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Men's Hoops Gameday Blog: FINAL - Penn State 67, Nebraska 51

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Take a look back at Penn State's 67-51 victory over Nebraska on Saturday afternoon inside the Bryce Jordan Center.

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 (10-15, 2-10) and Nebraska (11-12, 3-9) inside the Bryce Jordan Center.  The Nittany Lions are seeking to snap a six-game skid on Coaches vs. Cancer day in the BJC.  "Band Together" day will donate $3 from every ticket sold to help fight cancer.  We are expecting the biggest crowd of the season on Saturday.

Follow along here on the in-game blog for updates throughout Saturday's contest with Nebraska.


Starting Lineups
Penn State: G - Frazier, G - Colella, G - Woodyard, F - Travis, F - Graham
Nebraska: G - Richardson, G - McCray, G - Spencer, G - Walker, F - Ubel

First Half:
15:23 - Nebraska 6, Penn State 3
Senior forward Cammeron Woodyard knocked down a 3-pointer to open the scoring, but the Huskers have answered with six straight heading into the first media timeout of the afternoon.  Nebraska's transition offense has accounted for two of its three baskets.  The Lions are 1-for-4 to open the game, but Tim Frazier is at the foul line looking to draw the Lions within one.

11:38 - Penn State 15, Nebraska 11
Thanks to a 6-0 scoring burst, the Nittany Lions have heated up in the Bryce Jordan Center.  Former walk-on Nick Colella, who is making his second-straight start, drilled a long ball from the corner.  One possession later, Woodyard scored his second 3-pointer of the contest, putting the Lions up 15-11 on the scoreboard.  Penn State is shooting 63 percent from the field in the early minutes.

6:05 - Penn State 25, Nebraska 17
Penn State's second big scoring run of the first half has put the Lions on top by 10.  Marshall kick-started the 9-0 spurt with a hard dribble drive and lay-in along the baseline.  Jon Graham's jump-hook in the lane put the Lions up by eight before the Huskers burned a timeout.  After a defensive stand, Frazier raced through the Nebraska defense for a finger roll.  He will look to finish off an old-fashioned 3-point play after the timeout.  The Lions are shooting 67 percent from the field (10-15) and 4-for-5 from behind the 3-point arc.  Penn State is off to the type of start it needed in a crucial game.

3:42 - Penn State 33, Nebraska 21
Woodyard is off to a perfect start against Nebraska.  Coach Chambers has challenged the senior to give the Lions more production, and he has delivered.  Woodyard is 3-for-3 from 3-point range and 2-for-2 at the foul line for 11 points.  Frazier is also perfect across the shooting lines with eight points.  Penn State is still shooting better than 60 percent from the field.  The Lions are rolling on offense, and they lead by 12 in the first half.

0:00 - Penn State 36, Nebraska 26
Boosted by 58 percent shooting from the field, the Nittany Lions headed off the floor at halftime with a 10-point lead on the scoreboard.  Woodyard led the way with 11 pointes, while Frazier added 10.  Penn State was aggressive on the offensive end of the floor from the opening tip forward in the first half.  Shooting north of 55 percent is a huge confidence boost for the Lions.  Additionally, Penn State did a very nice job on defense, holding Nebraska to 39 percent shooting from the floor and 27 percent from the perimeter.  The Huskers led early in the first half, but the Lions took control of things with a 10-0 covering 2:30 on the clock.

14:50 - Penn State 45, Nebraska 33
Ross Travis threw down a two-handed flush to push the Penn State lead to 12.  The hot shooting trend has carried over into the second half, as the Lions are 4-for-6 out of the locker room.  The Lions are beginning to wear down the Huskers on the defensive end of the floor, which is leading to opportunities in the transition game.  One thing to keep an eye on is Frazier's stat line.  He is quietly closing in on a triple-double.  The Texas native has 12 points, seven rebounds and six assists early in the second half.

11:46 - Penn State 51, Nebraska 33
The intensity level has been tremendous on both ends of the floor in the second half.  The Lions are on an 8-0 scoring run on offense, playing superb defense and diving on the floor.  When Penn State plays with the type of passion and enthusiasm it is accustomed to when it is making shots, the Lions are a tough team to beat.  Credit Frazier for his up-tempo approach to pushing the basketball.  The end result is an 18-point lead on the scoreboard with 11:46 to play.

7:54 - Penn State 54, Nebraska 36
The triple-double watch continues in the BJC as Frazier currently sits with 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.  Three assists stand between Frazier and his first career triple-double, but he has already reached his fifth double-double, which is the most of any guard in Penn State history.  The Lions are on top by 18 and shooting 56 percent.

0:00 - Penn State 67, Nebraska 51

The Nittany Lions led by double digits at halftime, and they never looked back.  Penn State led by as much as 20 in the second half en route to a 16-point victory against the Huskers.  Frazier was the star of the show on Saturday afternoon.  The junior point guard fell just short of a triple-double, but finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and three steals.  Woodyard added a career-best 14 points on 4-for-7 shooting, while Marshall scored 12 points on a 5-for-8 effort off the bench.  As a team, the Lions finished the game shooting 52 percent from the floor.  Nebraska shot 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from the foul line.

Final Thoughts:
The Coaches vs. Cancer game is always a special day in the Bryce Jordan Center, and the Nittany Lions backed it up with a great performance against the Cornhuskers.  Penn State shot north of 50 percent and cruised to a 16-point victory, snapping a five-game skid.  Frazier played one of the best games of his Nittany Lion career on Saturday.  The stat line is impressive all the way across, but scoring 23 points on just nine shot attempts is tremendous.

The Houston, Texas, native is an elite point guard in the nation.  His ability to score and get his teammates involved separates him from most players in college basketball.  In addition to his offensive performance, Frazier played very good defense and set the tone for the Nittany Lions.  As a team, Penn State played every defensive possession with great energy and intensity.  When you combine solid shooting on offense and that type of effort on defense, it is living proof of what Penn State is capable of.

Coach Chambers said after the game that it speaks volumes about the team's character when it plays with the effort it did on Saturday, despite being 2-10 in conference play.  Saturday was a superb performance for the Lions.  They will look to build on Saturday's win on Thursday night inside the BJC against Iowa.



Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony


Nittany Lion Hoops Kicks Off Two-Straight at Home with Nebraska

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lion basketball team (10-15, 2-10) returns to the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday against Nebraska (11-12, 3-9) for the annual Coaches vs. Cancer game.  Penn State will Band Together to fight cancer, with $3 from every ticket sold going to Coaches vs. Cancer.

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Penn State has played four of its last five games on the road.  The Nittany Lions enter their second clash with the Cornhuskers looking to snap a five-game losing skid.  Penn State battled back from a 22-point deficit to close within five in the second half at No. 11 Michigan State on Wednesday night before the Spartans pulled away late.

Coach Chambers' message at the postgame press conference was simply put.  Penn State showed spurts of the effort necessary to win, but it needs 40 minutes of consistency.  Playing hard, defending and rebounding are the staples for the Nittany Lions, but Penn State needs to find its shooting touch inside the Jordan Center on Saturday afternoon.

Former walk-on Nick Colella is coming off a strong outing at Michigan State on Wednesday.  Colella, who started his first career game against the Spartans, played a career-high 37 minutes and knocked down a trio of 3-pointers for a nine-point outing.

In the first meeting against the Huskers, Tim Frazier poured in 30 points on 10-for-15 shooting to the lead the Lions.  However, Penn State managed just 33 percent shooting for the game and 3-for-24 from 3-point range.  The Lions trailed 34-22 at the half, but played even in the second half.

Nebraska guards Bo Spencer (19 points) and Toney McCray (13 points) led four Huskers in double digits.  The Huskers shot 55 percent from the field during the game.  Nebraska enters Saturday's game on a three-game losing streak after a 62-46 home setback to Michigan on Wednesday night.

The story will likely be different inside the Bryce Jordan Center, but Penn State still needs to find a way to knock down open looks and play consistently on the defensive end of the floor.  With Saturday being the first of two-straight home games, the Nittany Lions have an opportunity to build some momentum as they head into the final stretch of the season.

Including Saturday, Penn State has six games to play before the Big Ten Tournament.  That span includes four home games - Nebraska, Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan - and two road games against Wisconsin and Purdue.  The Nittany Lions are 8-5 inside the Bryce Jordan Center this season.

Penn State will wear all gray alternate uniforms for the second time on Saturday against Nebraska.  The Lions knocked off Illinois in the first appearance for the gray uniforms.  Penn State has hosted Nebraska just once in its history.  The Lions defeated the Huskers on Dec. 21, 1981 by a score of 60-58.  Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. in the BJC with television coverage on ESPNU.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony


No. 5 Penn State Ready for Second Straight Home Weekend

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By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions welcome their first conference competition of the season to Rec Hall for another weekend full of bumping, setting, spiking and digging.

Fifth-ranked Penn State hosts Rutgers-Newark to open the weekend Friday night at 7p.m., and then it meets NJIT the following evening at the same time.

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All three of the teams featured in Rec Hall this weekend are members of the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association, better known as the EIVA. Last season, the Lions went 10-0 in conference competition to take home their 27th regular season title in the last 35 years.

But this season, the EIVA looks a bit different.

Before this year, the conference was made up of two divisions, the Hay and Tait divisions. The two divisions split up the 11 total teams that made up the conference. This season three of those 11 teams (Juniata, NYU and Springfield) moved down to Division III competition, and left the EIVA with just eight Division I squads and one conference division.

This means that the EIVA will see more regular competition between strictly Division I teams, and it also means that Penn State will be playing each of its conference opponents twice throughout the season for a total of 14 EIVA matches.

The Nittany Lions have been successful in their conference in recent years and stretching even further back as they have won 13 straight EIVA Championships and 23 overall. The last time that the team dropped a conference match was more than a year ago on March 27, 2010, against none other than Rutgers-Newark.

Winning a conference championship is especially important for Penn State because, at the end of the season, it gives the team a spot in the NCAA Championships and can allow the squad to host a part or all of that final tournament on its home court.

With a young lineup and a 6-1 start this season, head coach Mark Pavlik says that he is ready for another go-around.

"We get to kick off our EIVA schedule and that's the most important thing we have," said Pavlik. "We have to win the EIVA to get to the national championships and this is the way that we want to start off. Our goal is to make sure we host the EIVA Semifinals and Finals here at Rec Hall in April and we've got to take our first steps this weekend."

Looking ahead at the weekend, Pavlik particularly noted the veteran offensive power that the Scarlet Raiders will be bringing to the court on Friday night as the Rutgers-Newark roster is made up of a four seniors, one junior and three freshmen. The conference opponent is 4-1 overall this season and 1-0 in EIVA competition.

"They're always dangerous," said Pavlik. "In the men's game, you get people who can serve the ball well and hit the ball well and all of the sudden they can shorten games for their team."

On Saturday, Penn State will face a 4-3 team as the Highlanders from NJIT come to Happy Valley for the first time since 2009. Pavlik says that he knows the New Jersey team has struggled in recent years, but expects nothing short of a battle from a team led by head coach Ryan McNeil.

"Ryan McNeil has had some good experience coaching at Lewis," said Pavlik. "There's no doubt in my mind that his team's going to walk in here and try to be physical with us. We're just going to have to maintain a pretty consistently high level of play and force teams to play well for a long period of time to beat us."

This weekend marks the second in a row that the Lions will be playing competing on their home court. Pavlik said that he can see the difference when his Lions can go to their classes, sleep in their own beds, be with friends and family and prepare in their own locker room.

"It's just a feeling of comfort," said Pavlik. "Everything is just familiar and I think that goes a long way to just getting guys relaxed and in the proper mindset to compete."

Lady Lions Sweep Wisconsin, 69-54

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By Laura Finley, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Lady Lions jumped to the lead and never looked back during Thursday night's game against Wisconsin. Leading by as many as 19 points during the second half, the Lady Lions took advantage of their own defense, forcing missed opportunities by the Badgers and going on to win 69-54.

"We made it a point to get up and guard them," said head coach Coquese Washington. "We wanted to get in their space. You have to get out on the three-point line and you have to defend. Our kids did a really good job of making sure they matched up and they guarded them. We were aggressive guarding them behind the three-point line."

The Lady Lions started the night off right with a three-pointer by Lucas to open up the game followed by successive shots from junior forward Mia Nickson and junior forward Nikki Greene to make the score 8-0. As the Badgers struggled throughout the night with their shooting, the Lady Lions were on a roll, pulling ahead 41-26 by the half.

The three-point shot was critical for both teams, and with previous experience playing Wisconsin, the Lady Lions knew they had to hold strong and guard the Badgers.

"Coach prepared us for that," said junior guard Alex Bentley. "She said they were shooting a lot better from the three recently. We just made sure we got out on the shooters and made them put it on the floor."

The Lady Lions did just that, holding Wisconsin at zero percent on three-pointers in the first half, while accumulating 33 percent of the shots for themselves.

Wisconsin tried to make a comeback after halftime, finding its rhythm and making shots from the outside to pull within eight points of the Lady Lions with 11:54 to go. With the Badgers on the run, Coach Washington pulled the girls aside, stressing the need for patience on the court.

"We were not very patient on offense," said Coach Washington. "So we talked about being patient on offense and being smarter; making the right reads and making the right pass. We were not doing a good job of pressuring them on the three-point line and they adjusted by going to the basket. We just talked about fixing those couple of things and I thought we were fine after that."

And the Lady Lions were fine after that, holding the Badgers to just 10 points before the end of the game and spreading shots among their own players. Sophomore forward Ariel Edwards demonstrated her offensive abilities, shooting 5-7 in the second half and tallying 11 points alongside Nickson who accumulated 12.

"[Ariel] was a huge lift on both ends of the floor," said Coach Washington. "I thought she did a really good job defensively in using her length, speed and quickness to be disruptive to Wisconsin. I think because she was getting after it defensively, that gave her the adrenaline to play and to be attacking and assertive on offense. That was a huge lift for us."

Closing out the game, Greene led the team with 10 rebounds, playing a critical role in shutting out the Badgers. Sophomore guard Maggie Lucas led the offense once again, with 16 points, followed closely behind by Bentley and Edwards who both had 14.

The defense proved to be the deciding factor in the game, holding Wisconsin to just 37 percent shooting from the field, while creating opportunities for the Lady Lions offense.

"I thought after they got it to eight we kind of made a point to get it in the post," said Lucas. "I think Mia [Nickson] made a quick bucket and Alex [Bentley] got a stop and a lay-up. I think the defense turned that around pretty quickly for us."

Lady Lions In-Game Blog: FINAL - Penn State 69, Wisconsin 54

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Take a look back at Penn State's 69-54 victory over Wisconsin on Thursday night in the Bryce Jordan Center.


Welcome to the GoPSUsports.com in-game blog for the Lady Lion basketball team.

We will bring you coverage from tonight's matchup between Penn State (18-5, 8-3) and Wisconsin (8-15, 4-7).  The Lady Lions will be seeking their third straight victory following a 68-65 triumph at Minnesota on Sunday.  Penn State will honor Maggie Lucas for eclipsing the 1,000-point plateau prior to tipoff.

Check back throughout the game for updates.


Starting Lineups
Penn State: G - Bentley, G - Lucas, G - Gray, F - Nickson, C - Greene
Wisconsin: G - Davis, G - Wurtz, G - Paige, F - Thomas, C - Rochel


First Half:
15:28 - Penn State 12, Wisconsin 6
After being recognized before the game for reaching the 1,000-point plateau, Maggie Lucas went right to work on the offensive end of the floor.  Lucas drilled a 3-pointer on the left wing and added two mid-range jumpers en route to seven of Penn State's 12 tallies in the opening 4:32.  The Lady Lions have done a nice job moving the basketball on offense in the opening minutes.

7:44 - Penn State 26, Wisconsin 10
Thanks to a 12-0 scoring spurt, the Lady Lions built a 16-point lead on the scoreboard.  Lucas has 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field.  Penn State has been dominant in the paint on both ends of the floor.  Wisconsin has struggled to find much inside the arc.  The Badgers are 3-for-15 from the field and 0-for-6 from beyond the arc.  Penn State is in control early in the Bryce Jordan Center.

0:00 - Penn State 41, Wisconsin 26
The Lady Lions never trailed in a dominant first half of play inside the Bryce Jordan Center.  Penn State led by as much as 18 at the 6:25 mark, but the Badgers mounted a run to slice the lead down to 10.  A 10-2 spurt set the score at 34-24 with 2:07 to play.  However, a lay-in from Talia East and five-straight points from Ariel Edwards quickly pushed the Penn State lead back up to 17 before a late basket from the Badgers.  Lucas led the way in scoring with 12 points.  Edwards added 11 tallies, while Nickson scored seven and Bentley had six.  Penn State's defense was terrific again in the first half, holding Wisconsin to 32 percent shooting from the field and 0-for-7 from 3-point range.

Second Half:
15:33 - Penn State 47, Wisconsin 33
The Lady Lions have had a balanced attack on the offensive end of the floor in tonight's contest.  Lucas and Edwards are both over double digits.  Bentley and Nickson have combined for 15 points.  In all, seven different Lady Lions have scored.  Offensive balance is very important for the Lions as they contend for a Big Ten title.  The Lions are shooting 54 percent for the game, and they hold a 14-point lead.

11:37 - Penn State 52, Wisconsin 44
Just when it appeared as though the Lady Lions were putting things on cruise control, the Badgers have mounted a scoring run.  Wisconsin is currently on an 11-2 scoring spurt to close within eight (52-44).  Penn State has not scored a field goal since a 3-pointer from Edwards at the 15:21 mark.

5:47 - Penn State 61, Wisconsin 44
After closing to within eight, the Badgers went on a dry spell offensively.  The Lady Lion defense held Wisconsin without a point for more than 6:00 of game time.  On the other end of the floor, Bentley, Nickson and a 3-pointer from Gray pushed the Penn State lead back up to 17 after mounting a 9-0 scoring run.  Penn State is again in a position to put things away.

0:00 - Penn State 69, Wisconsin 54
Penn State never trailed in another dominant performance inside the Bryce Jordan Center.  The Badgers got as close as eight in the second half, but an 11-0 scoring run covering 5:11 on the clock put the game away for the Lady Lions.  Penn State turned in another superb performance on the defensive end of the floor, limiting Wisconsin to just 37 percent shooting.  Offensively, Lucas finished with 16, while Bentley and Edwards finished with 14 points.  Nickson added 11 points and six rebounds.  Penn State's largest lead was 19 early in the second half.


Final Thoughts:
Penn State moved to 9-3 in Big Ten play with a wire-to-wire victory against Wisconsin.  Thursday's contest was a streak-filled affair with two big runs, one in each half, lifting Penn State to a 15-point victory.  The Lady Lions continued their string of very good defensive games on their home floor.  Holding a team under 40 percent shooting makes things very difficult for opposing teams.

The balance on the offensive end of the floor - four players in double digits - is a very good sign for the Lady Lions as they close in on their final four regular season games.  In addition to the four players in double figures, Greene tallied seven points and 10 boards.  Penn State heads onto the road for a crucial two-game road trip beginning on Sunday at Northwestern.  The Lions then travel to first-place Purdue on Thursday.



Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Steranka Eager to Start Senior Season in Happy Valley

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By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - It's rare for a college baseball player to be drafted by a Major League team after his junior season.  When drafted, the player must then decide whether to accept the invitation or go back to school for their senior year.  Penn State third baseman Jordan Steranka's decision to remain a Nittany Lion after being drafted his junior year wasn't easy.

"It was pretty difficult," said Steranka.  "It's always been my dream to play professional baseball and when I got drafted it was kind of a dream come true."

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Steranka was selected by the Houston Astros in the 30th round of the 2011 MLB Draft after an impressive junior season where he led the team with 57 RBIs bolstered by a .323 batting average and eight home runs.  Following the draft, Steranka discussed his options with his parents and decided that his education came first.

"My parents always instill that in me," said Steranka.  "Getting your education first and that's what I decided to do."

Despite declining a bid to train with the Astros, Steranka drew confidence from the fact that he was offered the opportunity to play at the highest level.

"Knowing that I got picked and have that ability to play at the next level is huge," said Steranka.  "It's a big confidence booster for me."

His decision to remain at school has further motivated Steranka to work even harder and increase his stock for the next MLB draft.  He proceeded to spend the summer in Happy Valley taking classes and training to improve his game in preparation for the upcoming season.

"I worked really hard on my flexibility, getting faster, in the offseason," said Steranka.  "I spent actually my whole summer at Penn State taking classes, working out every day, making a few small adjustments to my swing."

Steranka was the anchor of a formidable Nittany Lion offense in 2011 and his fellow players are excited to have him back.  His experience will be instrumental in preparing newcomers for the collegiate stage and his offensive prowess will set opposing pitchers on edge.

"It's really good having him back and having that bat in the middle of the order," said senior outfielder Sean Deegan, Steranka's close friend and roommate.  "Just having his leadership back there and also having his defense is huge."

"It's huge having him come back," added senior first baseman Joey DeBernardis.  "Him being a four-year starter now, this year, he's got the most experience on the team."

Steranka's experience brings with it an air of respect and leadership. Though in the past he has taken more of a quiet, lead-by-example role, Steranka is looking to be more vocal this spring.  His leadership is key, as younger players will listen to the advice he has to offer and learn from the way he approaches different situations.

"I'm impassive in leading by example, but this year I'm taking more of a vocal role," said Steranka.  "We have a lot of young guys too that are looking up to me."

Deegan referred to Steranka as a role model for the younger teammates who are just getting used to the college atmosphere.

"He's always going to be there on time," said Deegan.  "He's always going to be doing the right thing, never going to be getting in trouble and sets a good example for the younger guys on how you should carry yourself as a collegiate athlete."

DeBernardis described Steranka as a humble, easygoing teammate, who enjoys blasting his music in the locker room.

"He likes his music," recalled DeBernardis.  "That's what everyone probably knows him best for is his music he likes to play."

"He's very humble about himself and what he does and what he accomplishes and just a good guy to be around," DeBernardis added.

The Nittany Lions return a host of veterans in 2012 and with the Big Ten vs. Big East challenge fast approaching, Steranka is eager for the season to start.  He sees the potential for his team to have a great season.

"This is by far the best team I've been on since I've been here," said Steranka.  "We have a great pitching staff, really good defense and offensively we're great, so we're going to take it one game at a time, but we definitely have big expectations."

Head coach Robbie Wine respects Steranka's decision to remain with the team for his senior year.  He praised Steranka's character and team-oriented attitude.

"Doing something special as a team means more to him than actually getting a half a season of pro ball under his belt," said coach Wine.  "It tells me a little something about his character.  He's a team guy and he cares."

Bentley Leading the Lady Lions Charge

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By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State Lady Lions head coach Coquese Washington knows a little bit about point guards.  The former point guard herself who not only was a top college player, but a professional one as well, and knows what it takes to be successful at that position.

She's been able to see a lot of those characteristics in a player she's coaching, the Lady Lions own Alex Bentley.

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The junior guard Bentley has been a strong presence for the team all season long, and is starting to gain national attention with her play as she was recently named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Top 20 list.

Being named on that list was an honor for the junior, but in true point guard fashion she quickly spread the credit to her teammates as well.

"It means our team is having great success and we're playing great basketball," Bentley said of the honor.  "I wouldn't be able to be on there if it wasn't for my teammates and the hard work we all put in."

As much as Bentley wants to spread the credit around, for Coach Washington, Alex is the one that makes the team go.

"Alex is the heartbeat of this team," said the coach on her point guard.

That heartbeat is currently averaging 14.5 points per game, to go along with a team-leading 5.2 assists per contest for the Lady Lions.

"We go as she goes," Washington said.  Also bringing up that the junior's leadership, confidence and ability to manage the game have all improved from her freshman and sophomore campaigns.

"We were looking at her stats from this year to last year and they're about the same," Washington said.  "What's different with her is her leadership and ability to manage the game is much better, I think she's a lot more confident."

As the point guard's leadership has improved so have other parts of her game.   Washington also mentioned how Bentley has been able to become much more of a true point guard as she has gotten older, as opposed to more of a scorer as a freshman.

Bentley's skills and leadership changes have not only been noticed by her coach, but teammates as well.

"I wouldn't rather have any other point guard in the country," said senior guard Zhaque Gray.  "She scores the ball, passes the ball great, gets out there on defense, she does it all."

As much as Bentley has done this season for the Lady Lions she is still looking to do more. 

"I think I've been playing okay, definitely not my best," Bentley said on her play this season.  Adding she hopes to improve her defensive stops and ability to take care of the ball on the offensive end.

Bentley will get another chance to keep improving Thursday night as she and the Lady Lions take on the Wisconsin Badgers at home at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Penn State was able to roll over the Badgers last time the two teams met with an 82-49 win early in conference play, and are hoping to do the same again.

Despite the lopsided first win Washington and the players are not expecting the same Wisconsin team.

"They're not the same team, that's for sure," Washington said.  "They're playing a lot better basketball now than they were early in the season."  Also adding they are getting more contributions from different players.

"They've gotten a lot better since last time we played them," guard Maggie Lucas added.  "They shoot a lot of threes, we have a lot to prepare for.  They're a talented team."

With Bentley leading the way once again and continuing to improve her play Wisconsin will need quite a bit of improvement to take down this Lady Lions squad. 


Men's Hoops In-Game Blog: FINAL - Michigan State 77, Penn State 57

Penn State Game Notes | Michigan State Game Notes

Men's Hoops Starting Five Preview Feature / Penn State Player Preview Interviews


EAST LANSING, Mich. - Take a look back at Penn State's clash with No. 11 Michigan State on Wednesday night inside the Breslin Center.


Welcome to GoPSUsports.com gameday coverage of Nittany Lion basketball.

Tonight, Penn State (10-14, 2-9) is in East Lansing for a clash against the 11th-ranked Michigan State Spartans (18-5, 7-3) at 6:30 p.m. on BTN.  The Nittany Lions enter the game seeking their third win over the Spartans in their last four meetings.  Penn State took two of three contests against MSU last season, including a 61-48 victory in the semifinals at the Big Ten Tournament in March.

The clash between the Nittany Lions and Spartans marks Penn State head coach Patrick Chambers' first meeting against Michigan State and head coach Tom Izzo.  The Nittany Lions held their gameday shootaround inside the Breslin Center earlier on Wednesday.

GoPSUsports.com caught up with associate head coach Eugene Burroughs, who scouted the Spartans for the gameplan, at shootaround.  Coach Burroughs talks keys to the game for the Nittany Lions.



Blog Keys to the Game:
1. Five-Man Defensive Rebounding - Michigan State ranks No. 3 in the nation in rebounding margin.
2. Stopping the Transition Game - MSU averages 78.0 points per game at home.
3. First Half Shooting - Penn State can slow the MSU transition game by making shots early.

In-Game Blog:
Check back for live updates as the game progresses.

Starting Lineups
Penn State: G - Frazier, G - Colella, G - Woodyard, F - Oliver, C - Graham
Michigan State: G - Appling, G - Thornton, G - Dawson, F - Green, C - Payne

First Half:
14:54 - Michigan State 4, Penn State 0
The two teams played at a very quick tempo in the early minutes, but neither team scored until the 16:38 mark when Keith Appling connected on a pair of free throws.  Both squads started a combined 0-for-14 from the field.  Appling's transition layup at the 15:10 mark was the first basket of the game.  Despite the slow start, Penn State is down just 4-0.  The Lions are doing a nice job competing at both ends of the floor, but shots are not falling, yet.

11:44 - Michigan State 11, Penn State 3
Nick Colella, who is making his first career start, got the Nittany Lions on the board with a 3-pointer on the left wing at the 12:20 mark.  The Nittany Lions have done a very nice job competing on the defensive end of the floor and on the glass, but another slow start on the road shooting has dug the Lions a hole.  Michigan State is just 3-for-13 from the field, but Penn State needs to find some offense.

7:42 - Michigan State 16, Penn State 8
A pair of baskets from Tim Frazier and a free throw from Jon Graham pulled the Nittany Lions to within six on the scoreboard (14-8), but two Draymond Green foul shots put the Spartans back up by eight.  Both teams are a combined 7-for-32 from the field.  We expected a very physical game, and that has been the case, but the Lions are still searching for flow on the offensive end of the floor.  Give a lot of credit to Michigan State for its defense, though.

3:35 - Michigan State 28, Penn State 14
Thanks to an 11-0 scoring run, which was capped off by a Green 3-pointer, Michigan State stretched its lead to 25-8 with 5:32 to play in the half.  From there, Frazier took over on the offensive end of the floor for the Nittany Lions.  The Nittany Lion junior has scored 10 of Penn State's 14 points.  Michigan State is controlling the glass, 23-11, but a lot of that has to do with Penn State's 4-for-20 start from the field.

0:00 - Michigan State 33, Penn State 19
The Spartans took a 14-point lead into the break, largely thanks to the 11-0 run mid-way though the first half.  Frazier scored 10 of Penn State's 19 tallies, but the team collectively shot 5-for-24 from the field.  The Lions never led in the first half and started 0-for-9 before a Colella three put Penn State on the board.  Colella finished with six points in the first half.  Michigan State managed just 8-for-30 shooting, but a 30-14 edge in rebounding allowed the Spartans to build a comfortable lead.  Repeating what we have said throughout the week, Penn State needs to make shots.  Michigan State is doing a nice job on the glass, but scoring baskets limits the number of rebounding chances.  The first four minutes of the second half are crucial for Penn State.

Second Half:
14:50 - Michigan State 47, Penn State 29
After a quick 5-0 spurt in the opening 34 seconds, Michigan State built a 38-20 lead.  Penn State answered with a basket from Woodyard, but MSU went on an 8-2 run to claim its largest lead of the night (46-24).  Colella has been a bright spot for the Nittany Lions.  He sank his third triple of the night on a nice pump-fake and one dribble before draining the shot.  He is 3-for-7 from beyond the arc.  Penn State has started the half 4-for-6.

11:44 - Michigan State 49, Penn State 36
The Colella 3-pointer before the last media timeout kick-started a 10-0 scoring run.  Penn State got stops on the defensive end of the floor and it translated into points.  Jermaine Marshall battled his way to an old-fashioned 3-point play before tallying a post move to pull the Nittany Lions within 11 on the scoreboard.  Tom Izzo burned an angry timeout to halt the spurt, but Penn State is continuing to fight, despite being down by 22 earlier in the half.

7:03 - Michigan State 59, Penn State 51
Penn State will not go away from the Spartans.  The Nittany Lions are 13-for-17 from the field in the second half.  A 7-0 scoring run from Marshall and Frazier set the score at 52-47.  That would be as close as the Lions would get, but Frazier has added two more baskets to pull the Lions within six before Green battled for a lay-in at the other end.  That is where things stand right now, but the story has been Penn State's superb offensive play in the second half.

3:07 - Michigan State 72, Penn State 52
Penn State set the score at 57-51 with 7:19 to play.  Since that Frazier basket, Michigan State has out-scored the Lions 15-1 on the scoreboard to go up 72-52.  Penn State did a terrific job battling back fro the 22-point deficit, but the Spartans have been very consistent around the basket and at the foul line to reestablish control of the ballgame late.

0:00 - Michigan State 77, Penn State 57
Michigan State closed the game on a 20-6 scoring run to set the final score at 77-57.  Nonetheless, the final tally is not indicative of the effort Penn State put forth in the second half.  The Lions trimmed what was once a 22-point lead down to just five before the late rally.  Frazier led the way with 19 points and seven assists.  Marshall added 12 points and five rebounds.  Colella finished with nine points.  The Nittany Lions shot 15-for-28 in the second half after going just 5-for-24 in the first 20 minutes of play.

Final Thoughts:
After a very slow first half, Penn State played a very strong second half on the road.  The final score is not indicative of the effort Penn State exerted to slice a 22-point Michigan State cushion down to just five with 9:18 to play in the contest.  The Lions were within six (57-51) with 7:19 to play, but the Spartans were too much down the stretch.  Michigan State closed things out with a 20-6 scoring spurt to set the final margin at 20.  Nonetheless, Coach Chambers saw a lot of good things from his ball club when its back was against the wall early in the second half.  It would have been easy to fold things up inside the hostile Breslin Center.  However, the Lions battled and shot the ball very well in the second half.  It was very good to see a 54 percent shooting half heading into Saturday's contest against Nebraska.  Give credit to Michigan State for its performance, especially Green, who finished with 23 points.  The senior is a winner for the Spartans. 

In hindsight, though, it is impossible to beat a team of Michigan State's caliber after shooting 5-for-24 in the first half and falling behind by 22 in the second half.  Penn State competed very well in stretches, but it takes 40 minutes of strong play to score a victory on the road against a team like Michigan State.  The Lions will return to the practice gym before hosting the Cornhuskers.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

VIDEO: Coach O'Brien's First Full-Time Day at Penn State

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Less than 48 hours from directing the New England Patriots offense in Super Bowl XLVI, head coach Bill O'Brien returned to Happy Valley on Tuesday for his first full-time day as head coach of the Nittany Lion football team.

Coach O'Brien flew into Happy Valley at mid-day before attending a human resources orientation at Beaver Stadium throughout the afternoon.

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"I flew in around noon time and went over to a human resources orientation meeting," Coach O'Brien said.  "I met a wide range of people, from Herb Combs, the field guy, to Dr. Sebastianelli, our team doctor, and everybody in between.  It was a great day, and I met a bunch of special people that are going to help us towards our goals at Penn State."

As Coach O'Brien gets settled into program, the first item on the agenda is analyzing the returning Nittany Lions on the roster.

"We need to get together as a staff and start talking about our current roster," Coach O'Brien said.  "We will evaluate the roster and start plugging guys in where we see them fitting in for our football team.  We will get on top of our academics with our players...And then we will start hammering out our playbooks."

Standing outside his newly-renovated second floor office inside the Lasch Football Building, Coach O'Brien talked about the experience of coaching in the Super Bowl for the second time during his career.

"Any time you have the chance to go to the Super Bowl, it is a special team and a special experience," Coach O'Brien said.  "The Giants made a few more plays than we did on that night...We had a very special season, and it was a team I was proud to be associated with.  Hopefully, I keep in touch with those guys for the rest of my life."

Coach O'Brien said that getting to know the players on the roster better is something he is really looking forward to leading up to spring practice.

"One of the things I have been very impressed with here is our players," Coach O'Brien said.

Take a look at a video interview with Coach O'Brien on his first full-time day at Penn State.


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VIDEO: This Week In Penn State Wrestling - February 8

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - GoPSUsports.com talks with undefeated and top-ranked sophomore David Taylor in the latest installment of This Week In Penn State Wrestling.


Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

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