Notes From Media Day
August 17, 2011 – | No Comment

Before I begin, I should probably explain why we haven’t posted in a while. Frankly, it’s just been bad timing. I just got back from a study abroad program in Europe, and Charlie is still …

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Penn State Keeps NCAA Hopes Alive in Win Over Gophers

Submitted by on February 14, 2009No Comment

Minnesota 23 40 63
Penn State 24 44 68

I know, my bipolarity about this team has been noted.  But I couldn’t help but feel giddy watching this one.  You guys know how down I was on the team after the uninspiring loss to Wisconsin, and frankly, I’m happy I couldn’t write a recap about the Purdue game because I might have burst an artery.  Yet this game restored my faith in the team, the players, the coaches, even the fans.  I couldn’t attend the game but watching it on TV gave me, perhaps, a better vantage point from which to judge it.  I haven’t said it much, but thank God for the Big Ten Network.

That aside, the first half of this game was virtually unwatchable.  At the ten minute mark, the score was 6-6.  The refs called fouls at every opportunity, turnovers were numerous, both teams had 11.  As Dave Revsine of the BTN put it at halftime, “Games like this would have Dr. Naismith regretting inventing the sport of basketball.”  It was, to put it simply, the basketball equivalent of the 6-4 Iowa game in football a few years back. The refs were at least consistent in this one, calling anything and everything they could.

But it was right at the end of the first half that came, perhaps, the biggest bucket of the season for this team.  Inbounding from their own baseline with just seconds left on the clock, Minnesota’s Travis Busch tried for a deep pass that was intercepted by Chris Babb at halfcourt.  Babb found Talor Battle, who started the game 0-5, and Battle drained a three at the buzzer.

That three might just have been the bucket that got Talor his groove back.  Battle added 16 points in the second half, as the team went on an offensive explosion with 44.  Battle was hitting threes, driving, finishing.  Basically, he was his old self again.  When a guy is in a slump, they say it’s one shot that can turn it around.  That buzzer beating three kicked him out of an awful three game streak and returned to us the Talor Battle who put up 29 on Michigan State.  Stanley Pringle, who had also been struggling, came up big in the 2nd half with three consecutive threes to help build Penn State’s biggest lead of the day, up to 9 points.  But it was just as Penn State thought they had the game right where they wanted it when Minnesota responded.

Devoe Joseph, who averaged under 5 points a game coming in, was absolutely unconscious from behind the arc.  Remember how the Gophers hit all 9 of their three point attempts in the first matchup between these teams?  Well, Joseph nearly matched that himself, shooting 7 for 8 from distance.  He singlehandedly brought Minnesota back into the game, and gave them the lead, at 56-53, with just over 5 minutes left.  But the Nittany Lions proved their heart down the stretch.  Battle tied it up with a 3, and Penn State’s defense absolutely shut down Minnesota, holding them scoreless for about 5 minutes, and until the game was comfortably in hand.  In fact, it was a steal by Battle, and a three point play chance on the other end, that sealed the deal for Penn State.  Battle missed the free throw, but Andrew Jones grabbed the rebound and kicked it out to Battle.  Minnesota fouled, and Battle hit two free throws to extend a 2 point lead to 6 points with under a minute to play.

This was a game where Jamelle Cornley really struggled.  He committed three travelling violations in the first three minutes, and seemed to get so frustrated early on that he had trouble settling in, even as the team found their groove.  He ended with just 6, but the role players more than stepped up.

Danny Morrissey was out today with a knee injury, and I hate to say it, but this team might be better off without him.  He’s struggled even from range this year, and his defense is just atrocious.  Chris Babb got 16 minutes in his absence, and scored 8 points, including 2 three pointers.  Cammeron Woodyard, though, had an even better game.  He only played 8 minutes, just about all in the first half, but scored 7 points, hit 2 jumpers and 2 free throws, and played good defense too.  Say what you will about DeChellis’s in game coaching, but he can really recruit.  Andrew Jones had 9 rebounds to go along with 4 points, and D.J. Jackson seems to have some confidence back.  He scored another 6 points and hit all 4 of his free throws in 20 minutes, and started for the second straight game.  When these bench players are chipping in a bunch of points, even when they’re just contributing solid minutes, we can win a lot of games.  In this game, the big 3 were awful in the first half, and Cornley really struggled throughout.  But the bench players had their back, and the team picked up a huge win.

The free throw shooting was pretty solid too, and the team hit 21 of 28, that’s 75% from the line. But before missing their final attempt, Minnesota had been perfect, 13 of 13.  I just thought it would have been kinda funny had Minnesota hit all their 3s in the first matchup, and all their FTs in the second.

Where does this game put us in terms of NCAA tournament chances?  Well, the Nittany Lions are still on the outside looking in.  13 games into the Big Ten schedule, we’re sitting at 18-8, and 7-6 within the conference.  You know how many prognosticators would’ve pegged us for 5th in the conference?  Frankly, this season has been a good one regardless of whether PSU gets the bid or not.  That said, we probably need to get to at least 10 conference wins to have a shot.  With 5 games left, that’s 3 that this team has to win.  At Iowa and Indiana are the best chances to pick up wins, and the other three games, at Ohio State and two with Illinois will not be easy.  But if Battle is back, this team, as we’ve seen, can beat anybody.  The crowd was great, especially for a canning weekend.  I regretted making this the first home game I’ve missed all year.

On a really positive note, Talor Battle’s mom, who had to be taken to the hospital last week with what might have been a heart attack, was able to make the trek down to State College and watch her son play in the game today.  I’m sure it did wonders for Talor to have his mom healthy and in the crowd.

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