Jan. 2, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Jan. 3, 2010 - The Nittany Lion basketball team (8-5) will look to open 2010 with a bang Sunday when it takes on No. 23 Wisconsin (11-2) in its Big Ten home opener Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center. The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network and can be heard live on the Penn State Sports Network.
The Nittany Lions have won 12 of their last 14 Big Ten home games and three of their last five games overall vs. ranked opponents. Penn State, 36-8 at home over the last three seasons, will look to end a 10-game losing skid to the Badgers when it returns to the Jordan Center for the first time since shooting better than 53 percent at home in victories on Dec. 19 and Dec. 21.
The Nittany Lions will be led by All-Big Ten point-guard Talor Battle who stands second in the Big Ten averaging 19.1 ppg. Battle has been hot from three hitting 57 percent (12-21) from the arc in his last three games while averaging 20 ppg. The Nittany Lions, who nearly pulled off a victory at Minnesota in their Big Ten debut before falling 75-70, are shooting 49 percent (30-61) as a team from three in their last three games while scoring better than 83 points per game.
Wisconsin is coming off a dominating 65-43 victory over No. 15 Ohio State in Madison in its Big Ten opener. Junior forward Jon Leuer leads the Badgers with 16.5 ppg and 6.2 rpg while senior guard Trevon Hughes is posting 16.4 ppg and 5.0 rpg. The Badgers have won five straight games and have victories over Duke, Marquette, Arizona and Maryland on the season.
Penn State has not defeated the Badgers since a 58-57 victory in the Jordan Center in 2003. Wisconsin claimed a 54-44 victory at the Jordan Center last season and a close, 65-61, win at Madison.
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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