Dec. 1, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Dec. 1, 2010 -With a large student crowd ready to explode, Penn State jumped out to an early 7-0 lead on Maryland and then put a lid on the basket hitting just 20 percent (14-68) from the floor and 3-of-27 from three (11%) as Maryland (6-2) pulled away in the second half for a 62-39 victory and its fifth-straight ACC/Big Ten Challenge win.
"I thought we got off to a good start," Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said. "I thought we had some flow offensively and made a couple shots. I thought defensively we were doing okay, and then from that point on - from 9 to 13 and then we were stuck on 13 forever. DJ got two quick fouls. Jeff got fouls. At the half time mark, I felt like we were okay. We shot 22 percent and we had two of the guys who play a lot of minutes sitting on the bench and we're down six. I mean I thought we would be okay. I just didn't think we would shoot it that poorly the second half."
The Nittany Lions saw their three game Challenge winning streak snapped and fell to 5-2 on the year as Talor Battle logged his Big Ten leading 34th 20-point game (21) and no other Lion logged more than six on the night. Battle was a below average 7-of-21 from the floor as he tried to create for a struggling Lion offense while the rest of the team went 7-of-47. Penn State pulled down 20 offensive boards and got 68 shots to Maryland's 47, but was only able to record eight second chance points, got just three from its bench and went just 5-of-28 in the second half, four of those from Battle.
Maryland, after struggling early and being held without a field goal for the first 6 ½ minutes, shot 49 percent from the floor and 4-of-9 from three getting a big boost from going 12-of-21 at the line. The Terps, who had 12 turnovers in the first half and 17 for the game, were led by 15 points and 11 rebounds from 6-10 sophomore Jordan Williams. Dino Gregory, Sean Mosley and Terrell Stoglin added 10 each.
Penn State led 7-0 after a dish from Battle and a two-handed jam from Andrew Jones 4 ½ minutes into the game. Jeff Brooks' flying tomahawk dunk had the Lions up 9-2 with 13:46 to play in the half and the Jordan Center roaring.
Maryland responded though going on a 19-6 run of their own in the following 10 minutes. James Padgett hit three timely shots to kill Penn State's momentum after every Nittany Lion basket during the Terrapin hot streak. Padgett's final shot during the run gave the Terps a 17-15 lead, one they would not relinquish.
Penn State went cold hitting 9-40 from the floor in the first half after their quick start. Two early fouls from Brooks and David Jackson sent them to the bench and the Lions played the majority of the half without two of their top three scorers. The Lions used a suffocating defense to remain close though, forcing Maryland to turn over the ball 12 times in the first half.
Penn State was 0-12 from three when Battle managed to hit the lone three of the first half for Penn State with 1:02 left to bring the score to 23-20. Mosley responded quickly for the Terps hitting a three of his own to close the scoring in the first half at 26-20.
The Nittany Lions started promisingly with Battle hitting a three point shot 25 seconds into the second half. Maryland stormed back though with a basket from Gregory, three-point play from Mosley, and an Adrian Bowie lay-up for a 7-0 run. Battle once again managed to snap a six-minute dry spell with a fast break layup and an and-one after being fouled by Gregory at the 11:45 mark.
Battle had all of the Lions 10 points in the second half until Billy Oliver hit a three with 7:54 to play and the Lions trailing by 19.
Maryland used 14-2 run over 3:47 to take that 19-point lead at 49-30. Sloglin's three and three layups by Williams were the deciding blows during the run, which effectively put the game out of reach.
The Nittany Lions 39 points were their lowest total since a 38-33 victory at Illinois in 2008-09 season. Maryland finished the game on a 11-3 run in the final 4:42 behind Gregory's six points to take a 23-point lead, its largest of the game.
The Nittany Lions continue a four-game home stand Saturday, Dec. 4 with a 6:00 p.m. tip against Duquesne on the Big Ten Network.
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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