Jan. 30, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Jan. 30, 2010 - The Nittany Lion basketball team begins a string of six games against opponents currently ranked in the Top 25 in its final 10 Big Ten games of the season Sunday when it takes on No. 10 Purdue (17-3; 5-3 Big Ten) in West Lafayette, Ind. The game is set for a 3:00 p.m. (ET) tip on the Big Ten Network and can be heard live on the Penn State Sports Network.
Big Ten leading scorer Talor Battle (19.1 ppg) will lead Penn State (8-12; 0-8 Big Ten) which will be looking for its first conference win of the season. Penn State has held substantial leads in four conference games and lost four of its last five in overtime or by six points or less in regulation.
Battle has posted four-straight 20-point games and leads the Big Ten with 10 20-point plus outings on the year. Chris Babb and David Jackson have also posted back-to-back double-digit outings, with Babb coming off a career-high 18 points vs. Illinois on Wednesday.
Purdue has won three straight games including a close 60-57 victory over No. 16 Wisconsin in West Lafayette on Thursday. E'Twaun Moore led the Boilermakers with 20 points in that game and leads the team averaging 17.6 ppg on the year. Junior forward Robbie Hummel puts up 15.9 ppg and 7.3 rpg and reigning Big Ten Player of the Week JaJuan Johnson posts 14.2 ppg and 6.9 rpg.
Purdue has won the last two meetings in the series. Penn State last won in Mackey Arena in 2006.