Jan. 21, 2009

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Game Notes vs. Iowa

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., Jan. 23, 2009 - Penn State will look to improve to 5-3 in the Big Ten for the first time since the 1995-96 season Saturday when the Nittany Lions take on Iowa (12-7; 2-4 Big Ten) in a 6:00 p.m. tip on the Big Ten Network. Several members of the 2008 Big Ten Champion Nittany Lion football team will be on hand prior to game time to sign autographs on the concourse.

Several of the stars of Penn State's Big Ten Champion football team as well as the Big Ten Trophy will be on hand from 5:00 to 5:45 p.m. on the concourse. Players will sign autographs and the trophy will be available for fans to pose with for pictures. Among the players confirmed to be in attendance are All-Big Ten selections quarterback Daryll Clark, linebacker Navorro Bowman, tailback Evan Royster, defensive tackle Jared Odrick, offensive guard Stefen Wisniewski and place kicker Kevin Kelly as well as starting linebacker Josh Hull and kick snapper Andrew Pitz.

Led by legendary coach Joe Paterno, the Nittany Lion football team went 11-2 in 2008 claiming its second Big Ten title in four seasons and reaching the Rose Bowl for the third time in school history.

Penn State enters Saturday's game with a 15-5 record (4-3 Big Ten) after a dominating 73-58 victory over Michigan in their last home game on Tuesday. Senior Jamelle Cornley led the way in that game logging his 11th career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds on 8-of-10 shooting. Penn State improved to a perfect 11-0 on the year when Talor Battle, Cornley and Stanley Pringle all score in double-figures. The trio rank first, sixth and seventh in the conference, respectively, in scoring.

Battle has made a claim as the Big Ten's best point-guard averaging a league best 18.4 points per game and second best 5.4 assists. His nine 20-point or better outings on the year lead the conference and he ranks among the top 20 in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio.

The Hawkeyes are coming off a 73-69, overtime victory over Wisconsin in Iowa City on Wednesday that snapped a three-game losing skid. Forward David Palmer, a transfer from Seton Hall, led the Hawkeyes with 21 points in that game and had 19 in his previous outing. Iowa is one of the few Big Ten teams that make more threes (8.6) and shoots a higher percentage (39.9) from the arc than the Lions. Four Hawkeyes have made 20 or more threes, however leading three-point shooter Anthony Tucker (38) has been suspended for the season due to grades. Guards Matt Gatens (10.9) and Jeff Peterson (10.1) average double-figures. Iowa is expecting the return of forward Cyrus Tate after missing three games with injury.

Gates to the Bryce Jordan Center will open at 5:00 p.m. Nittany Lion basketball tickets can be purchased by calling the ticket office during regular business hours at 814-865-5555 or visiting GoPSUsports.com anytime. Penn State basketball offers the most flexible ticket package ever with the 2009 FLEX pack. For just $99 fans can receive 10 vouchers that can be redeemed in any quantity, bring one friend or nine, for any men's or women's game on any date. You pick the games, the dates and the number of tickets that work for you. The Penn State Basketball FLEX Pack - now our schedule fits yours!