March 7, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., March 7, 2009 - Coming off an emotional last-second win over No. 23 Iowa on Thursday night, the Nittany Lion basketball team (21-9; 10-7 Big Ten) will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes (14-16; 4-13 Big Ten) less than 40 hours after clearing the Jordan Center floor. The two teams will meet at 2:00 p.m. (ET) today in Iowa City. The game will be carried live on the Big Ten Network and can be heard on the Penn State Sports Network.
Penn State's 64-63 victory over No. 23 Illinois on Thursday was the Lion's 21st win of the season equaling the school record for regular season wins. Penn State has posted just the 10th 20-win season in program history and the first since going 21-12 in 2000-01. Senior Stanley Pringle had a phenomenal game on his 22nd birthday Thursday night. Pringle led Penn State with 20 points, his fifth 20-point game of the season, and shot 8-of-11 from the floor and 4-of-4 from three while adding five rebounds and two steals.
Penn State logged its 10th Big Ten win of the season, marking the Lions' most Big Ten wins since going 12-6 in 1995-96. The Big Ten win total is Penn State's second-best ever in Big Ten play. Penn State will look to post a program record fourth Big Ten road win on the year on Saturday, and, with a 5-5 road mark on the year, will look to post their first winning road record on the season since going 5-4 on the road in 1991-92.
The Hawkeyes have lost five of their last six with their one win coming in overtime, 70-60, vs. Michigan in Iowa City. Iowa is 14-16 on the year and 4-13 in the Big Ten, but have a 12-4 home mark knocking off Northwestern, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan at home. They had a last second shot with a chance to beat Ohio State in their last home game before falling 60-58.
They have given up an average of 59.0 ppg in Big Ten home games. Four Hawkeyes average double-figures led by Jake Kelly's 11.3 ppg. Iowa is the lowest scoring team in the Big Ten (60.2 ppg), but also boasts the fourth best scoring defense (58.9 ppg). They rank 10th in rebounding (28.3) and ninth in three-point percentage defense (35.5%).