Nittany Lions Open Season With Lehigh FridayNittany Lions Open Season With Lehigh Friday

Nittany Lions Open Season With Lehigh Friday

Nov. 11, 2010

GAME NOTES VS LEHIGH

Watch the Next Game Primer Video Scouting Report with Assistant Coach Lewis Preston

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Nov. 11, 2010 - The Nittany Lion basketball team will open its 115th season of competition and eighth under head coach Ed DeChellis Friday, Nov. 12 when it takes on defending Patriot League champion Lehigh in a 7:30 p.m. tip at the Bryce Jordan Center.

The game will be shown on the BigTenNetwork.com (webstream) with former Nittany Lion Glenn Sekunda providing analysis. The game can be heard live on the Penn State Sports Network (1450 AM locally) with Steve Jones and former Nittany Lion Brian Allen. The first of four-straight home games to open the season, "Opening Night" at the Bryce Jordan Center will have free admission for all Penn State freshmen and a $5 concession stand voucher for all student season ticket holders.

Penn State will look to claim its sixth-straight season opening win. Penn State has won its last five season openers by an average of 13.5 ppg. The Nittany Lions are 84-30 overall in season-openers and 5-2 under DeChellis.

Penn State senior Talor Battle enters the game with 1,526 career points, good for seventh all-time, and needs 17 to pass former teammate Geary Claxton (1,542) for sixth all-time on the career charts. He also needs two assists to pass Ben Luber (418) for seventh on the all-time assists charts. Battle enters his final campaign as the top returning scorer in the Big Ten after posting 18.5 ppg last season. He will be joined by fellow senior starters David Jackson (9.5 ppg), Jeff Brooks (7.4 ppg) and Andrew Jones (6.0 ppg). Sophomore Tim Frazier, who started 10 games last year, is expected to join the four seniors in the starting line-up.

The Nittany Lions and Mountain Hawks will be meeting for the 42nd time with Penn State holding a 30-11 series lead and having won the last eight meetings and 17 of the last 19. Lehigh's last series victory came with a 79-72 decision in Bethlehem in 1987.

Lehigh is coming off a stellar 22-11 campaign in which it claimed the Patriot League title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament where the Mountain Hawks fell to No. 1 seed Kansas in the first round. Sophomore guard CJ McCollum (6-3) claimed Patriot League Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors last season as he led Lehigh scoring 19.1 ppg and was the highest scoring freshman in the nation. Fellow 6-9 sophomore Gabe Knutson also returns after posting 9.5 ppg and 5.6 rpg.

Nittany Lion Basketball season tickets are available by calling 814-865-5555. Season tickets are $220 for adults, $190 for seniors for a 19-game home schedule and $59 for students. PNC Flex Books are also available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game and the Lady Lions' Think Pink game.

For all the latest information, notes, pictures and related links on Penn State basketball follow Assistant Athletic Communications Director Brian Siegrist on Twitter (@PSUSTRETCH) and check GoPSUsports.com. The Nittany Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatebasketball.

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