March 1, 2008
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; March 1, 2008 - Freshman Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) was spectacular in a career night and senior Mike Walker (Lewisberry, Pa.) shot in 15 points as the pair combined for 12 three-pointers and 43 points to fuel the Nittany Lion basketball team (14-14, 6-10) to its fourth-straight Big Ten home victory with a 69-61 win over Michigan (9-20, 5-12) Saturday night in the Jordan Center.
Battle led the Lions with his first career double-double and career highs in points (28), rebounds (13) and assists (6). Battle was redhot hitting 10-of-13 (77 percent) from the floor and 7-of-9 from three for his 10th double-figure outing in Big Ten play.
"I thought Talor played with a lot of confidence," Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. "I was real concerned coming in because he did not do as well in the last two games. I thought he might hit the wall as some freshmen do, but tonight he came out with a lot of energy and he was rebounding well and shooting pretty well at practice today. I thought he played well."
Walker hit a season high 5-of-8 from three for all 15 of his points and his 24th career game with three or more threes. He moved into a tie with Tom Hovasse for sixth all-time with 172 career threes.
Penn State won four straight Big Ten home games for the first time since 1995-96 and recorded its 12th home win of the season, which ties for the second best mark ever in the Jordan Center. Penn State ended an 11-game skid against Michigan defeating the Wolverines for the first time since the 2001 Big Ten Tournament and maintained sole possession of seventh place in the Big Ten. The Lions sixth Big Ten win equaled the most ever under Ed DeChellis and kept Penn State on pace for their best Big Ten finish since finishing sixth in 2001.
Penn State busted the game wide open mid-way through the second half. Trailing 49-47 at the 9:49 mark, Walker and Battle became nearly unconscious from beyond the three-point line. The two tallied six consecutive three-pointers (three from Walker and two from Battle) on an 18-3 scoring blitz, handing Penn State a 65-52 lead with 3:46 to play in the contest. From there, Michigan rallied to close within six, 67-61, but Penn State managed to closeout the Wolverines with a 22-12 scoring run covering the last 8:21 of the game.
It was a battle of a pair of the Big Ten's elite freshman in the Jordan Center on Saturday night as Michigan standout rookie Manny Harris scored 29 points, including five three-pointers to lead the Wolverine attack.
Penn State shot 49 percent from the floor, its highest mark since hitting 50 percent in a loss to Minnesota on Jan. 12, while Michigan managed just 35 percent from the field for the game. The Nittany Lions also won the rebounding battle 37-31 to overcome a season high 20 turnovers on the game.
On senior recognition night, Walker was big, Brandon Hassell (Farmersville, Ohio) scored two critical points on a steal and a breakaway dunk. Hassell also had four rebounds, a big block and a steal. Geary Claxton (West Haven Conn.), who had his season ended with an ACL injury on Jan 15 and ranks among the greatest players ever at Penn State, was also recognized prior to the game.
Walker and Battle were the only two Lions to register a made three-pointer on the night, as Penn State made 12 of its 22 attempts (54.5 percent) from beyond the arc.
Battle scored eight points in the first 5:29 of the game to fuel an early 7-0 scoring spurt for the Nittany Lions. Jamelle Cornley (Columbus, Ohio) knocked down a jumper with 14:05 left in the first half to give Penn State a 13-8 lead. The junior then picked up a pair of fouls, including a technical for arguing an offensive foul call, and did not return for the remaining 14 minutes of the first half.
Harris caught fire from beyond the three-point arc early in the contest, nailing a trio of three-pointers in the first seven minutes. The last of which cut the Lion lead to 13-12.
After exchanging a series of baskets, Andrew Jones (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored four points on three possessions to give Penn State a 22-16 edge at the 8:50 mark in the first half. Michigan countered with a Kevin Grady three-pointer from the right wing. On the ensuing Penn State possession, Battle drilled his fourth three-pointer of the half to set the score at 25-19 with 7:58 to play in the initial half.
The Nittany Lions extended their lead to nine points (28-19) at the 5:54 mark after Morrissey nailed three free throws after he was fouled in a loose-ball scuffle for a defensive rebound and Michigan picked up a technical foul.
Nevertheless, Michigan answered with nine straight points, including a pair of baskets by Zack Gibson, to tie the game at 28 with 4:24 to play. Battle came right back on the next Nittany Lion offensive possession with his fourth three-pointer of the half to break the tie, 31-28.
The Nittany Lions closed out the half with a 9-1 run covering the last 4:14 on the clock to take a 37-29 lead into the break. Walker capped the run with his second three-pointer on the night. Battle had 15 first half points.
After Cornley made a free throw and Battle knocked down a floater in the lane, handing the Lions a 40-29 lead just over one minute into the second half, the Wolverines went on an 11-1 run to shave the Penn State lead to just 41-40 with 16:18 to play in the contest. Kelvin Grady ignited the scoring spree with back-to-back three-pointers.
Michigan then dropped into a 1-3-1 half-court trap for the first time in the game. It proved to be effective as it forced a series of Penn State turnovers. Despite the change of pace on the defensive end, Penn State took a 45-42 lead after Battle glided to the bucket for an easy lay-in.
After a basket from Cornley, the Lions led 47-42 with 12:23 to play. However, Michigan scored the next seven points of the contest to take a 49-47 lead, marking its first lead since the 15:49 mark in the first half.
The Michigan lead was short-lived, as Walker and Battle caught fire from three-point range. The two combined for a 15-0 run on five-straight three-pointers. Walker drained a deep three-pointer on the left wing to get the rally started. Battle then pulled up for a transition three-pointer from the right side of the court to set the score at 53-49 with the clock reading 7:49.
The Lions were not done. Hassell skied for a powerful block on a Harris lay-up attempt, setting up Battle's sixth three-pointer of the night. On the next Penn State possession, Walker knocked down a 25-foot three to extend the Nittany Lion lead 59-49 with 6:14 to play and the Jordan Center rocking. Penn State took a 62-49 lead on yet another Walker three-pointer.
After Ekpe Udoh made a Michigan free throw and Harris nailed a floater in the lane, Battle made it six-consecutive long-range bombs, setting the score at 65-52 with the clock reading 3:46.
Michigan rallied back with six straight Harris points to pull within 65-58 with 2:20 to play. The Wolverines forced a Penn State turnover and looked to draw even closer, but Hassell poked away a steal at the top of the key and streaked to the other end for a two-handed dunk that put Penn State up by nine, 67-58 with 1:35 to play. A Morrissey lay-up with 30 seconds to play sealed the 69-61 victory.
Penn State will play its last road game of the season Wednesday when it travels to Wisconsin to take on the Badgers in the Kohl Center. The game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network at 9 p.m.
-NITTANY LIONS-