Friday, March 24, 2006
Centre Daily Times | 03/24/2006 | Next year starts now for PSU basketball:
"You can find signs of Penn State's hardwood improvement on paper, should you so choose. Fifteen wins, more than double the total of the year before. Four Big Ten wins, the most in eight years. A roster including the conference's freshman of the year (Jamelle Cornley) and a third-team All-Big Ten selection (Geary Claxton).
"What you won't find on the stat sheets or the standings, however, might better explain why the Nittany Lions have scratched their way well out of the Big Ten basement. Little things, like guys plunging back into the weight room less than a week after the season, knowing what needs to be done and doing it.
"'Those are things that people don't see, but for us, we know they're there now,' said Penn State coach Ed DeChellis. 'I can tell those guys, 'I want you here today at 2:45.' Well, everybody's here at 2:45, because we just have that chemistry now.'
"It is that chemistry and the kind of play it produced this season -- not to mention the aforementioned jump in wins -- that has given the phrase 'Penn State men's basketball' a new connotation.
"'Basically we've started to change the view of our program nationally,' DeChellis said. 'We've had three or four bad years, and then I think we've changed the perception of that.' ..."
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Thursday, March 16, 2006
Centre Daily Times | 03/16/2006 | Penn State improves as a team:
"The story of Penn State's modest but important turnaround begins where most rags-to-riches stories are born: the practice floor.
"In seasons past, the Nittany Lions would break off into groups of two or three or one -- the same groups each time -- to shoot jumpers or free throws before the coaches began practice. The six hoops in the Bryce Jordan Center might as well have been islands. There was little talking and less smiling from players bound only by the name on their jerseys.
"This season, that all changed. The groups melded into one. The Nittany Lions clowned around with each other before practice, then went out -- as a team -- and busted hump during it, then went out and had their best season in five years.
"At most major-conference schools, a .500 season, which ended with Tuesday's 76-71 NIT loss to Rutgers, is no cause for celebration. But when your win total from the previous two seasons was 16, and you win 15 games with just three upperclassmen on the roster? Well, then, take a bow, Penn State. You've earned it.
"The cynics will look at the Nittany Lions' schedule and see the likes of UMKC and Mount St. Mary's. They will point out that of Penn State's seven wins over Big Ten schools, five came against ninth-place Northwestern and 11th-place Purdue. They will scoff at ugly road losses to Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin and Pittsburgh.
"Those cynics, however, can't ignore Penn State's five-win jump from the year before in conference play, a landmark one-point win at No. 6 Illinois or a clutch win at Northwestern three weeks earlier that may have been even more important. They can't deny the individual improvement made by Geary Claxton, Travis Parker, Mike Walker and Ben Luber that made it possible for the team as a whole to improve.
"These Nittany Lions, unlike many of their recent predecessors, were fun to watch. They played together and often above their abilities. Their limitations -- size, depth, experience -- made them all the more lovable and added to the scope of their triumphs. ..."
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PennLive.com: SportsFlash - Penn State hopes to improve next season after .500 record:
"STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — After four straight down years at Penn State, Travis Parker thinks he might have run out of eligibility at the wrong time.
"The senior forward helped Penn State finish 15-15 this season, quite an accomplishment considering the Nittany Lions couldn't crack double-digit victories in the previous four campaigns.
"A home loss to Rutgers on Tuesday in the National Invitation Tournament ended Penn State's season, but Parker is hopeful for better things to come.
"'Maybe, I'll get over it, but they still have a good team,' said Parker, the team captain and the lone senior. 'I'm still going to be part of it because I helped them out.'
"More stability on the roster would help. Several players left the school or transferred with eligibility remaining over the past couple seasons, and this year's roster included six new players.
"The talk this year was about a different attitude and more cohesiveness on the team, a signal that the days of the roster shuffling might be over.
"'I think we've come a long way. I think we've really improved,' Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. 'I think the kids played pretty well down the stretch.' ..."
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Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Free-throw shooting dooms Duquesne again - PittsburghLIVE.com:
"When all-state swingman David Jackson scored six of his team's first 10 points, the Kennedy Catholic students began chanting 'You can't stop him.'
"Duquesne eventually slowed down the 6-foot-7 Penn State recruit. ..."
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HIGH SCHOOLS -- Page 1 -- TimesUnion.com:
"ALL-BIG 10 TEAM
"Player of the Year
"Talor Battle (Bishop Maginn)"
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Nits find no answer for Rutgers' Douby:
"STATE COLLEGE - To beat Rutgers and prevent their season from ending, the Penn State Nittany Lions knew they had to look for a way to lasso Big East scoring champion Quincy Douby.
"They're still looking.
"Harassed by courtside PSU students after tossing up a rare airball four minutes into the second half, Douby just smirked. He then proceeded to bury a Lion comeback with 10 consecutive points down the stretch of a 76-71 Rutgers win in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament. ..."
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Centre Daily Times | 03/15/2006 | Rutgers brings an end to Nittany Lions' season:
"UNIVERSITY PARK -- The same color showed on Ed DeChellis' face as on the bloody nose of Jamelle Cornley. By Tuesday night's end, the fans who packed the lower bowl of the Bryce Jordan Center saw red themselves.
"What was an encouraging season by the Nittany Lions came to an abrupt end with a 76-71 loss to Rutgers in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament. Penn State (15-15) couldn't get on track offensively and couldn't stop Scarlet Knight gunner Quincy Douby, who poured in 32 points. Rutgers (19-13) advances to meet St. Joseph's on Thursday.
"The Nittany Lions battled back from a 19-point second-half deficit, but the game was never as close as the final score indicated. After Geary Claxton scored on a curl cut on Penn State's first possession, the Nittany Lions scored just 12 points over the next 15 minutes.
" 'That's where we lost the game,' said Travis Parker, who scored 21 points and added 12 rebounds in his Penn State finale, 'at the beginning.' ..."
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Scout.com: Nittany Lions Go Down Swinging:
"Penn State brought down the curtains in the upper deck of the Jordan Center Tuesday, forcing fans to cram into the lower level for the Nittany Lions' NIT matchup with Rutgers. Out on the floor, the Scarlet Knights brought down the curtain on PSU's season.
"RU took advantage of State's horrid shooting early in the game, building a double-digit lead it carried well into the second half. Then it held off a press-fueled rally to walk away with a 76-71 victory as star guard Quincy Douby tossed in 32 points.
"The Nittany Lions finished the year at 15-15 after losing an NIT home game for only the second time in school history. Yet as well as they played to make something of a game of it late, they were that bad early, converting 4 of their first 19 shots and 2 of their first 11 3-pointers.
"“We didn't hustle, we didn't have any energy,” said senior forward Travis Parker, who led Penn State with 21 points and 12 rebounds in his collegiate swan song. “That's where we lost the game.” ..."
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Sunday, March 12, 2006
Scout.com: Nittany Lions Happy to Land in NIT:
"There have been years when underachieving Penn State teams have been mocked for reveling over NIT bids. But nobody is thinking any less of the Nittany Lions for being thrilled with an invite to the 'Little Dance' this March.
"Riding a string of four straight losing seasons and a consensus pick to finish last in the conference for a fifth consecutive time, third-year coach Ed DeChellis' team was a mild surprise, going 6-10 in league play — a five-win improvement over 2004-05 — and 15-14 overall.
"With only one senior and two juniors in the program, Penn State is viewing the NIT bid it received Sunday night as another significant step in its ongoing rebuilding project. The Lions face Rutgers (18-13) at the Jordan Center Tuesday at a time to be announced.
"“We are thrilled, we are excited, we are happy,” DeChellis said. “When our name popped up on the board … I'm just really happy for our kids.” ..."
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Penn State Set For NIT Clash With Rutgers Tuesday In The Jordan Center
Ninth NIT Appearance For Penn StateUNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; March 12, 2006 - The Penn State men's basketball team has earned a No. 7 seed in the 69th National Invitation Tournament and will face No. 8 seed Rutgers (18-13) in a first round game Tuesday, March 14 in the Bryce Jordan Center.
The game will tip-off at 8:00 p.m. and will air live on ESPNU. It can also be heard live on the Penn State Sports Network and GoPSUsports.com, the official website of Penn State Athletics.
"One of our goals coming into the season was post-season play," Coach Ed DeChellis said. "I feel good about where we are at as a program. I think we got better as the year went along, and I think it is a goal well achieved. It's an important step for us."
In his third year as head coach, DeChellis has guided the Nittany Lions back to post-season play for the first time in five seasons. Penn State (15-14) has more than doubled its win total from last season and earned the No. 8 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, improving to 6-10 in the conference after winning one league game last season. In the Big Ten Tournament, Penn State rolled past No. 9 Northwestern, 60-42, and led No. 1 Ohio State for the first 34 minutes before the Buckeyes rallied for a 63-56 win.
Penn State and Rutgers will be meeting for the 66th time and the third time in the past three seasons. Penn State leads the series, 37-28, including an 83-80 win at Rutgers last season. Geary Claxton led Penn State with 17 points and nine rebounds in that game. Rutgers won 60-47 in their last trip to the Jordan Center in 2003.
The winner of Tuesday's clash will face No. 2 seed St. Joseph's (18-13), which received a first round bye, in Philadelphia on Friday, March 17.
"You look at the bracket and there's great match-ups in the first round games," DeChellis said. "It's a great tournament with some great teams."
The Nittany Lions will be making their ninth appearance in the NIT and first since advancing to the semifinals in 2000. Penn State was the 1998 NIT runner-up and also advanced to the semifinals in 1995. The Nittany Lions also played in the NIT in 1966, '80, '89, '90 and '92.
The Big Ten's youngest team, Penn State is led by Claxton (West Haven, Conn.), who was selected third team All-Big Ten and to the USBWA All-District I team in his sophomore season. The 6-5 Claxton leads PSU at 15.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. The squad's lone senior, 6-5 forward Travis Parker (Greenville, N.C.), averages 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Jamelle Cornley (Columbus, Ohio) was the 2006 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Penn State's first such selection. The 6-6 Cornley averages 11.5 points and 5.6 boards per game.
The Nittany Lions are one of three Big Ten teams selected into the 2006 NIT field. Michigan (18-10) earned a No. 1 seed and Minnesota (15-14) a No. 4 seed. The finalists from each of four brackets will meet in New York's Madison Square Garden March 28 and 30.
Penn State's last post-season appearance saw the Nittany Lions advance to the 2001 NCAA Sweet 16, defeating Providence and North Carolina before falling to Temple in the NCAA South Regional semifinals.
NIT tickets will be available beginning Monday at 8 a.m. and may be purchased by calling 800-863-3336 (locally at 865-5555). Tickets will also be available at all area Athletic Ticket outlets - the Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State Tickets Downtown, Eisenhower Auditorium and the HUB. The Bryce Jordan Center ticket office will remain open until 8:00 p.m. Monday. Student tickets will be made available at Gate A of the Jordan Center beginning at 8 a.m. Monday (as well as other locations listed above). First round NIT tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for senior citizens and $5 for Students and youth (18 and under).
Press Release - 2:
"Men's Basketball Selected to Participate in National Invitational Tournament; Game to be Televised on ESPNU
Nittany Lions set to host Rutgers at Bryce Jordan Center on Tuesday at 8 p.m."
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Centre Daily Times | 03/12/2006 | Nittany Lions state case for NIT berth:
"The 2001 Penn State men's basketball team has been mentioned several times this season, mainly because the current group of Nittany Lions is doing things that hadn't been done since Joe Crispin, Titus Ivory and Gyasi Cline-Heard led an inspired run to the Sweet 16.
"Four road wins. Six conference wins. A winning record.
"A reason to gather together on Selection Sunday.
"Tonight, Penn State will wait and see if its 15-14 season will continue in the National Invitation Tournament. The 40-team bracket will be announced at 9 p.m. on ESPNU, the first time in the NIT's 69-year history the selections will be televised live.
"After Friday's 63-56 loss to seventh-ranked Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, the Nittany Lions finally allowed themselves to state their case for the postseason.
" 'I'm not done playing,' said Penn State coach Ed DeChellis. 'I know our kids aren't. I just hope we get an opportunity to continue to play.' ..."
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Sunday, March 05, 2006
A Player Rises Through the Cracks:
"PHILADELPHIA -- When George Washington University signed recruit Omar Williams in 2001, Coach Karl Hobbs called him one of the top 20 high school basketball players in the country. In the four years he has played for the Colonials, Williams has lived up to that potential, starting almost 100 games and helping a mediocre program become the sixth-ranked team in the country.
"But Williams was accepted at George Washington after failing to graduate in five years from his original high school and receiving no grades at three prep schools in the next two years, including one that burned down after he was there five days. The National Collegiate Athletic Association certified his transcript without any verification, making him academically qualified for a basketball scholarship. ..."
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Thursday, March 02, 2006
NIT berth wouldn't offend Nittany Lions - PittsburghLIVE.com:
"'Penn State is a team that definitely is under consideration,' said C.M. Newton, the former Alabama and Vanderbilt coach who heads the NIT selection process this year. 'They play in a good, strong league and played a good schedule. I think they're kind of in the same boat as others in their league that probably are not NCAA teams.'
"A report earlier this week noted the NIT had made inquiries about the availability of the Jordan Center for NIT play. Newton confirmed that report but downplayed its significance.
"'The NIT has inquired of all schools that are Division I,' he said. 'If they were selected, will they play? If they are selected, would their home floor be available if they were seeded highest.'..."
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Wednesday, March 01, 2006
As NCAA tourney heats up, work productivity cools - The Boston Globe:
"March Madness could be madder than ever this year.
"Mad as in crazy fun for workers who tap into CBS Sports' free online broadcast of the NCAA basketball tournament at their desks; mad as in just plain peeved for employers tallying lost work hours.
"A Chicago firm that tracks workplace issues estimates that employers will lose $3.8 billion in wages paid to workers who will be too busy cheering their teams on through the brackets to build spreadsheets or write reports on their desktops by the time the championship game is played April 3.
"''Even people who do not follow college basketball for the entire season can easily get wrapped up in the excitement of March Madness,' said John A. Challenger, chief executive of Challenger, Gray & Christmas. ..."
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