UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.
- Take a look back at Wisconsin's 52-46 victory over the Nittany Lions inside the Bryce Jordan Center on Tuesday night.
Welcome to the GoPSUsports.com gameday blog for the Nittany Lion basketball team.
We will bring you coverage from tonight's matchup between Penn State (10-12, 2-7) and No. 20 Wisconsin (17-5, 6-3) inside the Bryce Jordan Center. Before the two teams head onto the floor, take a look at some pregame reading and watch a video preview with assistant coach Keith Urgo.
Check back at 8 p.m. tonight for live updates at every media timeout as Penn State takes on Wisconsin inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
Starting Lineups
Penn State: G - Frazier, G - Glover, G - Woodyard, F - Graham, F - Travis
Wisconsin: G - Gasser, G - Taylor, F - Bruesewitz, F - Evans, C - Berggren
First Half:
15:28 - Penn State 8, Wisconsin 6
The Nittany Lions are off to a very good start on the offensive end of the floor. Jermaine Marshall sank two baskets to open the scoring. Cam Woodyard and Tim Frazier also added jump shots to give the Lions a 4-for-6 start from the field and an 8-6 advantage on the scoreboard.
11:55 - Wisconsin 9, Penn State 8
A Josh Gasser 3-pointer is the lone basket since the last media timeout. As expected, the pace has slowed down. Penn State has found good offensive opportunities, but the Lions have missed their last six shots. Wisconsin is 4-for-9 from the field in the early going.
7:38 - Penn State 10, Wisconsin 9
Since the 16:12 mark on the clock, Wisconsin has out-scored the Nittany Lions, 3-2. Both teams have cooled off considerably on offense. They have combined for 9-for-31 shooting in the game. Marshall has six of Penn State's 10 tallies. Again, it is no surprise that neither team has found a way to score on a regular basis. It's hard to forget the last time the teams met in the Big Ten Tournament when the final score was a combined 69 points.
2:47 - Penn State 18, Wisconsin 14
Marshall single-handedly took over for the Nittany Lion offense when it needed a spurt. The redshirt sophomore guard scored six points and tallied an assist on a 10-0 scoring run, which covered nearly 7:00 of game time. Wisconsin went 9:03 without a point before Jordan Taylor drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Despite the scoring surge from the Lions, Wisconsin is within just four on the scoreboard.
0:00 - Penn State 23, Wisconsin 17
A strong flush from Jon Graham and a 3-pointer for Nick Colella, who was put on scholarship for the spring semester, put the Nittany Lions up by eight before a last-second lay-in from Taylor trimmed the Lion lead to just six at the break. Nonetheless, Penn State limited the Badgers to just 17 points in 20 minutes of action, equaling a season-low for a Penn State opponent. Marshall scored 10 points, while Frazier and Graham added four points apiece. The Lions' defensive effort was superb, holding the Badgers to 7-for-26 shooting from the field. Additionally, Penn State out-rebounded the Badgers 20-13 in the first half. Penn State finished the half in a strong fashion, but the lead is just six at the break.
Second Half:
14:58 - Penn State 26, Wisconsin 25
The Badgers have gone to work in the paint during the first five possessions of the second half. Junior center Jared Berggren has seven points in the opening 5:02 of the second half. Frazier made a jumper for the Lions to keep the in front, but Wisconsin is beginning to find some success in the paint.
11:56 - Wisconsin 30, Penn State 26
Wisconsin has out-scored the Nittany Lions 13-3 in the opening 8:04 of the second half. Penn State is 1-for-11 from the floor in the second. Give credit to the Badgers for their defense, but the Nittany Lions are out of rhythm on the offensive end of the floor. Penn State is in a very critical position down four with under 12:00 to play. The Lions cannot afford a bigger deficit against a team that plays defense as well as the Badgers do.
7:57 - Wisconsin 35, Penn State 30
Thanks to a 10-0 run, Wisconsin's lead grew to seven at the 11:22 mark (33-26). Penn State's offense has been all Frazier in the second half, with the junior point guard scoring all seven of the Lions' tallies. The Nittany Lions need to do a better job moving the basketball on offense.
3:08 - Wisconsin 40, Penn State 38
Frazier has put the Nittany Lion offense on his back in the second half. Frazier has scored 13 of Penn State's 15 second half points. His floater in the lane is an impossible shot to defend. Penn State has scratched and clawed on the defensive end to keep the Badgers at bay, but the Lions need another player to step up with a basket on offense. Nonetheless, we are heading towards another tight finish in the BJC, thanks to another big night from Frazier.
0:00 - Wisconsin 52, Penn State 46
Down by two in the final three minutes, Penn State had four opportunities to tie or take the lead. All four chances, including a layup from Marshall that rolled off the iron, failed to convert. On the ensuing Wisconsin possession, Taylor drained a clutch 3-pointer to put Wisconsin up by five. From there, Taylor and the Badgers iced the game at the foul line. Taylor stepped up like great players do in the clutch moments of basketball games, scoring 13 of Wisconsin's final 16 points. The Nittany Lions managed just 27 percent shooting (7-for-26) in the second half, but still had chances to win in the closing moments of the second half. Frazier led the Lions with 21 points and seven assists. Marshall scored 13 points and pulled down five rebounds. However, the other three Penn State starters - Jon Graham, Matt Glover and Woodyard - combined for just nine points. The Lions won the rebounding battle, 36-31.
Final Thoughts:
Penn State played well on the defensive end of the floor, but a slow start offensively in the second half hindered the Lions' efforts for a second-straight home win over a ranked team. Wisconsin used a 10-0 run mid-way through the second half to score a 33-26 lead on the scoreboard. From there, Penn State as close as two, but Taylor's big plays late lifted Wisconsin to a road victory.
Wisconsin played its game in the second half and kept the Lions off balance offensively. Penn State knew going into the game that it needed to make shots to beat the 20th-ranked Badgers. Starting the second half 1-for-12 from the floor against a methodical team like Wisconsin makes things very difficult. Coach Chambers said after the game that the Lions were able to get good shots, but must make more open looks if they are going to win contests like Tuesday's. Penn State will head on the road for the next two games. First up is a trip to Iowa on Saturday.
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Pregame Reading:
Keys to the Game
1. Offensive Efficiency
Wisconsin likes to use the vast majority of the shot clock on the offensive end of the floor before taking a shot. In doing so, the Badgers force their opponents to play defense for roughly 30 seconds before moving to the other end of the floor. Consequently, Wisconsin's opponents exert a great deal of energy on defense and often play tired on the offensive end of the floor. The Badgers limit their opponents to just 36 percent shooting and 49 points per game defensively. All that being said, Penn State must work for good shots against a very talented defensive team. The Lions can ill afford to take quick shots, handing the ball right back over to the methodical Wisconsin offense. Because of Wisconsin's style, offensive possessions are already at a premium, and the Lions need to make the most of each time they touch the ball.
2. Defending Dribble Penetration
Wisconsin point guard Jordan Taylor is one of the best guards in the nation. Taylor's arsenal features a very good outside shot and a superb ability to penetrate into the lane. The Nittany Lions will be looking to keep Taylor's dribble penetration to a minimum and force the Badgers to make shots from the perimeter. When Taylor gets into the lane, he does a great job of drawing attention from opposing defenses, which then leads to open shots for the other Badgers on the floor.
3. Rebounding
A staple in every Penn State basketball gameplan is rebounding, and Tuesday night's clash against Wisconsin will be no different. The Nittany Lions will be facing a Badger squad that is +3.9 in the rebounding column against its opponents for the season. Penn State has done a very nice job of rebounding this season, especially on the offensive end of the floor. The Lions are averaging 13.8 offensive boards per game, while their opponents are pulling down just 7.8 offensive rebounds per contest. Keep an eye on the number of offensive rebounds for both teams.
Next Game Primer Video Preview with Coach Urgo
Welcome to the GoPSUsports.com gameday blog for the Nittany Lion basketball team.
We will bring you coverage from tonight's matchup between Penn State (10-12, 2-7) and No. 20 Wisconsin (17-5, 6-3) inside the Bryce Jordan Center. Before the two teams head onto the floor, take a look at some pregame reading and watch a video preview with assistant coach Keith Urgo.
Check back at 8 p.m. tonight for live updates at every media timeout as Penn State takes on Wisconsin inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
Starting Lineups
Penn State: G - Frazier, G - Glover, G - Woodyard, F - Graham, F - Travis
Wisconsin: G - Gasser, G - Taylor, F - Bruesewitz, F - Evans, C - Berggren
First Half:
15:28 - Penn State 8, Wisconsin 6
The Nittany Lions are off to a very good start on the offensive end of the floor. Jermaine Marshall sank two baskets to open the scoring. Cam Woodyard and Tim Frazier also added jump shots to give the Lions a 4-for-6 start from the field and an 8-6 advantage on the scoreboard.
11:55 - Wisconsin 9, Penn State 8
A Josh Gasser 3-pointer is the lone basket since the last media timeout. As expected, the pace has slowed down. Penn State has found good offensive opportunities, but the Lions have missed their last six shots. Wisconsin is 4-for-9 from the field in the early going.
7:38 - Penn State 10, Wisconsin 9
Since the 16:12 mark on the clock, Wisconsin has out-scored the Nittany Lions, 3-2. Both teams have cooled off considerably on offense. They have combined for 9-for-31 shooting in the game. Marshall has six of Penn State's 10 tallies. Again, it is no surprise that neither team has found a way to score on a regular basis. It's hard to forget the last time the teams met in the Big Ten Tournament when the final score was a combined 69 points.
2:47 - Penn State 18, Wisconsin 14
Marshall single-handedly took over for the Nittany Lion offense when it needed a spurt. The redshirt sophomore guard scored six points and tallied an assist on a 10-0 scoring run, which covered nearly 7:00 of game time. Wisconsin went 9:03 without a point before Jordan Taylor drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Despite the scoring surge from the Lions, Wisconsin is within just four on the scoreboard.
0:00 - Penn State 23, Wisconsin 17
A strong flush from Jon Graham and a 3-pointer for Nick Colella, who was put on scholarship for the spring semester, put the Nittany Lions up by eight before a last-second lay-in from Taylor trimmed the Lion lead to just six at the break. Nonetheless, Penn State limited the Badgers to just 17 points in 20 minutes of action, equaling a season-low for a Penn State opponent. Marshall scored 10 points, while Frazier and Graham added four points apiece. The Lions' defensive effort was superb, holding the Badgers to 7-for-26 shooting from the field. Additionally, Penn State out-rebounded the Badgers 20-13 in the first half. Penn State finished the half in a strong fashion, but the lead is just six at the break.
Second Half:
14:58 - Penn State 26, Wisconsin 25
The Badgers have gone to work in the paint during the first five possessions of the second half. Junior center Jared Berggren has seven points in the opening 5:02 of the second half. Frazier made a jumper for the Lions to keep the in front, but Wisconsin is beginning to find some success in the paint.
11:56 - Wisconsin 30, Penn State 26
Wisconsin has out-scored the Nittany Lions 13-3 in the opening 8:04 of the second half. Penn State is 1-for-11 from the floor in the second. Give credit to the Badgers for their defense, but the Nittany Lions are out of rhythm on the offensive end of the floor. Penn State is in a very critical position down four with under 12:00 to play. The Lions cannot afford a bigger deficit against a team that plays defense as well as the Badgers do.
7:57 - Wisconsin 35, Penn State 30
Thanks to a 10-0 run, Wisconsin's lead grew to seven at the 11:22 mark (33-26). Penn State's offense has been all Frazier in the second half, with the junior point guard scoring all seven of the Lions' tallies. The Nittany Lions need to do a better job moving the basketball on offense.
3:08 - Wisconsin 40, Penn State 38
Frazier has put the Nittany Lion offense on his back in the second half. Frazier has scored 13 of Penn State's 15 second half points. His floater in the lane is an impossible shot to defend. Penn State has scratched and clawed on the defensive end to keep the Badgers at bay, but the Lions need another player to step up with a basket on offense. Nonetheless, we are heading towards another tight finish in the BJC, thanks to another big night from Frazier.
0:00 - Wisconsin 52, Penn State 46
Down by two in the final three minutes, Penn State had four opportunities to tie or take the lead. All four chances, including a layup from Marshall that rolled off the iron, failed to convert. On the ensuing Wisconsin possession, Taylor drained a clutch 3-pointer to put Wisconsin up by five. From there, Taylor and the Badgers iced the game at the foul line. Taylor stepped up like great players do in the clutch moments of basketball games, scoring 13 of Wisconsin's final 16 points. The Nittany Lions managed just 27 percent shooting (7-for-26) in the second half, but still had chances to win in the closing moments of the second half. Frazier led the Lions with 21 points and seven assists. Marshall scored 13 points and pulled down five rebounds. However, the other three Penn State starters - Jon Graham, Matt Glover and Woodyard - combined for just nine points. The Lions won the rebounding battle, 36-31.
Final Thoughts:
Penn State played well on the defensive end of the floor, but a slow start offensively in the second half hindered the Lions' efforts for a second-straight home win over a ranked team. Wisconsin used a 10-0 run mid-way through the second half to score a 33-26 lead on the scoreboard. From there, Penn State as close as two, but Taylor's big plays late lifted Wisconsin to a road victory.
Wisconsin played its game in the second half and kept the Lions off balance offensively. Penn State knew going into the game that it needed to make shots to beat the 20th-ranked Badgers. Starting the second half 1-for-12 from the floor against a methodical team like Wisconsin makes things very difficult. Coach Chambers said after the game that the Lions were able to get good shots, but must make more open looks if they are going to win contests like Tuesday's. Penn State will head on the road for the next two games. First up is a trip to Iowa on Saturday.
___________________________________________________________________________
Pregame Reading:
Keys to the Game
1. Offensive Efficiency
Wisconsin likes to use the vast majority of the shot clock on the offensive end of the floor before taking a shot. In doing so, the Badgers force their opponents to play defense for roughly 30 seconds before moving to the other end of the floor. Consequently, Wisconsin's opponents exert a great deal of energy on defense and often play tired on the offensive end of the floor. The Badgers limit their opponents to just 36 percent shooting and 49 points per game defensively. All that being said, Penn State must work for good shots against a very talented defensive team. The Lions can ill afford to take quick shots, handing the ball right back over to the methodical Wisconsin offense. Because of Wisconsin's style, offensive possessions are already at a premium, and the Lions need to make the most of each time they touch the ball.
2. Defending Dribble Penetration
Wisconsin point guard Jordan Taylor is one of the best guards in the nation. Taylor's arsenal features a very good outside shot and a superb ability to penetrate into the lane. The Nittany Lions will be looking to keep Taylor's dribble penetration to a minimum and force the Badgers to make shots from the perimeter. When Taylor gets into the lane, he does a great job of drawing attention from opposing defenses, which then leads to open shots for the other Badgers on the floor.
3. Rebounding
A staple in every Penn State basketball gameplan is rebounding, and Tuesday night's clash against Wisconsin will be no different. The Nittany Lions will be facing a Badger squad that is +3.9 in the rebounding column against its opponents for the season. Penn State has done a very nice job of rebounding this season, especially on the offensive end of the floor. The Lions are averaging 13.8 offensive boards per game, while their opponents are pulling down just 7.8 offensive rebounds per contest. Keep an eye on the number of offensive rebounds for both teams.
Next Game Primer Video Preview with Coach Urgo
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