Jan. 28, 2011
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Jan. 28, 2011 - Penn State encourages all cancer survivors, families, volunteers, organizers and community leaders to "Band Together" to fight cancer Saturday at 4:00 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center when Penn State (11-8; 4-4 Big Ten) takes on No. 15-ranked Wisconsin (15-4; 5-2 Big Ten) and looks to extend a three-game home win streak vs. Big Ten teams that includes two victories over ranked squads.
The game can be seen live on the Big Ten Network and heard live on the Penn State Sports Network, 1450 AM locally, and on Sirius channel 121 and XM radio channel 141.
It is a big day for Coaches Vs. Cancer both locally and nationally. Penn State will welcome all cancer survivors and their families and friends with up to four free tickets each for the game (while supplies last) vs. the No. 17 ranked Badgers. Survivors are asked to please contact Nathan Leopard (Nathan.Leopard@cancer.org, 814-234-1023) of the American Cancer Society (ACS) to make ticket arrangements.
Penn State Athletics will donate $3 from every ticket sold to the game to Penn State Coaches vs. Cancer and encourages all fans in attendance to don a "Band Together" headband as the community unites in the fight against cancer. Penn State coach Ed DeChellis, his staff, Nittany Lion players, chearleaders, dance team, band and everyone involved in the game will be sporting white "Band Together" headbands in a symbolic uniting of will to defeat the disease which has affected so many.
Fans can get their $2 "Band Together" headband at any Jordan Center gate on game day. All proceeds from the sale of "Band Together" headbands will go directly to Penn State Coaches Vs. Cancer and its local distribution arm the Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund (BCAF). Penn State CVC has contributed over $120,000 to BCAF in the past three years and BCAF has distributed more than $260,000 locally in the last three years to help those affected by cancer in the Centre Region. There will also be a silent auction on the concourse featuring signed memorabilia from Penn State and regional sports greats and a moving halftime ceremony highlighting survivors and the many volunteer groups in the Centre Region who have taken on the fight against cancer.
Nationally head coaches and their staffs will be showing their support of the CVC cause by donning sneakers with their suits for games this weekend.
Penn State will look to post a fourth-straight home victory vs. a Big Ten team for the first time since going 9-0 vs. Big Ten teams at home in the 1996 season, the first in the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State will bring a hot streak into the game having shot better than 50 percent in its last three games and will look to make it four-straight in the Big Ten for the first time ever.
Talor Battle has scored in double-digits in 16-straight games vs. Top 25 foes and is averaging 18.2 ppg in those outings. He brings the Big Ten's second-best scoring average into Saturday posting 20.3 ppg. He has been getting big help from fellow senior Jeff Brooks who is coming off a 22-point outing in a win over Iowa and ranks in the top six of the Big Ten in scoring (16.3 ppg), rebounding (7.6 rpg), blocks (2.13 bpg), field goal percentage (62.2%) and three-point percentage (57.1%) in conference games.
Wisconsin leads the nation in free throw shooting (81.9%) and fewest turnovers per game (7.8) and ranks third in scoring defense (56.0 ppg). They bring a three-game win streak into Saturday after taking the week off following a 78-46 dismantling of Northwestern in Evanston last Saturday. The Badgers are 15-4 on the year and 5-2 in the Big Ten and are one of two teams nationally to not have allowed any opponent to have scored more than 70 points on the year. Forward Jon Leuer leads the way posting 19.2 ppg and grabbing 6.9 rpg. Guard Jordan Taylor averages 17.4 ppg on the year and over 20 in Big Ten play. Four starters have more than 20 threes and the 6-10 Leuer and 6-8 Keaton Nankivil both shoot better than 47 percent from the arc.
Wisconsin leads the series 25-8 and has won the last 12 meetings including 63-46 victory in State College last year and an escape of a near upset in Madison coming from 16 points down with 11 minutes to play to pull out a 79-71 victory in overtime. Talor Battle had 28 points in that game. Penn State's last victory in the series came, 58-57, in the BJC in 2003.
Nittany Lion Basketball single-game tickets can be purchased by calling the ticket office at 814-865-5555, visiting GoPSUsports.com or through Ticketmaster. Single-game tickets are $18 for the lower bowl and $15 for upper level tickets for adults. Youth tickets (18 and under) are $7 for the lower bowl and $5 for upper level seating, while Penn State student tickets (University Park or branch campus) are $5 for each of the 19 home contests.
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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