightOnState.com: Lions Hit Another Low Point

FightOnState.com: Lions Hit Another Low Point:

"Penn State's difficult season hit another low point in Evanston Saturday, literally and figuratively.

"In falling to Northwestern 54-39, the Nittany Lions posted their lowest point total in more than a year. It marked the first time in the 2004-05 campaign a Big Ten team managed fewer than 40 points.

"'The frustration continues for us,' PSU coach Ed DeChellis said on his post-game radio show.

"Does it ever. Now 7-18 overall and 1-11 in the Big Ten, Penn State has slipped solidly into playing-out-the-string mode. ..."

Saturday, February 19, 2005

AP: Northwestern 54, Penn State 39

AP Wire | 02/19/2005 | Northwestern 54, Penn State 39:

"EVANSTON, Ill. - Mohamed Hachad scored 13 points and Vedran Vukusic added 12 points Saturday to lead Northwestern to a 54-39 victory over Penn State.

"Leading 25-18, Northwestern opened the second half by outscoring Penn State 21-4. Vukusic started it with a 3, later he had a steal and hit a jumper making it 36-20 Northwestern. He scored eight points in the span. Michael Jenkins capped it off with a 3, giving Northwestern a 46-22 lead with 12:06 left in the game.

"Vince Scott shot 3-of-5 from 3-point range and scored 13 points for Northwestern (12-12, 5-7 Big 10).

"Geary Claxton scored 12 points for Penn State and Travis Parker added 10 for the Nittany Lions, who have lost seven straight games and 16 of their last 18. ..."

Penn State Basketball Message Board: Geary's Mom. Pretty cool

Penn State Basketball Message Board for News, Nittany Lion Basketball Recruiting, PSU talk: PennStateHoops.com: "Anyone notice Claxton's mom was sitting in the student section during the game? Last week, some girls had a big sign asking her to sit with them and this week, she was there. Pretty cool. "

Centre Daily Times: PSU relying on its freshmen

Centre Daily Times | 02/19/2005 | PSU relying on its freshmen:

"Penn State shooting guard Danny Morrissey is eloquent, candid, thoughtful. He has a clear grasp of the situation he and his Penn State teammates are in, probably has ever since he and the three other freshmen came to University Park this summer.

"'Some of the kids were going crazy,' Morrissey recalled. 'They were away from home for the first time. It was like summer camp for a lot of these kids.'

"It isn't unusual for a senior or even a junior to refer to freshmen as 'kids' -- three years of college is a lifetime -- but it sounds funny coming from another freshman. At least, it should.

"In many ways, though, Morrissey is a freshman by academic standing only. He has lived away from home for the past four years. He'll be 21 by the time he starts his sophomore season, and he might have the oldest pair of knees on the team.

"'He's a mature, serious person,' Penn State assistant coach Kurt Kanaskie said. 'The fact that he was away from home for high school probably has something to do with that. He's goal-oriented, knows what he has to do to achieve his goals, just goes about it and does it.'

"As they muddle through what can only be considered a rebuilding season, which continues at 2:30 p.m. today at Northwestern, the Nittany Lions are sending Morrissey and their other 'kids' against the men of the Big Ten. ..."

FightOnState.com: Northwestern Hoop Preview

FightOnState.com: Hoop Preview @ Northwestern: "Think this is a great chance for PSU to break the league road losing streak? Think again. NU is 20-6 at Welsh-Ryan the past two seasons and 48-23 there under Carmody. "

Friday, February 18, 2005

The Daily Northwestern: Euro trip

The Daily Northwestern - Euro trip (Men's basketball):

"Northwestern coach Bill Carmody has been fortunate not to have his three Croatian players -- Vedran Vukusic, Davor Duvancic and Ivan Tolic -- cave into the temptations of leaving school early to return home and to play in the European professional leagues.

"But Penn State coach Ed DeChellis was not so lucky. When the Nittany Lions face the Wildcats on Saturday in Welsh-Ryan Arena, DeChellis will be without his leading scorer from last season.
Jan Jagla decided to leave the Nittany Lions following his junior season and is now playing professionally in his native country of Germany.

"The prospect of being able to play professionally close to home in a familiar style of basketball is too appealing to turn down for many European players.

"Across the conference, Big Ten coaches are losing players to the European professional leagues, which offer lucrative contracts and an alternative route to the NBA.

"'I think young guys will continue to leave,' DeChellis said. 'The NBA has gotten so involved with European basketball. It's a huge feeding ground. Basketball is becoming more popular in Europe every year, which means they're paying kids more money and the exposure is greater.' ..."

Collegian: PSU looks for road win

The Lions are trying to break a few streaks tomorrow on the road against a struggling Northwestern ballclub.

PSU looks for road win:

"After losing 15 of its last 17 games, saying that the Penn State men basketball team is frustrated would be the understatement of the season.

"'You don't have the type of season we're having in terms of wins and losses and not have frustration,' Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. 'It would be abnormal if we weren't. We're just not playing well as a group and individually, if you look at stats we're not have banner years shooting the ball and so forth ... to get out of that frustration you have to win and to win you have to do the little things for 40 minutes.'

"The Nittany Lions (7-17, 1-10 Big Ten) will have a chance to break two streaks -- a 29-game losing streak on the road in the Big Ten and an overall six-game losing streak -- tomorrow as they travel to Evanston, Ill., to face the Northwestern Wildcats (12-12, 4-7). ..."

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Dave Jones: Illini bury Lions

Illini bury Lions:

"STATE COLLEGE - To describe the Penn State Nittany Lions' 83-63 loss to No. 1-ranked Illinois last night requires some thought.

"Hard to call it disappointing, for what PSU fans there are out there. Of a team that's been trudging through the last month winless, you couldn't have much expectation to begin with.

"The overriding feeling was one of a marquee act come to a tiny stage. The Illini were Tom Hanks visiting summer stock and playing with the wide-eyed community theater. Ali boxing a 4-round exhibition against the local toughman winner for charity.

"As an awed PSU coach Ed DeChellis said of the Illini: 'Everybody can do everything.'

Well put. This was a 30-point game (74-44) by the time Illinois coach Bruce Weber lifted off the accelerator and brought rocket-powered point guard Dee Brown (19 points, 11 assists) and sinewy power forward Roger Powell (21 points, 10-for-10 FGs) back to relax. And truth be told, his team probably played at about 80 percent of potential thrust. ..."

Pittburgh Tribune-Review: Starkey: Illini playing way into Big Ten history

Starkey: Illini playing way into Big Ten history - PittsburghLIVE.com:

"UNIVERSITY PARK -- Penn State didn't belong on the same floor as No. 1 Illinois on Wednesday.

"Didn't belong in the same building, city, state, country, world or universe, either.

"Penn Hills might have provided better competition, which is why it's hard to gauge the Fighting Illini from watching their 83-63 victory before a season-best crowd of 10,966 at Bryce Jordan Center.

"Oh, everybody knows that Bruce Weber's team is good. It's very good. It's 26-0 good.

"It appears to be as good as advertised.

"'Better,' said Penn State guard Mike Walker, who watched the Illini make 22-of-33 field-goal attempts in the first half and finish with 27 assists, three short of the record for a Penn State opponent.

"'They're at a different level than other teams in the Big Ten.' ..."

Post-Dispatch: Illini take no chance, win rout at Penn St.

STLtoday - Sports - Illini:

"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Bruce Weber searches for motivational tactics like that guy on a sandy beach waving a metal detector. Going into Wednesday night's game against Penn State, the Illinois coach thought he had found a gem: No. 2- ranked Kansas and No. 3 Kentucky each lost road games this week.

"'I saw both of the games, so he doesn't really have to mention anything to us,' Illini guard Dee Brown said. 'We understand the importance of it. We've got vets on this team.'

"Brown said Illinois, the No. 1 team in the country, was riled up about playing unranked Penn State because 'we don't want nobody storming the court on us.'... "

Daily Illini: Column: Get on with it

Column: Get on with it - The Daily Illini - Sports:

"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Penn State student Adam Sterusky told me the football team could field a better basketball squad than what Penn State head coach Ed DeChellis puts on the floor.

"I thought Sterusky was kidding.

"He wasn't. And Illinois knew it, too.

"The Smilin' Illini looked bored during their 83-63 beating of Penn State. Not in the second half that didn't matter, but before tip off.

"How could you blame the Illini? ..."

The Dispatch: Illini set school mark with 26th straight win

Quad Cities Online - Illini set school mark with 26th straight win:

"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The week already had its big upsets.

"No. 2 Kansas couldn't handle Texas Tech and coach Bob Knight in a Monday-night shootout. On Tuesday, No. 3 Kentucky had little emotion or energy and fell at South Carolina. But No. 1 Illinois had no such trouble in its trip to the Nittany Mountains.

"Illinois rolled past Penn State 83-63 Wednesday at the Bryce Jordan Center for a Big Ten Conference win by slicing the Nittany Lions' defense with crisp passing and hot shooting in the first half.

"The Illini logged 19 assists and just two turnovers by halftime, then cruised to their sixth straight win against Penn State.

"'We knew the importance of this game,'' said Illinois guard Dee Brown, a blur of orange who finished with 19 points and 11 assists. 'We were riled up for this game. We didn't want anybody to storm the court on us.'... "

Centre Daily Times: Caption most obviously written by someone who did not see the play

Jennifer Katsamantou/CDT

Penn State player Geary Claxton, 5, left, scores in the second period with the help of Jason McDougald, 45 during a game opposing Penn State to Illinois on Wednesday February 16, 2005 at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Centre Daily Times: No. 1 Illinois breezes past Nittany Lions

Centre Daily Times | 02/17/2005 | No. 1 Illinois breezes past Nittany Lions:

"UNIVERSITY PARK -- This is basketball at its simplest, and its finest.

"Pass the ball around until the defense sags, then pass it again. Two, three, four more passes, then a wide-open shot. Play stifling defense that prevents your opponent from doing the same, steal the ball, and repeat.

"It's not really that simple for No. 1 Illinois, which won its school-record 26th straight game Wednesday night at the Bryce Jordan Center, breezing past overmatched Penn State 83-63.

"But it's close.

"'They're the most unselfish team I've been around in a long, long time,' Penn State men's basketball coach Ed DeChellis said. 'They guard you, they don't let you get in their stuff, they can score any way they want to.' ..."

ChicagoSports.com: Illini this year's St. Joe's, only better

ChicagoSports.com - Illini this year's St. Joe's, only better:

"THE VIEW FROM PENN STATE
BY GORDIE JONES.

Gordie Jones is a sports columnist for the Allentown Morning Call, a Tribune newspaper

"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- If top-ranked Illinois was going to be ambushed, it wasn't going to happen in a place where the program has been in full retreat for years.

"If college basketball's version of a 5-by-94-foot relay was going to get knocked off stride, it wasn't going to be by a Penn State squad that is, as usual, stumbling along.

"Your final Wednesday night in the Bryce Jordan Center was 83-63. And it was as clinical as it was predictable.

"'Everybody can shoot,' Nittany Lions coach Ed DeChellis said of the 26-0 Fighting Illini. 'Everybody can score. Everybody can do everything.'

"Including share the ball.

"And run. Especially that.

"Speed-wise, Penn State point guard Mike Walker said, 'They're at a different level than any other team in the Big Ten. . . . They have you on your heels the whole game.' ..."

FightOnState.com: Illini Smoke PSU

FightOnState.com:

"Penn State took its shot at undefeated and unbeaten Illinois at the Jordan Center Wednesday night. With a strong home crowd, a bubbly student section that poured into the upper deck and a jam-packed press row all looking on, the Nittany Lions promptly fired a blank, losing 83-63.

"'We had nothing to lose tonight, we had everything to gain,' said freshman forward Geary Claxton, who paced PSU with 19 points and six rebounds. 'Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way.'

"Any hope of this being a repeat of the last time No. 1 visited Happy Valley -- Indiana's thrilling double-overtime win at Rec Hall in 1993 -- evaporated immediately, as the Illini opened with three uncontested shots and a 7-0 lead.

"With three smart, veteran guards and a pair of savvy big men, Illinois (26-0, 12-0 Big Ten) moves the ball as well as anyone in the nation. Not that it had to in this one. While State (7-17, 1-10) attempted several different defensive sets Wednesday - straight man and 1-3-1 zone included -- there was no energy in any of them through the first 20 minutes. ..."

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

Dave Jones: Don't expect wing-ding at Penn St.

Don't expect wing-ding at Penn St.:

"Here's a gauge of how much chance the locals are giving for an upset of the nation's No. 1 college basketball team tonight in State College:

"A wing place opened last month called Wings Over Happy Valley. It is offering a free order of seven jumbo wings plus celery and bleu cheese to every fan who attends the Illinois game if the Penn State Nittany Lions pull this off.

"That's a possible $4.95 times however many people show up at the Jordan Center tonight (10,000?) if somehow the Nits can upset the Illini. Considering about half the fans would actually show for the free wings, we're talking realistically about $20,000 that would come directly out of franchisee Steve Moreira's pocket. ... "

FightOnState.com: Here Comes No. 1

FightOnState.com: Here Comes No. 1:

"Nittany Lions look to take it to another level against Illinois. It will mark Penn State's first home game vs. the nation's No. 1 team since 1993. ..."

Collegian: Penn State hosting No. 1 Illinois tonight

Penn State hosting No. 1 Illinois tonight:

"Penn State was humiliated by the No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers in a 105-57 road loss in 1993.

"Exactly a month later, the Hoosiers came into Rec Hall ranked No. 1 and ready to take on the Nittany Lions. But Penn State put up its most impressive fight of its 7-20 season before a controversial call left the Lions with a dramatic 88-84 loss.

"That's the anecdote Penn State coach Ed DeChellis has been telling his 7-16 squad, which lost to No. 1 Illinois in Champaign, Ill., on Jan. 12 by 26 points. ..."

Collegian: Recruiting in Philly becomes priority

Recruiting in Philly becomes priority:

"In the tri-state area, there are two hot spots for basketball talent. The obvious one is New York City, with its five boroughs and its famous streetball legacy. Penn State infiltrated The Big Apple two years ago with the signing of Bronx native and current Nittany Lions guard Marlon Smith.

"Even with the plethora of talent and the successful recruitment of Smith, New York is still a hard area to crack for a school with a low national prestige like Penn State, so the Lions' recruiting staff has to look elsewhere for hidden gems.

"To find that place, Penn State only has to cast a glance 200 miles to the southeast for the other hotbed of basketball talent -- Philadelphia, a city that has also produced some of the greatest and most recognizable players in the NBA. ..."

Centre Daily Times: PSU facing nation's top basketball team tonight

Centre Daily Times | 02/16/2005 | PSU facing nation's top basketball team tonight:

"It is absurd to think that one win could erase a three-year stretch of disappointment. It is wishful at best to think that a team that has struggled against the Big Ten's worst could defeat the nation's top-ranked team, one that so briskly disposed of it only a month ago.

"But oh, what a dream to have.

"To No. 1 Illinois, tonight's 8 p.m. visit to the Bryce Jordan Center is little more than another Big Ten road test, another chance to build on what is so far the best season in school history. For Penn State, it is an opportunity to make a dismal season a memory.

"'It would totally change everything around here,' said Penn State freshman guard Mike Walker. 'We try to stay upbeat, we try to stay positive, but sometimes it gets tough. If we beat a team like this, it can change your whole season around.'

"Weary and downtrodden after two hard losses last week, the Nittany Lions (7-16, 1-9 Big Ten) will try to pick up their spirits and their game and hand the Fighting Illini (25-0, 11-0) their first conference road loss since Jan. 24, 2004 at Wisconsin. ..."

Centre Daily Times: Nittany Lions nearly defeated last No. 1 to come to town

Centre Daily Times | 02/16/2005 | Nittany Lions nearly defeated last No. 1 to come to town:

"The No. 1 team in the country is expected to come into State College tonight and blow the Big Ten's last-place team out of the water.

"Of course, the same was said 12 years and one week ago, right before Bob Knight and top-ranked Indiana barely escaped Rec Hall with an 88-84 win in double overtime.

"The parallels are striking for tonight's Bryce Jordan Center bout between the Nittany Lions and top-ranked and undefeated Illinois. ..."

Daily Herald: Head's hair-raising locks keep Illini's streak growing

Daily Herald:

"Maybe now wouldn't be the right time to reveal this, not with Illinois still undefeated and still seeking the Big Ten title.

"Aw, what the heck.

"The real reason the top-ranked Illini have kept themselves on track for an historic season happens to be ... Luther Head's hair.
If Head's tightly curled locks look longer each time Illinois plays, there's a good reason for that.

"'Deron (Williams) and Dee (Brown) won't let me cut my hair,' Head said. 'They say it's some kind of good-luck charm, so I've got to keep it.'

"Today's visit to last-place Penn State (7 p.m., Channel 23) probably won't be the game that allows Head to visit the barber. ..."

Northwest Herald: Illini take no chances

Northwest Herald - Online:

"The temptation for top-ranked Illinois, now five basketball games away from finishing off a perfect regular season, is to look into the distance instead of at the struggling opponents on this week's schedule.

"The Fighting Illini (25-0 overall, 11-0 Big Ten) defeated Penn State -- tonight's opponent at the Bryce Jordan Center -- by 26 points a month ago in Champaign in a game that was not even that close. ..."

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

OrlandoSentinel.com: Penn State target Jermaine Taylor mentioned

No mention of Penn State in the story, but some nice words about target Jermaine Taylor, a 6-5 shooting guard:

OrlandoSentinel.com: Sports:

"In the first 5:13 of the third quarter, Tavares outran the Hurricanes 16-2, with [Jermaine] Taylor igniting the charge.

"He jammed home a one-handed dunk at 4:21.

"He swished a 3-pointer from the left corner with 3:31 left.

"He ripped another 3-pointer from the right corner with 2:47 left.

"Boom -- Tavares had a 45-25 lead and the lights went out on Mount Dora.

"Taylor finished with 22 points and Kelvin Burnett also got into double figures with 13.

"'Jermaine and Kelvin can fill it up pretty quickly,' said Tavares Coach Jack Clark. 'When you have the best player in the state [Taylor], you want him to take charge of the game.' ..."

Sports Info: Geary and HoJo updates

Geary Claxton Update (PDF)

Aaron Johnson Update (PDF)

Collegian: Losing mindset still Lions' biggest test

Losing mindset still Lions' biggest test:

"Before the season started, sophomore guard Marlon Smith said that in order to be a winner, you have to first be a loser.

"Three months later, an inactive Smith watches from the bench as his Nittany Lions teammates continue to experience more than their fair share of losing -- and winning has yet to follow.

"'I don't think there's anything in the locker room in terms of guys who've been successful to say, 'This is how it was,' so our kids just have to believe,' Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. 'It's just not easy to believe you can win when you haven't won.' ..."

AP: Penn State is next challenge for No. 1 Illinois

AP Wire | 02/14/2005 | Penn State is next challenge for No. 1 Illinois:

"CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - When No. 1 Illinois was preparing to host Big Ten cellar-dweller Penn State at the Assembly Hall last month, coach Bruce Weber told his team that if they didn't beat the Nittany Lions by 30, they weren't playing up to their potential.

"Weber will make no such challenges when the Illini travel Wednesday to face Penn State at the Bryce Jordan Center. On the road, margins of victory don't matter.

"For the only time this season, the Illini (25-0 overall, 11-0 Big Ten) will play back-to-back league road games. They face off with rival Iowa on Saturday...."

Dave Jones: Uh-oh ... laughs at the BJC

Uh-oh ... laughs at the BJC:

"The product might not be any better this year than the previous three at the Bryce Jordan Center. But at least the student fans are manufacturing some fun on their own.

"The Nittwits, a group of hopeful and resolute Penn State men's basketball fans, have succeeded in raising the volume produced by PSU's paltry crowds.

"And they're also probably putting together the best advance previews of games (I blame myself). The Nittwits' double-sided leaflet, passed out to its fans before tipoff, is called 'Forty Minutes.' It is written mostly by Jared Smith, a senior meteorology major from Columbus, Ohio; with help from sophomore Rob Ziegler. It is hilarious. ..."

Monday, February 14, 2005

Collegian: Lions fail to find redemption again

Lions fail to find redemption again:

"Saturday night's game against Ohio State at the Bryce Jordan Center was a perfect opportunity for redemption.

"Redemption for the Penn State men's basketball team after a dramatic six-point loss to the Buckeyes (17-8, 6-5 Big Ten) in Columbus more than three weeks ago.

"Redemption for the waxing by Wisconsin at home, for the recent spanking by Purdue last Wednesday.

"Instead, it was another Penn State loss and another disappointment in the Nittany Lions' somber season. The Lions (7-16, 1-9 Big Ten) dropped their sixth-straight contest with a 66-56 loss to the Buckeyes. ..."