March 30, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., March 30, 2009 - The "Big Apple" will be the site and "The "World's Most Famous Arena" the location Tuesday when two traditional rivals clash in the National Invitation Tournament semifinals in New York City. Penn State (25-11), coming off an impressive 71-62 win at Florida last week that equaled the program record for wins in a season, will look to reach its second NIT final when the Lions take on Notre Dame (21-14), fresh off a 77-67 demolition of Kentucky, in Tuesday night's second NIT semifinal schedule for an approximate tip at 9:00 p.m. on ESPN2. Baylor and San Diego State will square off in the first semifinal at 7:00 p.m.
All Penn State fans in attendance are encouraged to wear white. A pre-game "Penn State Rally In The Garden" will be held at the Madison Square Garden Theatre Lobby at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and all entrants must have a ticket to the game.
Penn State will be making its fifth NIT semifinal appearance at the 19,786-seat Madison Square Garden. The Lions have advanced to the finals once, doing so in 1998. Penn State and Notre Dame will be meeting for just the fourth time ever and the third-straight time in the post-season. The two teams clashed in Penn State's last trip to the NIT semifinals in 2000 with the Irish taking a 73-52 victory. Penn State holds a 2-1 edge in the series, having knocked off the Irish in the 1954 NCAA Tournament on its way to the Final Four.
Jamelle Cornley (Columbus, Ohio) had an extraordinary game in Penn State's victory at Florida posting 23 points and 12 rebounds despite playing with a heavily bandaged left shoulder to protect a partial dislocation suffered in the Lions' first round victory over George Mason. Cornley is averaging 21.6 ppg and 8.3 rpg in his last three complete games. Meanwhile, sophomore David Jackson (Farrell, Pa.) has stepped up his game in the post-season posting 9.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg, including a season-high 14 at Florida.
Standout sophomore point-guard Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) will be playing his first game in the state of New York since leading Bishop Maginn High School to the Class AA state title game in 2007. Battle, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, led the conference in scoring (17.3 ppg) and was second in assists (4.9 apg). Battle has been leading an unleashed Lion offense that is averaging 77 ppg in the NIT and seen Penn State shoot season-bests of 88 percent and 91 percent from the foul line in their last two games.
Notre Dame is making its sixth trip to the Garden for the NIT semifinals, but will be playing its fourth game in the arena this season. The Irish have reached the NIT final on four occasions. Notre Dame has won seven of its last 10 games after a mid-season losing skid of seven-straight dashed its NCAA Tournament hopes.
Notre Dame went 8-10 in the Big East, which is sending two teams to next weekend's NCAA Final Four. The Irish are led by 6-8, 255-pound forward Luke Harangody, a first-team All-Big East pick, who is averaging 23.5 ppg and 11.8 rpg and had 24 double-doubles in his junior season. Senior sniper Kyle McAlarney is posting 15.1 ppg and has set a Notre Dame single-season record with 123 three-pointers on the year. The Irish have four players averaging in double-figures and are posting 76 ppg on the season.
Tuesday night's winner will face the winner of the Baylor vs. San Diego State game at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 2 in the Garden.