tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73350364123664923752024-03-19T14:31:53.203-04:00ComRadio Basketball Pregame ShowWelcome to the official home of the ComRadio Basketball Pregame Show. We are your home for complete coverage of the 2009-2010 Penn State Men's Basketball team.ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-87606069218756082942010-03-06T22:04:00.015-05:002010-03-11T14:55:37.509-05:00BigTen Tourney Live BlogPenn State will play in the BigTen Tournament Thursday March 11 at 7:30pm. Penn State has had a disappointing season but has played many close games with top teams in the country. They try to make a run in the Big Ten Tournament. Their first game will take place on the BigTen Network and live coverage will be provided live here for those who do not have the network!<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.coveritlive.com/index2.php/option=com_altcaster/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=a77f8acd93/height=550/width=410" scrolling="auto" height="800px" width="550px" frameBorder="0" allowTransparency="true" ><a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=a77f8acd93" >BigTen Tournament PSU vs Minnesota</a></iframe>ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-12069787375433098052010-03-06T12:13:00.002-05:002010-03-06T12:15:37.276-05:00Final Pregame show set for 1:20 p.m. todayListen to the Comradio Basketball Pregame Show live from the BJC as Penn State (11-18, 3-14) hosts #6 Purdue (23-4, 13-4) in the regular season finale for both schools. <br /><br />Pete Jensen will be hosting the show beginning @ 1:20pm. ESPN's Dana O'Neil, The Daily Collegian's AJ Cassavell & former Penn Stater Jon Crispin will be guests on today's show. Tip is scheduled for 2:30pm w/Kevin Foedinger & Greg Boyce on the call.<br /><br />-JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-60068893712540667482010-02-28T17:01:00.005-05:002010-02-28T17:30:32.630-05:00Nittany Lions sweep season series with WildcatsTalor Battle may have been Penn State's leading scorer Sunday against Northwestern, but he was only part of the reason why the Nittany Lions capped off the season sweep of the Wildcats.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCK9arZr35smXxHn64ZpnEoMT5phG19mUKToMkfVNP4os9K1MdLehe66KH43RP3GVStzVXTJY7VmRHIeAGsExteBaq8Vmvl_FZM81ZVxdSBsE4GTmkLJ0tt1IQACa23jDaXxGGyyQRuL8/s1600-h/JONES.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 148px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCK9arZr35smXxHn64ZpnEoMT5phG19mUKToMkfVNP4os9K1MdLehe66KH43RP3GVStzVXTJY7VmRHIeAGsExteBaq8Vmvl_FZM81ZVxdSBsE4GTmkLJ0tt1IQACa23jDaXxGGyyQRuL8/s200/JONES.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443419250565234386" /></a><br /><br />In another balanced scoring effort, Penn State dissected Northwestern's 1-3-1 zone defense and put on a shooting clinic in the team's 79-60 victory at the Bryce Jordan Center. The win marked PSU's largest victory over a Big Ten foe since January of 2007 when the team knocked off--you guessed it--Northwestern.<br /><br />Battle led Penn State (11-17, 3-13 in Big Ten) with 16 points, six rebounds and six assists in the win, as the team shot 57% from the field in the game. Sophomore guard Chris Babb tallied four three-pointers on five attempts for 14 points. <br /><br />Junior forward Jeff Brooks continued to assert himself in the paint and was able to use his size to present a major mismatch to Northwestern (18-11, 7-10 in Big Ten). Brooks had 11 points and seven rebounds for the near double-double. Andrew Jones was productive as well with eight points and seven boards.<br /><br />But in a contest that Northwestern would like to forget, Penn State's strong effort was due largely in part to the play of a few unsung role players who stepped up in a big way. Cam Woodyard and Tim Frazier scored nine points apiece and shot a combined 8-9 FG. Penn State's normally quiet bench outscored Northwestern's unit, 26-19.<br /><br />Northwestern trailed 49-35 at the break and shot a mere 32% from the floor in the game. Penn State's only flaw in the first half was their lackluster defense on Northwestern's three-point FG attempts. NW shot 7-11 in the first half from behind the arc, but then cooled off a bit, shooting 5-17 from deep in the ensuing half. Michael Thompson was the Wildcats only scorer in double figures with a game-high 21 points on 6-15 shooting.<br /><br />Ed DeChellis picked up his 200th career victory this afternoon as the Lions won for the third time in four games after an 0-12 start to their conference campaign.<br /><br />Penn State has overwhelmed Northwestern in recent years, now holding a four-game winning streak with eight victories overall in the last nine meetings.<br /><br />-JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-58808406691519840482010-02-24T03:24:00.005-05:002010-02-24T03:47:42.732-05:00Turner vs. Battle: Round TwoTalor Battle and the Penn State men's basketball team are riding a two-game winning streak after road wins last week at Northwestern and Michigan. <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Nittany Lions (10-16, 2-12)</span> welcome Evan Turner, William Buford, Dallas Lauderdale and the <span style="font-weight:bold;">No. 9 Ohio State Buckeyes (21-7, 11-4)</span> to the Bryce Jordan Center tonight. The two teams met earlier in the season when the Buckeyes topped the Lions in Columbus, 75-62, in a game that was much closer than the final score indicates. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Bp_mmpi7JvL7xrqjnp2v3qX35mO7oc4s3nctni2A4NatICXNbmTF9hT-35SqOsg0pzaaHwK9cpR0U6ASo0pQS24L6EbYwWm82dNH9AYLtIKsmlS8xEteMl2PkGGpoCLcZ7wXiIkGNKw/s1600-h/09_mwug_team.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Bp_mmpi7JvL7xrqjnp2v3qX35mO7oc4s3nctni2A4NatICXNbmTF9hT-35SqOsg0pzaaHwK9cpR0U6ASo0pQS24L6EbYwWm82dNH9AYLtIKsmlS8xEteMl2PkGGpoCLcZ7wXiIkGNKw/s200/09_mwug_team.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441728894108725154" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Battle and Turner were both named to the All-Big Ten first team last season and were teammates on Team USA for the World University Games in the summer of 2009. The two guards have developed a friendship off the court, which has made their duels on the court even more exhilarating.</span><br /><br />ComRadio's coverage begins at 6:00 p.m. after the station's nightly newscast when Ryan Staloff hosts the Comradio Basketball Pregame Show. Today's show will feature Pete Jensen's exclusive interview with former Penn State center John Amaechi, a "Booth Pop" segment to preview the game and the weekly "Sounding Off" segment with PSU head coach Ed DeChellis. <br /><br />The pregame show will conclude at 6:25 p.m., and after the national anthem, the play-by-play team of Eric Reed and Pete Jensen will have the call of the action as Penn State faces off against the mighty Bucks. PSU looks for its first win of the season over a ranked opponent.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">For up-to-the minute news on everything that is Penn State University, become a fan of ComRadio's official Facebook pages:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">ComRadio (Penn State Student Radio)</span> http://www.facebook.com/psubballpregame?v=info&ref=ts#!/psucomradio?ref=ts<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">ComRadio Basketball Pregame Show:</span> http://www.facebook.com/psubballpregame?v=info&ref=ts<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">ComRadio Football Pregame Show:</span> http://www.facebook.com/psubballpregame?v=info&ref=ts#!/comradiopregame?ref=ts<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">ComRadio News:</span> http://www.facebook.com/pages/ComRadio-News/182071176347?ref=ts<br /><br />-JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-15827560043769259802010-02-21T20:29:00.006-05:002010-02-22T00:59:06.234-05:00Lions pick up 1st win in Ann Arbor since 1999<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2010/01/ZACH-NOVAK-thumb-537x363-22341.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 512px; height: 347px;" src="http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2010/01/ZACH-NOVAK-thumb-537x363-22341.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Talor Battle scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out six assists to lead Penn State to a <span style="font-weight:bold;">55-51 victory over Michigan at Crisler Arena</span> Saturday night. The Nittany Lions (10-16, 2-12 in Big Ten) won for the first time in Ann Arbor under Ed DeChellis and for the first time since 1999 overall. The Wolverines (13-13, 6-8 in Big Ten) squandered an opportunity to get back to .500 in conference play and maintain an outside shot at an NCAA Tournament bid.<br /><br />PSU's Jeff Brooks scored all nine of his points in the second half and nailed a <span style="font-weight:bold;">crucial jumper with 14 seconds left</span> to extend the Lions lead to four and break what was nearly an eight-minute scoring drought. The Lions were able to sustain their cold spell and make up for it on the defensive end, as Michigan shot a mere 35% from the floor in the game and a putrid 1-12 from 3pt range in the second half.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Penn State will be back in action this Wednesday against #13 Ohio State</span>, who picked up a key 74-67 road win in East Lansing today over Michigan State. This will be a tough task for PSU, but riding a two-game road win streak and heading back home to the friendly confines of the Jordan Center, anything can happen. <br /><br />Gametime is set for 6:30 p.m. EST, as Pete Jensen and Eric Reed will bring you the live call from the arena. Ryan Staloff will host the pregame show, which will kick off at about 5:55 p.m. EST. On tap for the pregame show is an <span style="font-weight:bold;">exclusive interview with former PSU standout John Amaechi</span>, a booth pop segment with Jensen and Reed, as well as our weekly "Sounding off" segment with clips from Ed DeChellis' weekly press conference.<br /><br />-JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-39983445757822653052010-02-19T18:48:00.006-05:002010-02-22T01:02:29.942-05:00John Amaechi to appear on PSU-OSU PregameFormer PSU standout and NBA product John Amaechi will be interviewed by Pete Jensen on Wednesday's <span style="font-weight:bold;">ComRadio Basketball Pregame Show</span> before Penn State takes on Ohio State at 6:30 p.m. Amaechi is currently a broadcaster and political activist in the United Kingdom. The 6'10" Amaechi graduated from Penn State in 1995 and was a quality role player for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz in his NBA career. His best pro season was the 1999-2000 season, when he averaged 10.5 ppg and 3.3 rpg in 21 minutes per game for the Magic. Amaechi also played for professional squads in both Europe and Italy in his post-collegiate career.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/psu/graphics/auto/Amaechi-BHM-150w.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 200px;" src="http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/psu/graphics/auto/Amaechi-BHM-150w.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Amaechi played college basketball at Vanderbilt, before transferring to Penn State, where he was a two-time First Team Academic All-American selection.<br /><br />Courtesy of NBA.com, here are some accolades from Amaechi's five seasons in the league:<br /> * Named to the 1999-2000 NBA All-Interview First Team<br /> * Scored the 1st basket in Miami's American Airlines Arena, and the 1st NBA points in the new millenium on 1/2/00<br /> * Tied for 6th in media voting for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award in 1999-2000<br /> * One of only 7 undrafted players to start an NBA game in 1999-2000 <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.interbasket.net/players/amaechi.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 416px;" src="http://www.interbasket.net/players/amaechi.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nittany Lions set to host Buckeyes in mid-week clash</span><br />Penn State's ComRadio, as always, will bring Nittany Lion fans the most complete radio coverage available as Ryan Staloff will host the pregame show, while Pete Jensen and Eric Reed will call the action as the Penn State Nittany Lions battle the Ohio State Buckeyes. <br /><br />OSU boasts national player of the year candidate <span style="font-weight:bold;">Evan Turner </span> (19.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.8 apg), who has proved to be one of the most versatile players in the country despite suffering a severe back injury in early December. However, while Turner may be the outright leader for the Buckeyes, the depth of this team is its greatest asset. William Buford, Jon Diebler and David Lighty all average in double figures in scoring for Thad Matta and the Bucks, and their big-man <span style="font-weight:bold;">Dallas Lauderdale</span> is a consistent force on both ends of the floor that will create matchup problems for PSU.<br /><br />-JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-75211087514267613842010-02-19T18:47:00.003-05:002010-02-23T01:53:21.026-05:00Penn State finally wins 1st B10 Game<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/2009/writers/nina_mandell/04/01/battle/battle-talor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 350px;" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/2009/writers/nina_mandell/04/01/battle/battle-talor.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />The monkey is finally off Penn State's back as the Nittany Lions (9-16, 1-12 in B10) rolled past Northwestern, 81-70, in Evanston, Ill. to provide a blow to the Wildcats' NCAA tournament hopes. <br /><br />David Jackson and Chris Babb led the way with 20 points apiece as Penn State ended a 12-game losing skid and won its first game of 2010. The Lions have now defeated Northwestern (17-9, 6-8 in B10) in seven of the last eight meetings between the two schools. The two schools face off again on Sunday, February 28 at the Bryce Jordan Center.<br /><br />PSU registered five players (Jackson, Babb, Jeff Brooks, Andrew Jones and Talor Battle), in double figures in arguably the team's most complete victory of the season.<br /><br />-JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-18528729682095735812010-02-19T18:41:00.003-05:002010-02-19T18:52:50.897-05:00BTN's Jon Crispin and ESPN's Dana O'Neil to round out season<span style="font-weight:bold;">Former Penn State guard Jon Crispin</span>, currently a color commentator at Big Ten Network and a sports radio talk show host at Fox Sports Radio in Los Angeles, will make an appearance on the <span style="font-weight:bold;">ComRadio Basketball Pregame Show</span> when Penn State hosts top-five Purdue on March 6 (Time: TBA). Jon and his brother, Joe Crispin, led Penn State to a thrilling 2nd round upset of North Carolina to reach the "Sweet 16" of the 2001 NCAA Tournament. Crispin has called a number of PSU games for Big Ten Network this season, including the Lions upset of Northwestern in Evanston.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2000/11/11-21-00tdc/11-21-00dsports-8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 220px; height: 398px;" src="http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2000/11/11-21-00tdc/11-21-00dsports-8.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Also, <span style="font-weight:bold;">ESPN.com columnist Dana O'Neil</span> will provide insight before Penn State battles Northwestern Sunday, Feb. 28 @ the BJC. O'Neil traveled to Happy Valley for PSU's February meeting with Michigan State.<br /><br />==================<br /><br />Next up for Penn State: Saturday, Feb. 20 @ Michigan 6:00 p.m. on the Big Ten Network<br /><br /><br />-JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-13752583199432220062010-02-19T13:10:00.010-05:002010-02-22T00:56:49.850-05:00ESPN's Joe Lunardi on the show<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lexpatriates.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/joelunardi.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 160px;" src="http://lexpatriates.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/joelunardi.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi spoke to ComRadio's Pete Jensen before Penn State's clash with #10 Michigan State last Saturday afternoon. Lunardi broke down his near-flawless simulation tactics, why Penn State did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament last season, and why the Lions have had a significant drop-off this season in performance. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">For those of you who missed it, here is the link to download the podcast:</span><br /><br />http://www.mediafire.com/?ktzqdmyj2yzComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-41331279805569845572010-02-06T11:48:00.018-05:002010-02-06T16:09:15.499-05:00Penn State vs Minnesota LIVE BLOG:Follow today's game on the Hoops Blog as Penn State takes on the Minnesota Gophers on Alumi weekend in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions will be looking for their first conference win and will be wearing throwback jerseys to be auctioned off after the game to raise money for charity. Updates and analysis of the game will be right here. Feel free to leave comments.<br /><br />The ComRadio audio feed of this game is available by clicking <a href="http://146.186.73.195:8000/listen.pls">here</a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0ql3Qa_xxMm6GKJ3zed41QVnlLJZr8KasoeWP7Ga9aMApTEmbfd6Q8AjzWOeKDkb92kbAQsFJFUcsAKYyFluO3IIA1UsEokSEYy5yjKn86-9cGv93eXUTuP2k45Lde3TD58yDZQljPc/s1600-h/Picture+3.png"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0ql3Qa_xxMm6GKJ3zed41QVnlLJZr8KasoeWP7Ga9aMApTEmbfd6Q8AjzWOeKDkb92kbAQsFJFUcsAKYyFluO3IIA1UsEokSEYy5yjKn86-9cGv93eXUTuP2k45Lde3TD58yDZQljPc/s200/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435240350863802450" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Final Stats -- click to enlarge</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Final - 66-64.. Minnesota wins it</span> Quite the exciting finish in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions with a huge steal at the end of the game and they tied it at 64. Minnesota had 8 seconds to bring it down and Lawrence Westbrook put up the game winner at the buzzer for the win. Nothing has gone the Penn State way this season. They now have a record worst start in the BigTen at 0-11.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2:26 - Minnesota leads 60-56</span> A shot clock violation with about 6:40 left and a technical foul on Tubby Smith (Minnesota coach) has gotten Penn State and the crowd going. But a three ball by DJ Jackson for the lead which was way off the mark, gives the explanation of this Nittany Lion season. Can the Nittany Lions finally finish out a game on top? We shall see. Both teams right now in the double bonus. Speaking of which, Penn State is 13-20 from the charity stripe today. Clearly a big factor in the game.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">7:52 - Minnesota leads 53-49</span> Chris Babb sparked a Penn State run with a big three and the BJC is the loudest it has been in a while. Penn State at first was not necessarily taking the smartest shots but now look a little bit better and they remain right in this game. The only problem (or is it?) is they now have 9 fouls. Minnesota is not the greatest free throw shooting team however... at least not normally. They are 12 of 15 today. Penn State is breaking down defensively a little bit but they need to stay strong and continue to make smart shots. Do not just keep chucking up threes! <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">12:05 Minnesota leads 47-42</span> Penn State is still in this game of course but they seem to be giving Minnesota more chances inside then they did in the first half. The Lions are also having a hard time converting their free throws which could end up being the difference in this game. However, the Lions are driving a little better than they were before and giving themselves opportunities allowing them to stay competitive. Penn State though needs to convert back to the style of defense they were playing earlier. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">15:02 - Minnesota leads 44-38</span> Penn State has come out firing a lot of threes. Babb started out hot and then got a little bit cold. DJ Jackson now has double digit points for a fifth consecutive game. He has 11. Battle has just 7 so far. Nothing seems to have changed drastically on the defensive side for Penn State. Offensively though they need to drive more and stop chucking up threes as that will not work... especially if they keep missing. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePe6vt74RvMG0HTVM1NmvWxOdq8H-xfRM7OeHrpTy1YglxQ8dNgLpbUG5M7C0ApZCTMLm0JcAot6TUDM9QfxPrwN-qiQAVrNtOilKyUHfzBqVJ337ysqhe5tuAI-9I3G9V2SlC3iQM7E/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 152px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePe6vt74RvMG0HTVM1NmvWxOdq8H-xfRM7OeHrpTy1YglxQ8dNgLpbUG5M7C0ApZCTMLm0JcAot6TUDM9QfxPrwN-qiQAVrNtOilKyUHfzBqVJ337ysqhe5tuAI-9I3G9V2SlC3iQM7E/s200/Picture+2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435222669620827234" /></a> - <span style="font-style:italic;">Halftime Stats -- click to enlarge<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Halftime - Minnesota leads 36-30</span> Penn State is still right in this game. I think their defense inside has been stellar but Minnesota has been able to make adjustments. The Lions are also doing a nice job driving and creating opportunities for themselves. It has been a fairly evenly matched game thus far and the team that is smarter and has the most energy in the second half will be the team who comes out on top at the end.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3:46 - Minnesota leads 31-27</span> Penn State is shooting relatively well. They started this last sequence hot with Andrew Jones having a nice bucket and then Babb draining the three to tie the game at 24. Penn State's defense is still strong inside but Minnesota is absorbing the contact and still getting open looks from the outside. Penn State is playing well enough to win though. They need to keep it close as the half winds down. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">7:05 - Minnesota leads 24-19 </span> Talor Battle is in "this team is all me mode." He is chucking up a lot of shots. He had a nice steal and a pull up three earlier and before the media timeout he had another three ball. He also tried a nice behind the back pass inside to Ott... but Ott is a goof and couldn't handle the ball. Meanwhile Hoffarber of Minnesota is still flawless from beyond the arc. He is 3 of 5 already. Hoffarber and Jackson each lead their respective teams thus far with 9 points a piece. Rebounds right now are even which is a good sign for Penn State as that is something they have had trouble with all year. But Penn State is moving its feet underneath and getting to the ball. They just need to be smart with the ball and score a little more.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (MEW)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcL_BHZBU8MVtgUnEnrg4mk_rEWOb5Le1J4n_7i60C2VzmtDf_ji1Lg_bYEcjaUUGGb7demb-WZwcmH9CzMdkhTxAoKyOMTBdEl1P5whKpOkE5BJYanWuYKSsnNcRJ7O4ri7ftVSbnTQ/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcL_BHZBU8MVtgUnEnrg4mk_rEWOb5Le1J4n_7i60C2VzmtDf_ji1Lg_bYEcjaUUGGb7demb-WZwcmH9CzMdkhTxAoKyOMTBdEl1P5whKpOkE5BJYanWuYKSsnNcRJ7O4ri7ftVSbnTQ/s200/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435213604861023474" /></a> - <span style="font-style:italic;">Stats so far -- click to enlarge</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">11:06 - Minnesota leads 14-12</span> Penn State looks better defensively. Minnesota some opportunities for more threes but not able to convert all of them. They have been good at putting the ball in even with contact from Penn State. But offensively, Penn State is a little bit sloppy with the ball but still has good ball movement. It is still a 2 point game. Penn State has all the potential to keep it close and win this one. It is early, but Penn State needs to stay strong. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">15:49 - Minnesota leads 7-5<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span>: Penn State is keeping Minnesota to the outside so far defensively but that is not necessarily a good thing with Blake Hoffarber leading the nation in 3 point FG percentage. He's 1-1 from three point land so far. Penn State is doing a good job trying to create opportunities in the lane and they too have proven they can hit the outside shot with a nice three ball from David Jackson. Penn State needs to stay tough and be physical in order to win this game and they can't give wide open looks on the outside. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">20:00</span> - Under way at the BJC!ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-53848980867073415702010-01-27T14:39:00.004-05:002010-01-27T14:58:21.590-05:00Penn State set to clash with Illini tonight @ 6:30 p.m. on ComRadioThe Nittany Lion Basketball team (8-11, 0-7 in B10) will collide with the Illinois Fighting Illini (12-8, 4-3 in B10) TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center.<br /><br />The ComRadio Basketball Pregame Show tips off at 6:00 p.m. as the show will include sound from Ed DeChellis' press conference this week as well as an exclusive interview with Penn State Sports Network Analyst Dick Jerardi, who travels with the team and could potentially shed some light on where the winless Lions are at mentally right now as a unit. Also, be sure to tune into the ComRadio broadcast.<br /><br />Penn State let one slip away earlier this season at the hands of the Illini, 54-53, in Champaign. In the team's last meeting at the BJC, Talor Battle, who currently leads the Big Ten in scoring at 19.1 ppg, was able to convert on an off-balance jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining in the second half. The victory gave PSU one of its signature victories of the season, as the team went on to steamroll past power-six teams in Notre Dame, Florida and Baylor to capture the 2009 NIT title. In Battle's career, Penn State is 4-2 in games against Illinois and will look to end what has been a disheartening 7-game losing streak tonight at the BJC.<br /><br />One theme for the Lions this year has been their squandering of opportunities down the stretch in narrow losses @ Temple, @ Illinois, @ Wisconsin, vs. Michigan and vs. Virginia Tech. All of those games featured Nittany Lion debacles on the final possession(s) of the game which ultimately led to excruciating losses. <br /><br />One note: PSU is the only major conference team (B12, B10, ACC, BIG EAST, PAC-10, SEC) in the country with only one scorer in double figures. The Lions desperately need inspired efforts from guys like DJ Jackson, Chris Babb and Andrew Ott to have any chance at knocking off a very solid Illinois team tonight. Andrew Jones looks to have been demoted to a new role off the bench after his productivity this season has simply diminished. It will be interesting to see if PSU comes out with some pride and simply finds a way to treat its home fans to a win. It will not be easy if Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale are doing work inside and if Demetri McCamey continues to stifle opponents on the perimeter like he has been as of late. McCamey had 25 pts and 5 asts and make a key difference in the team's earlier meeting. If the Lions take advantage of Illinois' turnovers and convert down the stretch, Penn State will have a real shot despite their misfortune so far this season. <br /><br />-JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-23264613268951065592010-01-20T17:21:00.002-05:002010-01-20T17:22:58.185-05:00Penn State vs. Indiana ThursdayThe Nittany Lions host Indiana on Thursday at the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State continues to search for its first Big Ten Conference win. Let's see if they can get it done against Tom Crean's pesky Hoosiers. Tune in to ComRadio.psu.edu or check back for updates tomorrow!ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-13346720153477764282010-01-12T20:52:00.018-05:002010-01-12T23:01:08.062-05:00PSU vs. Illinois Live BlogHey boys and girls, I'm Tom Ferguson and I'll be running tonight's live blog of the basketball game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Fighting Illini of Illinois in Champaign, ILL. PSU enters the match-up with a 8-7 overall record, 0-3 in the conference, and is coming off a humiliating loss to Michigan in which they held a 16 point lead, only to give it up and lose by nine to the Wolverines. Illinois survived an upset bid by the Indiana Hoosiers in their last contest to improve to 11-5 overall, 3-0 in the Big Ten so far this year. <br /><br />This is an important game for the Nittany Lions to try to avoid a devastating skid to start the year. The Lions have won 3 straight at Illinois, including the last 4 out of 5 overall, but are in a serious funk this season. <br /><br />Players to look out for on the Illini: Mike Tisdale, averaging 12.6 points per game. Also, big Mike Davis is averaging 11.8 points per game and 10.1 rebounds per game.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">First Half 20:00</span><br /><br />PSU starters: Ott, Jackson, Frazier, Battle, Babb<br /><br />Illinois Starters: McCamey, Richardson, Cole, Davis, Tisdale<br /><br />Interesting to note that Ott is starting over Jones. Clearly, DeChellis has grown tired of Jones' lackluster effort this season. Should be intriguing to see how Ott performs with the start...<br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">First Half 15:23 Illinois 10, Penn State 9</span><br /><br />Ott's out of the gate with 4 points and has performed well, but the rest of the Lions look asleep, aside from a Babb three and a Battle lay-up. Frazier had a few costly turnovers and the defense has been lackluster, as the Illini have gotten into the lane and kicked out for open jumpers. Penn State needs to step up the energy and focus a bit; they don't look energized or excited to be there. McCamey is a stud and needs to be hounded on the defensive end.<br /><br />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">First Half 10:44 Illinois 19, PSU 19</span><br /><br />Penn State stepped it up and jumped out in front for the first time, 16-14 by using their speed advantage, but the Illini were quick to answer. Give credit to the Lions though, they're fighting back on the offensive end and getting a little more aggressive on defense. That being said, Illinois is finding any shot they want on the offensive end. PSU is in this game because of their 53.8% shooting from the field.<br />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">First Half 7:25 Illinois 23, PSU 21</span><br /><br />Ugly stretch of basketball by both teams. Bad shots from the Nits, as they are now down to 44.4% from the field and have 5 turnovers so far in the half. It was capped by an ugly three from Talor Battle from, essentially, State College. Babb and Battle lead the way with 6 apiece, but the others have yet to get going for the Lions...<br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">First Half 3:38 PSU 26, Illinois 23</span><br /><br />Ball gets tipped out by Edwards to Babb on a break with Tisdale trailing to try to block any shot attempt. Babb, instead of going up strong, leaves it for Battle, who has a 13-inch disadvantage against Mike Tisdale. Needless to say, Battle missed the shot and Jim Jackson (along with myself) questioned why Babb didn't just go up with the shot. Babb would later score on a nice backdoor cut and pass with Battle to get the traditional three-point play and give the Lions a 26-23 lead. <br /><br />Both teams are beginning to struggle against each other. Shots have cooled off and it has became a physical Big Ten contest. Penn State has doen a great job weathering the storm and stepping up on the defensive end, forcing Illinois into a bit of a quicker pace than they want to go at. If PSU can keep that up and avoid hurting themselves, they might be able to stay ahead.<br /><br />I have to say, I am impressed with how well Ott has played tonight. He has stepped into this starting role and been much more active than I've ever seen him on the court. He hasn't necessarily played that great tonight, but he's been active and has done enough to give Penn State a solid center for the game.<br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Half Time PSU 28, Illinois 23</span><br /><br />Penn State has begun to pull away, thanks in part to the Illini not having a field goal since there was 8:34 to go in the half. Penn State's defense has been much more solid, getting very active on the defensive end and forcing the Illini into plenty of jump shots and not giving them the opportunity to be aggressive.<br /><br />The game is starting to resemble last year's contest in Champaign, as neither team is putting up much fight offensively. Both teams are shooting at 35% or below and have had trouble deciphering what to do to get to the basket. <br /><br />It's going to be up to the Lions to keep up the defensive pressure, but also begin to open it up on offense. Get out and run with this team, there are few in the Big Ten that can keep up with the Lions if they get out in transition. Penn State needs to push tempo on the Illini.<br />---------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Second Half 20:00 PSU 28, Illinois 23</span><br /><br />Wait a minute, Illinois is still on break? What the heck?!?! Why are we not still on break? Jeepers...<br />----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Second Half 16:18 Illinois 35, PSU 32</span><br /><br />Poor, poor effort by the Lions out of the gate of the second half. Illinois looks like they finally woke up (though, if the first half taught us anything, McCamey plays well in the first 5 minutes, then just disappears). A quick 5 point swing for the Illini gave them the 3-point lead as Penn State got careless toward the end of a defensive possession, giving the McCamey a three, then turning it over and letting McCamey hit a jumper in transition. <br /><br />Gotta keep your composure if you're Penn State right now. You're 30-3 when leading at the half in the last two years, but you just had one of your worst collapses in a long time against Michigan. Stay focused if you're the Nittany Lions. <br />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Second Half 11:18 PSU 40, Illinois 38</span><br /><br />Andrew Jones, through about 12 minutes, has 0 points, 0 rebounds, 2 turnovers and 2 personal fouls...where is Andrew Ott and why is he not in the game at this point? I understand Jones' value towards the end of last year, but he has been atrocious in his past few games. A pass just whistled off his hands when he was open in the lane, giving Illinois a fast break down the other end. The difference in the game right now is Illinois struggling to take advantage of Penn State mistakes and Babb and Battle making timely jump shots and plays for the Lions.<br />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Second Half 7:58 PSU 48, Illinois 43</span><br /><br />The threes are beginning to fall for the Lions as Woodyard and Brooks hit 2 in that stretch. Huge dunk by Tisdale and lucky three for McCamey have kept Illinois within striking distance. <br /><br />Mike Davis has yet to register a point. Davis has registered 2 rebounds and 1 assist in 23 minutes of work. That's a huge credit to the way Penn State has been able to play defense against the Illini. <br /><br />It's important for Penn State now to put away Illinois. The longer this game stays at a 5 point lead, the better chance Illinois has to get on a mini-run and beat the Lions. They have to give themselves a cushion, because there is at least one more run left for Illinois. It's up to Penn State to have enough of a cushion to hold that off.<br />-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Second Half 3:02 PSU 53, Illinois 49</span><br /><br />Bill Edwards has been short on a LOT of his shots tonight, especially those from beyond the arc or just inside. He is best when moving towards the basket. Penn State has done a great job entering the ball in the paint and using some time to find a good shot. That is something they have hardly ever done in the past two years, so it's encouraging to see them taking their time. It's up to the Lions to shadow McCamey and force Tisdale to dish it off. Make someone else beat you, not those two.<br />------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Second Half 2:07 PSU 53, Illinois 52</span><br /><br />I thought it was funny the first time Mike Hall said "Champ-bana," but the 75 other times have started to wear thin with me...<br />------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Second Half 1:02 Illinois 54, PSU 53</span><br /><br />How can you let McCamey, a player who has killed you ALL NIGHT, beat you like that on that pick and roll? Terrible job by Ott getting out and hedging. If PSU loses tonight, the reason is the poor defense against McCamey.<br />------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Second Half 0:19 Illinois 54, PSU 53</span><br /><br />First of all: Two awful possessions by the Lions. Fade away three for Battle WAY too early in the shot clock, then four players stood around and watched Battle launch another three pointer that was off the mark.<br /><br />Second of all: Where was McCamey going with that jump pass? No one was anywhere near where he threw the pass. <br />------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Second Half 0:3.5 Illinois 54, PSU 53</span><br /><br />Illinois misses the front end of the one-and-one and PSU runs the ball down the floor, where Battle is swatted by Tisdale...why take it inside that quickly? Get it to someone that's open, everyone in that gym knew Battle was driving. <br />------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Final Score Illinois 54, PSU 53</span><br /><br />You mean to tell me that the best shot that Penn State could find was a fall-away three point shot when all they needed was a two? That was a terrible play for the Nittany Lions to run. Battle had a wide-open Babb (the inbounder) making a cut to the basket on the baseline, but he either couldn't see him or didn't have a clear path to make the pass.<br /><br />What you can take away from this game...well, you might not want to hear it. Battle went 1-for-10 in the second half, the Lions struggled again to keep a lead that had ballooned to as much as 8 with about 8 minutes to go. The Lions fall to 0-4 in the conference and are still left searching for answers down low. Ott played alright in place of Jones, but Penn State is in DESPERATE need for some kind of inside presence. The Lions fall to .500 at 8-8 on the year and now travel to Iowa City, which, if last year is any indication, won't be an easy match-up for the Lions. This has potential to turn into a devastating slide for Penn State.<br /><br />Thanks for tuning in everyone, hopefully next time, we get a better result! Good game from both teams, just a disappointing effort in the waning moments from the Nittany Lions, which ultimately cost them the game.ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-50685018953314319962010-01-07T18:40:00.026-05:002010-01-07T20:53:49.368-05:00Penn State vs Michigan LIVE BLOG:The Nittany Lions look to end their two game losing streak against Michigan in the Bryce Jordan Center tonight at 7pm ET. The Comradio Hoops blog will provide in game analysis right here! Comments are welcome. **The page will NOT refresh automatically. Please refresh for updated analysis.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoRkE3Z_isJaf1XTYAv_w8SD6ZLRqrd_VUZXdjaXAOGIeUGTSQz7N084XsEozwXLLtjpzQXLo1_MUx768lSRmdpYNJpYhzZ0ktu27fCm2mn198D9NdxRs8ptv3jABIbIGQERpxGAS9ko/s1600-h/psu+mich+final+stats.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoRkE3Z_isJaf1XTYAv_w8SD6ZLRqrd_VUZXdjaXAOGIeUGTSQz7N084XsEozwXLLtjpzQXLo1_MUx768lSRmdpYNJpYhzZ0ktu27fCm2mn198D9NdxRs8ptv3jABIbIGQERpxGAS9ko/s320/psu+mich+final+stats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424180339627060914" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Final Stats- Click to Enlar</span>ge<br /><br /><br /><br />FINAL <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mich wins 64-55</span> Penn State began the game doing everything right. Early in the second half Michigan showed signs of life after not being able to do anything in the first half. They were 0-12 from behind the arc. Then in the second half of the second half, everything was falling for Michigan. They started to creep back and it was all downhill for Penn State. A win for Penn State would have been a huge confidence boost. The loss in this fashion is just a confidence crusher. The Lions have begun BigTen play at 0-3.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />:43.4 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mich leads 64-55</span> Penn State got the ball off a bad turnover by Manny Harris. Battle took a tough, unnecessary three and missed. Michigan came back the other way and scored and then Jeff Brooks missed a layup. Penn State then needed to foul and here we are<span style="font-style:italic;"> (MEW)</span><br /><br /><br />1:12 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mich leads 60-55</span> Everything is finally going right for Michigan and couldn't come at a better time. It now comes down to how Penn State can play in the clutch. Both teams are in the bonus. All fouls are 1 and 1. We are in for an exciting finish.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (MEW)<br /></span><br /><br /><br />3:50 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Mich leads 51-50</span> Michigan has come back and now has a lead. But Penn State fans should be in their comfort zone. This is the team they are used to seeing. Chris Babb is still hot from three hitting 4 of 5. Deshawn Sims has 23 points on the day. Manny Harris is up to 8. Babb, Battle (Penn State), Sims, Harris (Michigan) are the players to watch down the stretch. It is those two guys on each side that really will make or break this game.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />6:00 <span style="font-weight:bold;">PSU leads 47-43</span> Everything the Nittany Lions did in the first half is now being erased. Michigan is now really hot especially from three. Penn State needs to focus. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br />10:33 <span style="font-weight:bold;">PSU leads 42-35</span> Michigan has now hit three threes in a row (including one from Harris). DJ Jackson missed a layup for the Lions. The Wolverines are creeping back. Lions need to go back to basics and they can't start chucking up threes themselves. But if they do, give it to Babb. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />11:54 <span style="font-weight:bold;">PSU leads 42-29</span> Everytime Babb takes a shot, I hear KA CHING! He is money. He is 3 of 3 from behind the arc and 3-4 from inside the arc. Penn State is still doing well on the defensive shuffle. Michigan finally hit a three but are still only shooting 1 of 15. Until Michigan proves they can continue to hit threes, Penn State needs to let them take those shots. They cannot allow the Wolverines to drive. Manny Harris still has only 2 points. Talor Battle has 9. As time winds down, we may see Michigan continue to take threes in order to get back into this game. If the Wolverines get hot, we our in for a good finish. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />15:18 <span style="font-weight:bold;">PSU leads 36-24</span> Michigan came out strong as I predicted. Their defense is better, and they are also driving the lane more. Penn State has not had too many shot attempts in the early going. Although Penn State looked good with the defensive switching in the first half, they still weren't too physical. With the Wolverines off to a strong start it will be important for the Lions to try and get in passing lanes and in driving lanes. They need to be physical and maybe flop a little to draw the offensive fouls. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAtLz4_e22aJLB-G5tfKeSs8fblGaiFJfIuRCs_S7Cwn7RGw7fzkaUXR3jcUm-P3BI2vZ914musQpQ6TU1SLPUka2-91Mv9wzX6JsXIXdTIhGQE6sXE8QSY0fJCvxY97cYmVhVSOxr0E/s1600-h/psu+mich+half+stats.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAtLz4_e22aJLB-G5tfKeSs8fblGaiFJfIuRCs_S7Cwn7RGw7fzkaUXR3jcUm-P3BI2vZ914musQpQ6TU1SLPUka2-91Mv9wzX6JsXIXdTIhGQE6sXE8QSY0fJCvxY97cYmVhVSOxr0E/s320/psu+mich+half+stats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424164275483267650" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Full Halftime Stats - Click to Enlarge</span><br /><br /><br />Half <span style="font-weight:bold;">PSU leads 31-16</span> The Nittany Lions are playing a heck of a game right now. Michigan is certainly helping. The Wolverines are shooting 0-12 from behind the arc. Not much else to say since the last post. Penn State is just doing everything right. I expect Michigan to come out with a lot of energy. They are a better team than this. The Lions need to stay alert and keep doing exactly what they are doing. even if Michigan starts to creep back, Penn State needs to keep driving the lane and stay quick on defense. So far they have only attempted six 3-pointers which is very low compared to what we normally see. Fundamentals are the key. It's the reason the Lions lead at the half. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />2:56 <span style="font-weight:bold;">PSU leads 27-14</span> The defensive rotation for the Lions is maybe the best I've ever seen. They really look fantastic. Manny Harris still has just 2 points. Talor Battle has 7. Penn State has done great on switches, they have been great in transition, they have been great in drawing contact, they have been great on following up plays, and they have been the quickest to the loose balls. Everything we thought the Nittany Lions could not do, they are doing. They need to keep their momentum going as we approach the end of the half. As we allude back to Ed DeChellis' message to his team before the game.... Penn State is responding quite well. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />7:06 <span style="font-weight:bold;">PSU leads 20-12</span> Talor Battle hits a three ball giving him his first points of the game. Both teams have been fairly sloppy with the ball. Penn State has 6 turnovers, Michigan with 7. Penn State needs to continue keeping Michigan to the outside until they prove they can hit a three. They are 0-9 thus far. Deshawn Sims has 10 of the Wolverine's 12 points. Michigan needs to get other guys going. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />9:40: <span style="font-weight:bold;">PSU leads 15-8<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span> Surprisingly, Penn State has only attempted one shot from behind the arc. It was Chris Babb who was wide open and he hit it. Michigan is 0-8 from three point land. Penn State has been fairly smart with the ball making smart plays and not taking hard shots. They have been able to get the shots they want. And as we watch the two leading point scorers closely... Harris has 2 points. Battle is still looking for his first points. Battle is contributing nonetheless with 3 assists and 2 boards. Both teams need to be more physical defensively. <span style="font-style:italic;">(MEW)</span><br /><br /><br />14:43: <span style="font-weight:bold;">PSU leads 8-4<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span> Well it started off with neither team able to get anything going. Both defenses were playing strong. Penn State has started to go on a little run now and they have a 4 point lead at the first media timeout. However, Penn State already has 3 fouls so they need to be careful. Interestingly enough, Andrew Ott, the Nittany Lions big man, was standing along the perimeter for a long time. My original thought was he should be inside being the big man he is... until of course he hit a three which is exactly what jump started the Lions! Meanwhile, Talor Battle (Penn State) and Manny Harris (Michigan) are the two leading scorers in the BigTen. Both have yet to score.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (MEW)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />20:00 Defense, Rebounding, and Energy among Ed DeChellis' main points of emphasis for tonight's game for the Nittany Lions.ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-59241566464318683572010-01-06T17:31:00.001-05:002010-01-06T17:32:37.211-05:00Penn State hosts Michigan Thursday at 7 p.m.The Nittany Lions are back in action Thursday at 7 p.m. as the Michigan Wolverines visit the Bryce Jordan Center. Brian Tripp and Kevin Foedinger will have the call live on ComRadio. Visit comradio.psu.edu and click on the headphones to listen live!ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-67435712412674031722010-01-03T13:29:00.033-05:002010-01-03T15:58:26.594-05:00Penn State vs. Wisconsin Live Blog<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR50Lp-E_4nfwV7HiiSQUXltJG9O9xlPq6RlBOyoryDHw2ru1DI0cZiRZKga4rQbreQzeFMHIrO7Gwe_uzIS_YhkeCeg2Z01jjnhpZvIlqhrB0TVRkVtU9tyI2taX62m_A1ahPocMOwA/s1600-h/psu+wisc+final+stats.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPR50Lp-E_4nfwV7HiiSQUXltJG9O9xlPq6RlBOyoryDHw2ru1DI0cZiRZKga4rQbreQzeFMHIrO7Gwe_uzIS_YhkeCeg2Z01jjnhpZvIlqhrB0TVRkVtU9tyI2taX62m_A1ahPocMOwA/s320/psu+wisc+final+stats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422620749916024306" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-style:italic;"> Final Stats - Click to Enlarge</span><br /><br /><br />0:00 - WIS PSU:</em> Complete domination by Wisconsin. Penn State shoots under 36% from the field, under 30 % from three-point range, and under 37% from the foul line. Wow! Wisconsin deserves to be ranked. Solid performance. Thanks for stopping by!<br /><br /><em>2:40 - WIS 58 PSU 43:</em> Wisconsin is running the clock. Penn State has 43 points in 37 minutes. I don't think they are scoring 13 with 2:40 remaining. Oh, and the Nittany Lions are shooting 36 %.<br /><br /><em>3:10 - WIS 56 PSU 42:</em> 3 points since the 9:40 mark of the game. Enough said. <br /><br /><em>5:14 - WIS 55 PSU 40: </em> Nothing new to report. No scoring, Wisconsin's defense is playing like the Steel Curtain. Penn State can't buy a good look, let alone a bucket. When people argue that Big Ten basketball can get boring, they probably should point to this game. <br /><br /><em>8:45 - WIS 55 PSU 40:</em> Back-to-back threes from Wisconsin could be the final nails in the coffin. Hughes has been tough on defense, and now shows his ability to shoot the ball. <br /><br />Sorry for the delay on the last post. Here are a few observations...<br />- Penn State is starting to get more and more second-chance opportunities. It would be nice to see the Nittany Lions starting to draw more fouls inside and turn some of these chances into three-point plays. <br />- Wisconsin is cooling down, but it has been Penn State's defense heating up!<br />- Both D.J. Jackson and Bill Edwards need to start playing with some confidence. <br /><br /><em> 10:49 - WIS 49 PSU 39:</em> Just when the Nittany Lions made a run, Trevon Hughes converts on a three point play. Battle's shot short, now Hughes is fouled by Edwards. Bad foul, Edwards has been unimpressive today. Babb misses another open three for Penn State, but just when you think things are going downhill, he comes back and hits another. Wisconsin's shooting is cooling down, now just 40% from beyond the arc. Battle misses a layup, as does Jones, but he is fouled. Jones at the line, Penn State looking to rally. It's a 10 point game. <br /><br /><em>17:05 - WIS 39 PSU 27:</em> The Badgers pick it up where they left off with a Leuer three. Jackson converts the foul shot on a three point play on Penn State's first possession of the half. Battle makes an acrobatic lay-up over Hughes, here come the Lions. It's down to 10. Evans makes it 12 again. Penn State has the ball, second foul on Hughes. Jackson misses. <br /><br /><em>20:00 (Second Half) - WIS 34 PSU 22:</em> Just a heads up, Penn State's next game is on Thursday (1/7/10) against Michigan at the BJC. Michigan has all the potential in the world, but has really struggled. The Wolverines are on the Big Ten Network following the Penn State game if you would like to get an early look at Big Blue (although I personally would choose the Eagles vs. Cowboys game at 4:15). ComRadio's Brian Tripp and Kevin Foedinger will have the call. Tip off is 7:00 pm. Tune in early for the pregame show!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTC3k7gJZ6c0l8BjMxdfWP8NhJEb8NLMg6h2mmyidfMsXyjSor3IonnycIjOZV6xB1AE7Lvs5gnG1ZlFW_DNMBJfsOubFtwveXuq9lTi2Jl-4_6KdhBsl-y7Y0kfm9BDuV9bQjIDPSvcY/s1600-h/psu+wisco+half+stats.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTC3k7gJZ6c0l8BjMxdfWP8NhJEb8NLMg6h2mmyidfMsXyjSor3IonnycIjOZV6xB1AE7Lvs5gnG1ZlFW_DNMBJfsOubFtwveXuq9lTi2Jl-4_6KdhBsl-y7Y0kfm9BDuV9bQjIDPSvcY/s320/psu+wisco+half+stats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422608050089951282" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Full Halftime Stats - Click to Enlarge</span><br /><br /><br />First half stats:<br />WIS/PSU <br />Field goals 13-26 50.0% / 9-25 36.0% <br />3-point FGs 5-11 45.5% / 3-9 33.3% <br />Free throws 3-4 75.0% / 1-7 14.3% <br />Reb (O-D) 17 (2-15) / 17 (4-13) <br />Turnovers 2 / 5 <br />Last FG 1st-01:10 / 1st-05:35 <br />Large lead 12 (1st-01:10) / 3 (1st-18:05) <br /><br /><em><br />0:00 - WIS 34 PSU 22:</em> Penn State is playing sloppy, not making baskets. Wisconsin is using a dribble-drive offense to get open shots. It's working. DeChellis needs to motivate the Nittany Lions at the half. They look a little sluggish compared to Wisconsin. Woodyard throws up an 80-foot shot at the buzzer after Penn State has a big defensive stop to end the half. Be back in a bit!<br /><br /><em>1:54 - WIS 32 PSU 21: </em> If the Nittany Lions want to have a chance, Battle has to take over and make some incredible plays. No one else is getting open and making shots. If Battle gets hot, this is a winnable game. Jackson knocks down Penn State's first free throw of the afternoon, then misses the second. Penn State is 1-6 from the line. <br /><br /><em>3:07 - WIS 31 PSU 21:</em> Just thinking... The Big Ten is loaded with some of the nation's top coaches: Bo Ryan, Tom Izzo, Matt Painter, Tubby Smith, Thad Matta, Tom Crean. Penn State's defense is holding tough, not allowing Wisconsin to get an open bucket. Adam Highberger is in for the Nittany Lions. No surprise with Frazier still battling some injuries. Wisonsin hits another jumper, Penn State can't get a good look. 45 points won't win this game. Top Scorers - Bohannon 11, Battle 8; Rebounds - Nankivil 6, Babb 3. Field goals WIS 12-22 54.5%, PSU 9-22 40.9% <br /><br /><em>06:13 - WIS 27 PSU 19:</em> Frazier in, Brooks a second-chance bucket on the Frazier miss. Bohannon hits another three (3-3, 9 pts). Penn State needs to get on him. Frazier turns it over on a walk. Penn State can't afford turnovers today, especially after that showing earlier this week. Up-tempo game so far, which should benefit Penn State. Battle hits his second triple (2-2 3pt FG). Nittany Lions hanging tough. <br /><em><br />11:55 - WIS 18 PSU 10: </em> Babb hits a three for Penn State. Wisconsin up 18-10. Wisconsin works inside on the other end. Edwards fouls. Penn State needs to work the ball inside better if it wants to have a chance. If there is a positive, Wisconsin isn't getting any second chances and they are not pressing Penn State. The Nittany Lions really struggled with the full court press against the Gophers. <br /><br /><em>12:43 - WIS 16 PSU 7:</em> Edwards enters for Penn State. He couldn't buy a jump shot against Minnesota. Speaking of jumpers, Edwards misses a three. Taylor and Bohannon hit threes for the Badgers. Not a good start offensively for the Nittany Lions. 0-4 from the charity stripe doesn't help. <br /><br /><em>14:24 - WIS 10 PSU 7: </em> Jackson's first rims out. So much for 80% on the season. Second misses too!<br /><em><br />14:24 - WIS 10 PSU 7:</em> Trevon Hughes is all over battle. The other players are going to need to step up. The Penn State offense is using the entire shot clock, looking for a good shot. Battle keeps trying to make plays driving to the hoop. Penn State's defense has been solid, except leaving Bohannon open for a three. Battle, down low to Jackson, foul...he'll shoot two! Also of note, Babb starting in place of Frazier for the second straight game.<br /><br /><em>17:44 - PSU 3 WIS 0:</em> Both teams start out cold. Battle finally hits a three. He's guarded by Trevon Hughes, should be a tough matchup. Penn State has lost its last 10 vs. the Badgers. <br /><br />Check back for live updates as the Penn State Nittany Lions (8-5, 0-1) take on #23 Wisconsin (11-2, 1-0) in the Big Ten home opener this afternoon. Tip off is at 2 pm. Our staff will be blogging live!<br /><br />Penn State is coming off a close loss at Minnesota, while Wisconsin is looking to ride the momentum of a 65-43 upset of #15 Ohio State. The Nittany Lions have won 3 of their last 5 against ranked opponents. <br /><br />The game will also be broadcast live on ComRadio.psu.edu, with Alex Braunbeck and Dan Landers-Nolan on the call. Click the headphones to listen live!<em></em>ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-33175032628449123492010-01-02T16:23:00.002-05:002010-01-02T16:26:41.668-05:00New Rankings FeaturePlease check back twice each week as our staff updates its own NCAA Top 5 Rankings, which will be posted on the right sidebar of our webpage. Our rankings debuted on 12/30/09 and were updated 1/1/10. Texas debuts at number 1 in our poll, with Kansas, Kentucky, and Big Ten power Purdue close behind. Be sure to check back daily for new blog posts, and twice each week for ranking updates. Thanks for your continued support of the ComRadio Basketball Pregame Show.ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-52384773934795689812009-12-30T01:48:00.003-05:002009-12-30T02:10:05.446-05:00Westbrook outduels Battle as Lions fall in Big Ten openerMINNEAPOLIS – Penn State found its touch from the field and overcame a double-digit first-half deficit to come within grasp of an impressive road win to open its Big Ten slate. <br /><br />Lawrence Westbrook erased that possibility down the stretch. <br /><br />Minnesota’s senior guard tied a career-high with 29 points as the Golden Gophers (10-3, 1-0) rode a strong finish to upend the Nittany Lions, 75-70, Tuesday night in front of a packed house at Williams Arena. <br /><br />Westbrook shot 11-16 from the floor and drained four three-pointers, three of which came in a late second-half flourish to ultimately bury PSU. <br /><br />Talor Battle scored 23 points and added 6 rebounds for Penn State (8-5, 0-1). The junior nailed a three-pointer to give the Lions a 53-48 lead with 9:37 to go in the game, but Westbrook and the Golden Gophers took over from there. <br /><br />Westbrook provided the impetus for the Gophers by notching 18 points after the break as Minnesota connected on six three-pointers overall in the second-half. <br /><br />Penn State outscored Minnesota 43-41 in the second-half and kept it close by shooting an impeccable 9-18 from behind the arc in the game, but turnovers and sloppy execution in the final minutes plagued the Lions as the team committed 14 turnovers to Minnesota’s seven on the night. <br /><br />Damian Johnson scored four of his seven points on two key buckets from point-blank range in the final two minutes to put the icing on the cake as Minnesota won its second conference home opener in three seasons under Tubby Smith. Blake Hoffarber converted on three three-pointers on seven attempts for 11 points in the game. <br /><br />The Lions’ supporting cast picked up the slack for Battle as forward Andrew Jones had a strong outing on the low block. Jones’ presence was lacking in the majority of Penn State’s non-conference campaign, but the junior asserted himself Tuesday as he put forth 12 points on 6-10 shooting and 8 rebounds in the loss. <br /><br />Both teams were tied at 10-10 when the Gophers embarked on a time-consuming 11-0 run to gain the upper hand early in the opening half. Westbrook extended Minnesota’s lead to 34-27 at halftime after his jumper found the bottom of the net with only two seconds remaining. <br /><br />Jones’ lay-up with 15:22 remaining in the second-half gave PSU its first lead since it led 7-5 early in the opening frame, but the Lions could not hold on to what was a seven-point lead with 13:54 to go. <br /><br />David Jackson registered 11 points on 4-5 shooting as PSU’s third scorer in double figures. Jeff Brooks added nine in the Lions’ second loss in their last four games. <br /><br />Penn State has dropped four of its five losses by five points or less this season. The team will resume conference play Jan. 3 at the Bryce Jordan Center for its Big Ten home opener against Wisconsin (10-2). <br /><br />-Pete JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-64775268922698245552009-12-29T16:24:00.037-05:002009-12-30T01:51:36.688-05:00Penn State vs Minnesota LIVE BLOG:Penn State takes on Minnesota in Minnesota as both teams will face off in their first BigTen match-ups of the season. Members of the staff will conduct a live blog below:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_oj2_YZRmaP1-lV-ljHe1ue15eIMqEfRe0kLF0qe_ap4Myz-nYNC6PuvHvrSMmXTUq1zGZgfzmtnDs4NhMEmkdEf8nXIz1VImGF9oMVgaksn6AxhivDXGKnm1SiUFJpa51mvBElEhN08/s1600-h/psu+minn+final+stats.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_oj2_YZRmaP1-lV-ljHe1ue15eIMqEfRe0kLF0qe_ap4Myz-nYNC6PuvHvrSMmXTUq1zGZgfzmtnDs4NhMEmkdEf8nXIz1VImGF9oMVgaksn6AxhivDXGKnm1SiUFJpa51mvBElEhN08/s320/psu+minn+final+stats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420875657919214914" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Final Stats - Click to Enlarge</span><br /><br /><br />:00-Well, the Nittany Lions hung in tough, gave Minnesota more of a fight than perhaps they were ready for and expecting, but in the end, the Gophers pulled away as time ran down and knocked off the Lions 75-70. Lawrence Westbrook was the difference in this game, scoring essentially at will. The senior made 11/16 of his field goals for 29 points, and simply was too much for Penn State. Today, the Lions showed how desperately they miss last year's senior guard Stanley Pringle. Pringle would shut down scorers like Westbrook on a nightly basis. Does Frazier have the ability to follow in his footsteps? He has played just 13 games at the collegiate level so far, and we will find that out with time. Overall a solid performance by the Nittany Lions. They finally seem to be establishing some sort of inside presence as Andrew Jones had his best game of the season. Penn State will have New Year's to spend with their friends and families but will head back to Happy Valley to take on Trevon Hughes and the Wisconsin Badgers on January 3. Once again, Penn State falls to Minnesota 75-70. Thanks for sticking with us through the entirety of this great game. <br /><br />-Ryan Staloff-<br /><br /><br />4:22- Let's be honest, Penn State vs. Minnesota is all well and good, but the fans would much rather see eight of the ten players on the court find the bench. This has turned into the Talor Battle and Lawrence Westbrook show, as they just exchanged long three pointers. These two players are arguably the two best in the Big Ten, and are the clear leaders of their respective teams. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br />6:30 Where is Stanley Pringle when you need him. Penn State cannot stop Lawrence Westbrook. The senior guard now has 19 points and simply cannot miss if he tried. He is 8/11 from the field, and just answered a D.J. Jackson three pointer with a long field goal of his own, to give Minnesota a two point lead. If Tubby Smith's team comes away victorious, the coach can thank his senior guard. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br />7:30 We have just reached the third media time out of the second half, and Penn State has begun to revert back to their play early on. The Nittany Lions are trying to run with Minnesota, leading to sloppy play and turnovers. Lawrence Westbrook just hit a three to give the Gophers a three point lead. Penn State needs to find a way to break the press, as that has been there major flaw all game long. If they can find a way to slow the game down and turn this into a half court game, they can still win this. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br />9:23-Talor Battle just hit a shot from the moon. He was at least 3 feet beyond the three point arc and hit it like it was a free throw (or in his case...) Battle has been rather quiet in the second half before knocking down that huge 3. The Lions now lead by two points. This game is going to be close to the final whistle. Stay right here as we take you to the final whistle and beyond. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br />12:00-Just 12 minutes separate Penn State from their 9th victory on the season as they now lead Minnesota by four points with Battle going to the line for two free throws. DeChellis is currently playing a huge lineup with D.J. Jackson playing the shooting guard position on the defensive end. It appears DeChellis is making a determined effort to sit Tim Frazier, as he has yet to play in the second half. Look for Penn State to continue to go inside to Andrew Jones, as he has been the focal point of the offense in the second half. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />14:40-Penn State takes a five point lead on the Jeff Brooks three pointer. This is easily the best that the Nittany Lions have played all year. Jones is continuing to exert himself in the middle for the Lions, as he now has 12 points on the night. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />15:56-After four minutes of second half action at the Barn, the Lions trail by just two points. They seem to have transformed into a completely different team in the locker room and are playing at a whole new level in the second half so far. Ed has the team running sets, getting the ball inside, and playing defense. Battle is finding Jones inside, and the center is converting on the open shots. If Penn State can keep this up, the team may actually pull this off. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />18:00-We're two minutes into the second half and Penn State has come out on FIRE! The Lions have knocked down their first three shots of the half and Andrew Jones is making his presence felt down low. Jones now has eight points on the night and is not shying away from Ralph Sampson, Damian Johnson, and the rest of the Minnesota forwards. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZ9lCJ7QpFv9dL08zQDtoXJj2ic2QR9_J4plvNlsB0a-7amqkC3tgYT-wKzPWUK0gtsqIfkCmXhmQORRMhe5TPd9BIo-Hgx5IwWFQGWTOJIontxZVnEDKAh3hpyETkO4TralXajUO8lY/s1600-h/psu+minn+half+stats.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZ9lCJ7QpFv9dL08zQDtoXJj2ic2QR9_J4plvNlsB0a-7amqkC3tgYT-wKzPWUK0gtsqIfkCmXhmQORRMhe5TPd9BIo-Hgx5IwWFQGWTOJIontxZVnEDKAh3hpyETkO4TralXajUO8lY/s320/psu+minn+half+stats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420856147858460866" /></a><span style="font-style:italic;"> <br />Halftime Stats - Click to Enlarge</span><br /><br /><br />0:00- We have reached half time at The Barn as the Minnesota Golden Gophers lead the Penn State Talor Battles 34-27. It has been a one man show, as usual, for Penn State, as Talor Battle once again proves to be the only source of consistent scoring. Battle leads all scorers, along with Lawrence Westbrook, with 11 points. Andrew Jones has 6 points for the Lions in one of his better games so far this season. In the second half, DeChellis must go back to playing Tim Frazier. Minnesota is meeting Penn State in the back court. Battle needs a second ball handler to help him in breaking the press. The Lions did a much better job keeping Minnesota off the glass toward the latter part of the first half, and must carry this success over to the second half. If Penn State is able to run their sets offensively, find help for Battle on the offensive end, and continue to rebound defensively, than they might have a chance at defeating Minnesota. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br /><br />:50-Penn State takes a time out just before half time as they trail only five points. The Nittany Lions have really gotten after it on the glass of late, and that has been a key factor in the team's recent surge. Penn State now is on a 9-4 run, and will try narrow the deficit heading into halftime. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br />3:48- At the four minute mark, Penn State somehow only trails by 6. Talor Battle leads all scorers with 11, with no other Nittany Lion converting on more than two field goals. Penn State is hanging on for dear life right now, and desperately needs to gain control of the tempo, slow the game down, and establish a defensive presence to have a chance. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br />6:24-As we reach our third media time out, E Echellis needs to start stressing defense to his players if he wants to get the d's back in his name. Penn State is simply not getting back on defense after each possession, and Minnesota is scoring at will. The team is only trailing by 8, but that difference is sure to expand very soon if Penn State doesn't improve on defense. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br />8:40-Talor Battle is single handedly keeping this team in the game. Battle hit his third three of the game to get the Nittany Lions within five points. Someone has to step up for Penn State to have a chance. Otherwise, it appears, at least early on, that the Lions will struggle to come away with a victory. <span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br /><br />15:02-Minnesota continues to bring the full court press, and Penn State is struggling to break it. Bill Edwards just turned the ball over trying to bring the ball up the court. Coach DeChellis needs to go to his bench and put in Tim Frazier, the team desperately needs another ball handler to help Battle.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br />15:51-At the first media time out, Penn State leads 7-5. The big bucket came from none other than Talor Battle. Battle caught the inbound pass well beyond the three point arc, but nailed the shot anyway. So far, it appears that Minnesota is trying to expose their advantage in the low post, and should be interesting to see of David Jackson, Andrew Jones and company can defend the Gophers. <span style="font-style:italic;">(RS)</span><br /><br />18:00- Penn State starts the game with a bigger lineup, leaving Tim Frazier on the bench. With Minnesota running a full court press, it will be left entirely to Talor Battle to break the defensive pressure as the only ball handler.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (RS)</span><br /><br />19:05: Penn State coming out in a 2-3 zone to try to defend the bigs of Minnesota. Andrew Jones draws a charge to give Penn State the game. Jones will have his hands full all game long in trying to establish a defensive presence down low for the Lions. <span style="font-style:italic;">(RS)<br /></span><br /><br /><br />7:30 PM - Penn State opens up its conference slate with a tough road test at Minnesota. While it is only the first conference game, this game can and will tell us a lot about Penn State. The Nittany Lions are a team with high expectations...next season. After a 10-8 conference record last year (2nd best in school history) and a 4th place finish, Penn State figures to end this season much lower. It's not that the Nittany Lions don't have the talent. Ed DeChellis' squad is just too young and too inexperienced. Of course, Penn State has its weaknesses, but who doesn't. Even top contenders Ohio State (injury to Evan Turner), Purdue, and Michigan have their faults, granted they are much tougher to find. The Big Ten is just too good for Penn State this season. Purdue is a Final Four team. Michigan State is too. Whether it's these teams veteran leaders (Robbie Hummel, Kalin Lucas), or their tough defenses, Penn State can not compete. Talor Battle is good enough for an occasional upset, but not good enough for another winning campaign in one of the nation's deepest conferences. Besides the front-runners, Minnesota will be tough. It's always difficult to play a Tubby Smith led team, let alone open up with the Golden Gophers in the barn. Ohio State, Illinois, Wisconsin, slow-starting Michigan, and even Northwestern figure to be in the NCAA Tournament hunt. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. If you thought the losses in the Charleston Classic were rough, remember there still may be a few more potholes along the way. <br />-BTComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-86155086117710509592009-12-29T15:38:00.002-05:002009-12-29T15:55:25.064-05:00Nittany Lions Have a Tough Road AheadThe Nittany Lions after 8 days off, head to Minnesota to face the Gophers who are undefeated this year on their home court. It is the BigTen opener for both teams.<br /><br />Minnesota leads the series history 16-4. Three of the wins for the Nittany Lions were at the Bryce Jordan Center. Minnesota has won 9 of the last 10 games against Penn State.<br /><br />The Nittany Lions have won their last three BigTen season openers and look for their third straight win with a victory tonight.<br /><br />It won't be an easy task for the Nittany Lions. Some argue rest is good, others argue rest creates rust. A potential rusty team on the road against an undefeated home team will be tough. However, with winter break still on, the Nittany Lions may not need to deal with as many rowdy fans in Minnesota.<br /><br />As usual, Talor Battle is going to need to step up along with his other starters. But the big key for the Lions will be their bench. Andrew Ott has played really well in the last 2 games. Against Gardner-Webb, Ott managed 12 points, 8 of which came from the foul line. The Lions will need to continue to get the ball inside, be physical, and draw fouls. Ott managed 7 points in the win over American.<br /><br />The Lions are shooting 73% from the foul line this season. <br /><br />The Gophers leading scorer, Lawrence Westbrook, averages 12.9 points per game compared to Nittany Lions' Talor Battle who is averaging 18.8 points per game.<br /><br />Penn State is 8-4. Minnesota is 9-3. The game can be watched on ESPN2 at 9pm ET. Follow the game here on the Hoops Blog as well as members of the staff will be conducting a live blog throughout the game. Comments are welcome. <br /><br />--Mark Elliot Wishnia--ComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-61158837274615665692009-12-23T01:51:00.005-05:002009-12-23T11:08:52.272-05:00Talor Battle and Company Hitting Stride (and Shots) Just in TimeHe's heard the skeptics, and he refused to buy it. <br /><br />Leading scorer Talor Battle has often had to carry the team on his back to compensate for his inexperienced teammates. <br /><br />Many questioned whether the new cast of characters could replace the departed seniors in Jamelle Cornley, Stanley Pringle, and Danny Morissey. Time and time again, the team was unable to hit open shots when given the opportunities this season. Despite these struggles, Battle had confidence in his teammates.. <br /><br />After a couple of sub-par performances, Battle has flourished of late, averaging 23 points over the last three games. <br /><br />However, Battle was not the only one to elevate his level of play in the latter part of the team's non-conference season. Freshman forward Bill Edwards showcased his limitless potential in the victories over Gardner Webb and American, scoring a total of 25 points and shooting 6 of 9 from the three point land. <br /><br />Sophomore Chris Babb appears to have found his shooting touch, as he hit 5 of 7 from behind the arc over the past two games. Babb also has made noticeable strides in his midrange game and has grown to be a force on the glass, corralling 6 or more rebounds in each of the past four contests.<br /><br />Combine the performances of these two budding underclassmen with the spark provided by freshman guard Tim Frazier and the steady play of David Jackson and Jeff Brooks, and it appears that Battle may have found the right supporting cast just in time for Big Ten play.<br /><br />---Ryan StaloffComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-82957632883855657862009-12-22T00:38:00.009-05:002009-12-22T01:42:29.132-05:00Thoughts on Penn State's non-conference performanceHere are a few quick bits to take from the 12 non-conference results for Penn State (8-4) this season: <br /><br />============================= <br /><br />-With Penn State's RPI hovering over 200, the team's four non-conference losses are poised to prevent the Lions from an at-large tournament appearance. A weak non-conference schedule last year hindered PSU from an NCAA Tournament berth and this year, with a mediocre November tournament, only two road games and only one challenging home game on the slate in non-conference play, Ed DeChellis and Co. could not afford to lose many games. <br /><br />-Penn State, for the most part, has taken care of business against bottom of the barrel teams. As a matter of fact--Pennsylvania (0-7, #345), UMBC (1-9, #337) and American (2-10, #340) are three of the worst eleven teams in the country. Penn State defeated all three, but not very convincingly for the entirety of each respective game. Add close calls against Sacred Heart, Virginia and Davidson and you really begin to worry as a Penn State fan. Anyway, wins are wins. <br /><br />-However, the losses to Tulane and UNC-Wilmington in the Charleston Classic are inexplicable losses that are bound to cause irreparable damage to a teams resume. Barring a 10-12 victory Big Ten campaign or a magical run in the BTT, Penn State will not be playing in the NCAA Tournament. The Big Ten is top-heavy with Purdue, Michigan State and Wisconsin leading the pack, but those three teams are followed by hungry teams like Northwestern, Minnesota and Ohio State who have done their part so far this year to prove that they are high-caliber teams. Penn State, who lost two of its top three scorers from 08-09 (Jamelle Cornley and Stanley Pringle) has clearly not proved that and, thus, there is little room for error from this point forward--especially in winnable games. <br /><br />-The Lions have looked shaky in many games this year, as the coaching staff continues to feel out the rotation and get young players like Chris Babb, Tim Frazier and Bill Edwards more reps in the rotation. However, three of Penn State's four losses this year have been by three points or less (Temple, Tulane and VT). If the coaching staff can refine the rotation and develop some consistency in these players, those crucial mistakes down the stretch would decrease, and more of those situations would result in conversions and, more importantly, wins. The Big Ten season is a clean slate that will ultimately determine everything for these Lions, and a hot start for PSU could catapult them right back into the national spotlight. And don't forget, ladies and gentlemen, that once the Big Ten Tournament rolls around in early March, records are again erased and each conference's team that puts together the most impressive run can grab an automatic bid. Just saying. The improbable has happened in the past, and can certainly happen again. <br /><br />-Talor Battle is Penn State's scoring, rebounding and assist leader and is a bonafide impact player for PSU. The country knows it. He has the experience necessary to lead a team and he has demonstrated that this season with 27+ point efforts in games against UPenn, UNCW, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Two of those supreme efforts by Battle resulted in wins, while the other two ended in disappointing defeats. If Penn State turns it around in the next few months, it will be solely due to the fact that other players on this team increase their productivity. <br /><br />-Coming into the season, I personally expected either Chris Babb, David Jackson or Andrew Jones to establish himself as the second option for this team, averaging double figures. However, 12 games into the year, there is no clear consistency from anyone on this team. Battle leads the team with 19 ppg, but no other Lion averages in double figures as Jeff Brooks and DJ Jackson both average 8 ppg apiece. Brooks started the season strong registering numerous double figure point totals. Now, he seems to have vanished. D.J. exploded for a career-high 26 points vs. Sacred Heart and has been Penn State's grittiest player, but has proved to be as inconsistent as anyone from a scoring standpoint. Babb and Edwards looked strong in the past two games and seem to be on the upward swing. Penn State as a team shot 55% from the field tonight. Will it continue? We shall see. <br /><br />-Jones, who was such an instrumental part of several of PSU's postseason victories last year, has not asserted himself on either end of the fall this season as much as the Lions need him to. Jones had nine points and four rebounds tonight, but he needs to bring more to the table in order for Penn State to contend with the hierarchy of Big Ten competition. In the Lions' 66-64 loss to Virginia Tech, Jones stacked up against a team with many gifted athletes fairly well in the first half, but then was nowhere to be found in a tightly-contested ballgame in the second half. That is what needs to change. He has demonstrated a knack for scoring in the post in his career. <br /><br />-Asst. coach Lewis Preston has seen the highs and lows of Jones over the past two years since he left Florida's staff and came to Penn State. Jones' presence or lack thereof in the the coming weeks and months will be an indication of Penn State's chances this year and Preston has to make it a priority to make sure Jones picks up the intensity. The Big Ten prides itself on physicality, and a lack of an inside game will put PSU at a major disadvantage this year in conference play. The fact that a 5'11" guard, Battle, leads this team in rebounding this deep into the season really exploits the weakness in the front court for PSU. <br /><br />Lots of questions still to be answered. Lots of games still left to be played. Conference play is on the way and--as I'm sure all of you know--no one can write off anyone at this juncture of the season. That's the beauty of college basketball. <br /><br />-Pete JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-18092723485445195592009-12-21T10:55:00.058-05:002009-12-22T01:14:29.690-05:00PENN STATE vs. AMERICAN Live BlogComRadio men's basketball producer Pete Jensen will be complementing ComRadio's broadcast of the game (comradio.psu.edu) right here as Penn State is set to tip with two-time Patriot League Champion American University at 5:00 p.m. Ryan Staloff and John Walk have the live call from the Jordan Center. <br /><br />American (2-9) is coming off a narrow 59-57 home loss Sunday night to lowly UMBC. The Eagles are led by junior Vlad Moldoveanu, a transfer from George Mason, who sat out AU's first nine games because of NCAA transfer regulations. Moldoveanu posted 26 points and eight rebounds in a 62-57 win at Big East foe Depaul on Dec. 16. The 6'9" Romania native did not play in the Nittany Lions' 77-73 victory over his former school, Mason, in the first-round of the Postseason NIT last March at the BJC.<br /><br />The Lions (7-4) look to wrap up their non-conference slate this evening with a win beforing heading home for the holidays and eventually kicking off Big Ten play a week from tomorrow (12/29 @ Minnesota - 9 pm). Talor Battle continues to be PSU's most viable option, as he storms into this game averaging 19 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Keep it here this afternoon for all the action as the AU Eagles, straight out of Washington, D.C., tango with Penn State.<br /><br />===============================<br /><br />20:00 - 1st half is underway at the Jordan Center...<br /><br />19:14 - Vlad Moldoveanu breaks the ice with a three after a couple of sloppy possessions by both teams to start the game. Amercan leads 3-0<br /><br />18:58 - Talor Battle drains a three of his own to knot things up at 3-3.<br /><br />17:10 - Big mishap defensively to start the game as David Jackson fouls Moldoveanu from behind the arc. He hits all three FT's to give AU an 8-5 lead. Giving a your opponent's best player easy opportunities at the line early on in the game is adding fuel to the fire.<br /><br />16:07 - Jackson compensates for his defensive blunder with a beautiful move to convert plus the foul. He nails the free throw to tie things up at 8-8 early on in this first half.<br /><br />15:02 - Moldoveanu makes it 10-8 and continues to be a mismatch favoring AU. He is clearly the Eagles' primary source of scoring.<br /><br />14:38 - Media timeout. American still leads 10-8.<br /><br />14:18 - Moldoveanu nails a three-ball right off the break. Vlad is 3-3 from beyond the arc. and has already accounted for 11 of AU's 13 points tonight. 13-8 Eagles.<br /><br />13:54 - Bill Edwards responds quickly with a three on the ensuing Penn State possession to get the Lions back within two. 13-11 in favor of American.<br /><br />12:15 - Edwards nails 1/2 FT to give PSU its first lead of the ball game at 14-13.<br /><br />11:43 - Sophomore guard Chris Babb converts on his first attempt from three-point land off the nice feed from DJ. 17-15 PSU.<br /><br />9:24 - Battle lays it in plus the foul on a pretty drive in which he really absorbed the contact and looked poised. 22-17 PSU. <br /><br />8:48 - Battle picks a pocket and drives for another off-balance bucket to give Penn State its largest lead of the game at 24-17.<br /><br />7:45 - Media timeout after a nice finish by Steve Luptak cuts the PSU down to five at 24-19. American's transition game is posing a serious threat to PSU's defense. Penn State's woes continue in terms of their forwards and centers not looking to score down on the block.<br /><br />6:59 - Edwards keeps it going with a smooth mid-range jumper to extend PSU's lead to 26-19. The freshman is coming off a career-high 11-point effort in the blowout win over Gardner-Webb. His problem early this season was the lack of consistency but he is starting to change his course as he already has six points in this afternoon's game.<br /><br />4:03 - Ed DeChellis beginning to implement Tim Frazier into the offense. After an agile move to the bucket, he grabs a steal and is fouled. Frazier nets 1/2 FT to give PSU a 31-19 advantage.<br /><br />3:13 - Media timeout. Penn State has embarked on a 12-4 run since AU's switch from a 2-3 zone to a man-to-man defensive set. AU may want to avert back to their initial plan before this half concludes so they don't let things slip away.<br /><br />1:47 - Moldoveanu continues to be AU's most lethal weapon. He slices to the bucket for two to give him 13 points on 4-8 from the field today. What a find he is proving to be for this young American U team. This team lost a lot from its Patriot League title team from the past two seasons and will need efforts like this from this transfer from CAA power George Mason to stay competitive this season. <br /><br />1:19 - Battle three-pointer gives Penn State its largest lead of the game at 36-25 lead. Battle kicked off his junior season with some alarmingly poor shooting percentages but over these past three games against VT, GWU and now American, he has been nothing short of unconscious from deep.<br /><br />:54 - Nick Hendra big three-point bucket from long range cuts the PSU lead back into single digits. AU needs a stop here.<br /><br />:18 - A stagnant Penn State offensive sequence results in a timely steal for Hendra. He then gives it up to Riley Grant on the break for the emphatic slam. Buckets plus forced turnovers is the best recipe to get back into a ballgame. PSU lead down to 36-30.<br /><br />:00 - Battle three-ball no good at the buzzer as Penn State limps into the half leading by only six against a 2-9 basketball team in American.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrULleqGJl5mJAIIEDwFPt6Uckyxkgc7yWGOV-t5y2ATIhNCSgiEkFK7CCJi2V9MObwNkaA7UaaF4s-2TcrOofTveOufhr56k6Gm1mxQ1eMzByGqX5RUapUV3SSi7fWdeXAZ_GvaMOlDo/s1600-h/psu+american+halftime.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrULleqGJl5mJAIIEDwFPt6Uckyxkgc7yWGOV-t5y2ATIhNCSgiEkFK7CCJi2V9MObwNkaA7UaaF4s-2TcrOofTveOufhr56k6Gm1mxQ1eMzByGqX5RUapUV3SSi7fWdeXAZ_GvaMOlDo/s200/psu+american+halftime.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417827481853284402" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Full Halftime Stats - Click to Enlarge</span><br />===============================<br /><br />20:00 - The final half of Penn State's non-conference campaign has commenced.<br /><br />19:49 - Bill Edwards has a world of versatility and is making quick work early on in the 2nd half. He steps outside the arc once again to put Penn State up 39-30. Nine points for the freshman. Close to another double digit scoring output. This is the type of consistency we are starting to see from PSU's bench.<br /><br />16:43 - Chris Babb has the hot hand as he nails a three to extend PSU's lead.<br /><br />16:02 - Edwards is heating up as he converts on another three off the pass from Jackson. What a game this kid is having. The Ohio player-of-the-year adds to what has been a 12-1 PSU run to kick off a pivotal 2nd half for these Lions. Edwards chose PSU over schools like Oklahoma State, TCU and Miami (Ohio) because he was told he would get significant playing time. Not only is he getting the time but he is contributing on the scoreboard now as well. Penn State in control at the moment, leading 48-31.<br /><br />15:23 - Battle continues his strong play from the perimeter with a three to give PSU a 20-point lead at 51-31.<br /><br />14:38 - PSU's lengthy run finally comes to a close as Maldovenue hits a long ball to make it 51-34 PSU. Penn State used a 15-1 run to gain the upper hand, right from the start, in the 2nd half.<br /><br />14:11 - Battle goes back to work with a layup to put PSU up 53-34. Battle has 16 points to join Edwards, who has 12, in double figs.<br /><br />13:47 - DJ Jackson down on the floor with an injury. The junior appears to be favoring his knee, but he gets up and seems to be fine. It would be wise for DeChellis to sit him out for the remainder of this ballgame, which has evolved into a blowout at the BJC.<br /><br />12:59 - Riley Grant's bucket down low cuts into the PSU lead, which now stands at 53-36.<br /><br />11:24 - Babb steps inside the arc off the pass from Battle and drains a jumper from the foul line to make him PSU's third scorer in double figures with 10 points tonight. 57-38 Lions.<br /><br />8:38 - Babb continues to thrive from the outside as he nails another three, posting a career-high 13 points tonight. He was all about the three-ball in high school in Texas and during his freshman season at PSU. That's his bread and butter. Babb has bounced back from a slow start to 09-10, as he looks to be hitting his stride just in time for Big Ten play. 64-38 PSU.<br /><br />6:58 - Costly foul by Andrew Ott against his undersized AU counterpart, Steve Lumpkins. Lumpkins puts in the bucket but fails to convert on the ensuing FT. 66-40 State. Mishaps like those are the ones that need to be eliminated on the Penn State side before next Tuesday's Big Ten opener at Minnesota in the Barn.<br /><br />6:27 - Daniel Munoz turns it over. No chance for the AU defense as the swift Tim Frazier slams it home all alone on the break. Lions lead 68-40.<br /><br />4:07 - Moldoveanu hits 1/2 from the stripe after the foul by Edwards. The Mason transfer has 17 points on the afternoon turned night at the BJC.<br /><br />3:57 - Media Timeout. 70-48 Lions. This game has been in the bag for quite some time. Impressive showing tonight for Penn State in front of another weak showing from Nittany Nation. The atmosphere is just so different with students home for break. It may not make a tremendous difference in games against inferior opponents in GWU and AU, but once Michigan and Wisconsin storm into the Jordan Center in early January before students return, the Lions will have no one to turn to for an energy boost outside of themselves.<br /><br />2:27 - AU's Nick Hendra hits his third three in a row. He is clearly heating up, but a bit too late. PSU still ahead convincingly 72-54. Nittany Lions will soon improve to 8-4 on the season after another win over an 250+ RPI opponent.<br /><br />:00 - Put it in the books! Penn State defeats American, 76-57, and improves to 6-1 at the Jordan Center this year. Moldoveanu and Hendra lead AU with 17 points apiece in the losing effort, as the Eagles drop to 2-10. Penn State (8-4) now storms into the Big Ten season after two convincing wins over AU and Gardner-Webb in the past three days. Talor Battle is again PSU's leading scorer with 16 points, adding 7 assists in the win.<br /><br />Penn State's next game is set for Tuesday Dec. 29 at 9:00 p.m. on the road at Minnesota. The Lions matchup with Tubby Smith and the Golden Gophers will air on ESPN2. Then, as the new year arrives, the Lions will be in action at home on Sunday Jan. 3 against Trevon Hughes and Wisconsin at 2:00 p.m. ComRadio will have the call. Also, ComRadio will have the live coverage of PSU's matchup with Manny Harris and Michigan on Thursday, Jan. 7 at 7:00 PM.<br /><br />So, again, for Ryan Staloff, John Walk and our board-operator Dan Landers-Nolan, this is Pete Jensen saying so long from University Park. The night is still early. Enjoy it everybody and be safe. Thanks for following and tuning into the broadcast. Peace out from Happy Valley.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2Y9pcJS2rSUXE6pMwXm1VXEpYvKUxg7l3U5D1an3eFrbo-EWeLqFzIuFYScqpfhDZjMXzPV1qWoNo36NBohmZ0VTagCQOX-JvlWQIwiEthHXctX6kZPjyz9ov8qgtozLIlDIe9_jKHM/s1600-h/psu+american+final+stats.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 169px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2Y9pcJS2rSUXE6pMwXm1VXEpYvKUxg7l3U5D1an3eFrbo-EWeLqFzIuFYScqpfhDZjMXzPV1qWoNo36NBohmZ0VTagCQOX-JvlWQIwiEthHXctX6kZPjyz9ov8qgtozLIlDIe9_jKHM/s200/psu+american+final+stats.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417841773815219922" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Final Stats - Click to Enlarge</span><br /><br />- Pete JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-85882156952534852662009-12-19T21:08:00.036-05:002009-12-20T12:01:32.515-05:00PENN STATE vs. GARDNER WEBB Live BlogComRadio men's basketball producer Pete Jensen takes you from tip-off to the final horn as Penn State battles Gardner Webb at the Bryce Jordan Center in snowy University Park, PA. Be sure to follow along here while listening to ComRadio's broadcast of the game on comradio.psu.edu. Ryan Staloff and John Walk have the live call.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOmCEQanyNhr4g6cONDmvn0A4hd2iBcQsa8DRZUG9pMxtYmWBdoG2TmjEoX-KyuJwKxgJgyi_UdcCVKDi0T5ydVCcG_oZRF3QVtMe9dhq4fNT5EM0NWgEwJvPwA0MPuz112fB5mfX1wM/s1600-h/psu+gardner+webb+final.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOmCEQanyNhr4g6cONDmvn0A4hd2iBcQsa8DRZUG9pMxtYmWBdoG2TmjEoX-KyuJwKxgJgyi_UdcCVKDi0T5ydVCcG_oZRF3QVtMe9dhq4fNT5EM0NWgEwJvPwA0MPuz112fB5mfX1wM/s320/psu+gardner+webb+final.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417364476708842178" /></a> <span style="font-style:italic;">Final Stats - Click to Enlarge</span><br /><br /><br />20:00 - Penn State corrals the opening tip. First half is underway.<br /><br />19:32 - "Tiny" Tim Frazier comes up big on PSU's opening possession with a three ball. 3-0 State.<br /><br />17:40 - Andrew Jones slams it home to make it 8-0 Nittany Lions. PSU is exploiting the mismatch down low early on in the first half.<br /><br />16:20 - Talor Battle continues to light it up at home from deep as he converts on a long three-ball. PSU leads 11-2.<br /><br />16:05 - GWU's C.J. Hailey counters with a long two. PSU still on top 11-4.<br /><br />MEDIA TIMEOUT: Quick PSU Women's Volleyball national title game update: Texas leads two sets to none early. Not a good sign for Penn State as the team tries for a record 3rd straight national championship.<br /><br />14:21 - Shot clock winds down but a poised Talor Battle finds the bottom of the net from downtown.<br /><br />13:56 - Easy finger roll for Jackson. Too easy. Penn State looks well-rested and in control in the friendly confines of the BJC. 17-4 Lions.<br /><br />13:05 - Chris Babb gets in on the action. He surprisingly came into the game as PSU's worst three-point shooter. Starting to show his prowess once again. Good signs all around as PSU is in front 20-4.<br /><br />11:03 - Andrew Ott goes 3/4 from the charity stripe and then forces a turnover on Brandon Jackson's errant pass. <br /><br />9:57 - GWU's Jonathan Moore ends a horrific scoring drought for the Runnin' Bulldogs with a three to end a 19-0 Nittany Lion run spanning over six minutes. 30-7 Penn State.<br /><br />7:32 - Nits lead 32-10 as we reach another timely media timeout for Gardner-Webb. This team is out of sync right now and needs a spark. Plenty of time for GWU to narrow the deficit before recess. As of now, Battle and Frazier lead PSU with eight points apiece.<br /><br />6:03 - Talor Battle's steal plus the flush gives PSU a 26-point advantage at 36-10. It's fair to say we are witnessing a first-half blowout for the first time this season at the Jordan Center. Battle has 10 points on 4-6 from the field. Team overall is showcasing its resilience after a lot of criticism after a poor shooting display from the field and the line in the 66-64 loss to VA Tech a week ago. Penn State looking good right now at 59% from the field and 9-11 from FT.<br /><br />3:36 - The story of this first half has been runs. These so-called "Runnin' Bulldogs" have been letting the Lions run all night. Penn State put together a 19-0 run early and GWU's Anton Silver just nailed two FT's to end a 9-0 Lion run. 41-12 PSU. It was essential for PSU to come out strong after already suffering four losses in non-conference. With only GWU tonight and American left to go prior to Big Ten play, Ed DeChellis needed to set the tone this week at practice. Looks like his team has responded as it currently sports a 29-point lead.<br /><br />1:36 - Quick 7-0 GWU run put the sparse Nittany Lion crowd on their heels for the first time of the night, but Battle provides the reassurance that Penn State has a handle on this one. Another Battle three gives PSU a 44-17 advantage.<br /><br />HALFTIME is upon us at the Jordan Center. Snow is falling outside and the shots have been for Penn State (50%) as well. Not so much on the Runnin' Bulldog side (27%). Nittany Lions claim a 20-point lead at the break after GWU's Silver connects on a three with only four seconds to go. Here's some quick numbers from the first half:<br /><br />===============================<br /><br />Penn State Nittany Lions:<br />BATTLE: 5-9 from field, 3-6 from three, 13 pts, 1 reb, 1 ast<br />FRAZIER: 2-6 from field, 5-6 from FT, 10 pts 3 ast 2 reb<br />JONES: 2-2, 5 pts<br />BABB: 2-3, 5 pts 6 reb<br />BROOKS: 1-1 from 3pt, 3 pts 5 reb<br /><br />Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs:<br />SILVER: 2-2 from 3pt, 8 pts<br />HAILEY: 2-3, 6 pts 1 stl 1 blk<br />HENLEY: 2-4, 4 pts 6 reb 2 ast<br />FLITTNER: 1-6, 3 pts 1 reb<br />MOORE: 1-3, 3 pts, 3 turnovers<br /><br />===============================<br /><br />Phenomenal job by ComRadio's own John Walk and Ryan Staloff on the call. Chances are...if you are listening to this game, snow is falling on the other side of your windows. Just kick back, relax and tune in to comradio.psu.edu for the 2nd half call and follow this blog for the next hour or so. I can guarantee you will like what you see from our side of the deal...will Penn State hold their end of the bargain. Listen in and find out!<br /><br />===============================<br /><br />20:00 - Second half underway.<br /><br />19:49 - Silver hits double figures as he nails a jumper to give him 10 points and cut the PSU lead to 18. GWU will need to work quickly if they intend on getting back into the ball game.<br /><br />18:42 - Battle counters with a back-breaking three ball to give him 16 points on the evening. The Bulldogs can ill-afford to trade buckets. 47-26 PSU.<br /><br />17:17- Frazier adding to the misery of GWU as he draws the foul and converts on both the layup and the ensuing FT. Penn State comfortably in front, 52-26, as Frazier has netted 13 points thus far.<br /><br />15:58 - Official TV timeout. ESPN-U probably expected a better showing from the PSU crowd than the team (not saying much) but is getting the polar opposite. Penn State has been money all night on the court.<br /><br />15:23 - Drew Jones persevering on the floor as he corralled Battle's missed three pointer for the easy putback. Easy buckets galore for PSU tonight. Christmas come early? 58-31. Gotta feel for these Bulldogs. GWU getting shellacked again tonight and on its way to its 7th straight loss after starting the 2009-10 campaign 3-0. Just a note: five of those six defeats for GWU have been by double digits.<br /><br />13:15 - More points off turnovers for Penn State as a Tim Frazier steal leads to an Andrew Ott finish on the other end to give PSU a 63-31 lead. Largest lead of the game at 32 points! Didn't think this team had it in them.<br /><br />12:57 - Lone bright spot for Gardner-Webb tonight has been Anton Silver, who has put together a nice outing with 15 points on 5-6 shooting off the bench. He just nailed another jumper but his admirable effort will most likely not be enough as PSU still leads 65-33. Official attendance for tonight's game is 4,697. Looks to be a lot less than that.<br /><br />10:41 - Ott coming into his own a bit on this night. Arguably his best offensive output in his career so far with the Lions. The Villanova transfer just converted on a three-point play to help Penn State hit 70 on the scoreboard. 37 point lead. Ott has eight points.<br /><br />9:18 - Freshman Bill Edwards drains a three to give him six points tonight. 73-36 Lions.<br /><br />7:54 - Media timeout. Penn State is on cloud nine right now as it leads 78-42. Only one question looms: Does Penn State have 100 points in them for once?<br /><br />5:14 - Final Update from Tampa: Penn State, despite falling into an 0-2 set deficit, finds a way to hold off No. 2 Texas for a five-set victory. Third-straight National Championship and second-straight undefeated season. This team truly exemplifies perfection. Props to them. Nittany Lion basketball not too shabby either this evening, up 93-50. 100 is within the realm of possibility. Sasa Borovnjak hits two FT to get on the board.<br /><br />4:31 - Two straight buckets on consecutive possessions for PSU reserves Billy OIiver and Cam Woodyard. Eddie is emptying the bench.<br /><br />3:44 - Penn State out in front 99-54 after a make by Sasa. It will be pretty sad if PSU fails to reach the century mark now.<br /><br />3:31 - Edwards nails one from behind the arc to help Penn State register its first (and likely only) 100-point showing of the season. The last time PSU dropped 100+ on an opponent was nearly three years ago; on December 30, 2006, the Lions downed VMI at the BJC 129-111.<br /><br />:00 - No contest. Penn State (7-4) thrashes Gardner-Webb, 104-57 behind a stellar shooting performance. Six Lions (Battle, Frazier, Jones, Ott, Edwards and Babb) hit double figures as PSU shoots 53% from the field, 46% from three-point land and 88% from the stripe. GWU's Anton Silver leads all scorers with 26 points on 9-13 shooting. Battle registers another strong effort with 21 points and 5 boards in the win over the Runnin' Bulldogs (3-7).<br /><br />So--for John Walk, Ryan Staloff, our board operator Dan-Landers-Nolan and our entire ComRadio crew, this is Pete Jensen saying so long from Happy Valley. Truly an eventful evening for the Nittany Lion faithful. Penn State reaches the century mark for the first time since 2006 and women's volleyball takes home national hardware for the third straight season. Thanks for following. Be sure to tune in this Monday night as Staloff and Walk have the call once again as Penn State takes on American (2-8) at 5:00 p.m. EST. Pregame gets underway at 4:30. <br /><br />Good night everybody. Stay warm out there.<br /><br />- Pete JensenComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7335036412366492375.post-70025095904963700942009-12-15T14:27:00.001-05:002009-12-15T14:29:02.297-05:00Back in the Saddle Again: The Jeff Brooks StoryI came to Penn State in 2007-2008 being told that the basketball team was going to be better than expected. The big reasons why were Jamelle Cornley and Geary Claxton leading the charge, along with Mike Walker and Danny Morrissey. Also, the much-heralded freshman Talor Battle was going to be a big reason why they could succeed. Someone else that was supposed to be a big star was former Mr. Kentucky Basketball finalist himself, Jeffrey Brooks, straight out of Louisville, Kentucky. <br /><br />According to Scout.com, Brooks was the #14 ranked power forward in the 2007 recruiting class. His top 3 choices were between Penn State, Arkansas, and Clemson. Brooks visited Arkansas and Penn State, eventually choosing the Nittany Lions as his destination. Brooks averaged 21.3 points per game in high school and really made his mark on his AAU team, the Derek Smith All-Stars. <br /><br />So, when he came into PSU, the 4-star recruit was supposed to be a big deal, someone who could finally give PSU a versatile 6-8 big man that can bang inside, but also step outside and score some points. Instead, the Lions had to watch one of the more disappointing scenes in Penn State basketball. <br /><br />In his first year, Brooks averaged almost 15 minutes a game, only averaging 3.1 points per game and 2.6 rebounds. As a freshmen, that's not that bad of a year, at least you're getting time. But, as a big recruit, that's NOT the effort you want to see. Brooks was a liability defensively, had no energy, and was the butt of many a joke among Penn State fans that year, that wanted to see him succeed, but saw him flop time and time again early. He was a woeful 11-for-31 from the free throw line (35 percent!) and shot only 25% from beyond the arc (Although, in his defense, he only took 16 shots). <br /><br />Year two didn't get much better for Brooks. He played 138 more minutes than in his freshmen year, but managed only 8 more made field goals. He shot 36 percent from the field, 25 percent from three, and 50 percent from the free throw line. He had a penchant for making a big play (dunk, blocked shot, big bucket, nice pass) and following it up with simply unforgivable mistakes (passes out of bounds, ticky-tack fouls, blown defensive assignments) that would, ultimately, cost PSU. While everyone else was breaking out (Battle, Cornley and Jones towards the end of the year), Brooks was stagnant averaging only 3.3 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game. His Big Ten peers continued to get bigger, but he just didn't have the size and strength to compete. <br /><br />Third time must be the charm. <br /><br />Brooks has come out on FIRE this year, averaging 9.7 points per game. He's shooting 55 percent from the floor, 35 percent from three and 71 percent from the foul line, on pace for by far his best year. Brooks has scored in double figures 5 times this year (PSU is 4-1 in those games) and has really made an impact, gaining over 25 pounds of muscle since his freshmen year. His play has improved tremendously, and we're finally seeing the player that was a 4-star recruit. His basketball IQ is blossoming and he's making smarter and smarter plays this year. <br /><br />The biggest improvement I see with Brooks is his demeanor. His first two years were marred with sloppy play and deer-in- the-headlights looks. This year, he's laughing it up with teammates, fooling around at press conferences and then going out on the court and playing with a swagger that I've only seen from Talor Battle on this team. His confidence is through the roof and it's showing this year for the Nittany Lions. He already has 87 points this year, 35 away from tying his season record already, and we're only 9 games in. He has 20 personal fouls this year, but they're good hard fouls, not the ones that give the opponent a fresh shot clock or send someone to the line for 3 free throws, like they would have been last year. <br /><br />The roles have been reversed this year. With Brooks playing so well, we've seen Jones, Jackson and even Babb start to slip and have tough times getting back into any sort of groove. Battle has struggled to get going in a few games, but the Lions haven't needed him a lot...yet. I can't even imagine how great this team can be if everyone's on the same page. But, success for the Nittany Lions will only go so far as Jeff Brooks. <br /><br />Whether or not that's a good thing, well, that's up to you. Me? Well, I'm just happy to see Brooks translate his skill in high school to the college level, for the first time ever. Here's hoping he's not bucked out of the saddle again. Who knows though, he might just climb back on.<br /><br />by Tom FergusonComRadio Basketballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481123514848914285noreply@blogger.com0