Dec. 11, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Dec. 11, 2009 - The Nittany Lion basketball team will look to extend its home winning streak to 10 games and post its fourth straight victory over an ACC opponent Saturday night when Penn State (6-3) takes on Virginia Tech (7-1) in a 7:00 p.m. tip live on ESPN2.
Saturday will be a Whitehouse Game at the Jordan Center with fans encouraged to wear white and receiving a white blinking shaker at the door. It will also be "Pittsburgh Pirates Night" at the Jordan Center with pre-game appearances by Pirates pitcher Ross Ohlendorf, who will sign autographs on the concourse from 6-7 p.m., and the Pirate Parrot. Pirates prizes include: autographed jerseys from Ryan Doumit, Lastings Milledge and Matt Capps and autographed baseballs from Andrew McCutchen and Paul Maholm. Fans can participate just by "entering to win" at the Pirates table on the concourse.
Penn State equaled its longest home win streak in seven seasons under coach Ed DeChellis on Tuesday as it downed UMBC, 58-42, for its ninth-straight victory in the Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions were led by junior Jeff Brooks (Louisville, Pa.) who scored 14 points in the game and earned ESPN Sportcenter's No. 1 Play of the Day with a spectacular flying, reverse-jam put-pack early in the second half.
Penn State has won its last three games vs. ACC opponents winning at Virginia and at Georgia Tech and downing Virginia Tech (66-61) as part of the 2007 Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Hokies return standout forward Jeff Allen who had 18 points in the 2007 game. Allen is averaging 13.1 ppg and 8.4 rpg this season to complement the scoring of junior guard Malcolm Delaney who leads Virginia Tech with 20.9 ppg.
Penn State is led by All-Big Ten point guard Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) who is scoring 17.3 ppg coming into Saturday. Saturday's game will be the first of four of the next six Nittany Lion games aired nationally on one of the ESPN networks. The Lions have won seven of their last eight appearances on an ESPN network and are 11-2 on the network the last two seasons.
Penn State season basketball tickets, PNC Bank Flex Book plans (10 tickets to use at any game for $99) or single game tickets can be purchased by visiting GoPSUsports.com, Ticketmaster or calling 814-865-5555. Single-game tickets for Nittany Lion games are $18 for lower bowl seating, $15 for upper bowl seating and $7/$5 for youth. Penn State also offers special group ticket rates (15 fans or more) of $10 for adults.
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