Feb. 5, 2011
Fans to receive Talor Battle Photo Basketballs while supplies last
Watch the Next Game Primer Video Scouting Report of Michigan
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Feb. 5, 2011 - Penn State (12-9; 5-5 Big Ten) will put its four-game Big Ten home winning streak, the program's longest in 15 years, on the line on "Super Bowl Sunday" as the Nittany Lions take on Michigan (13-10; 3-7 Big Ten) in a noon tip on the Big Ten Network.
Penn State will welcome fans with Talor Battle Photo Basketballs while supplies last and standout Nittany Lion football players Derek Moye, Mike Mauti, Nate Stupar, Devon Smith, Chima Okoli, and D'Anton Lynn will be signing autographs on the concourse prior to game time. Fan favorite Red Panda, a unicycle juggling act, will perform at halftime and it is a Subway Full Court Four Pack game.
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 122 and XM radio channel 143.
Penn State has a history of success on Super Bowl weekend having knocked of three top 10 ranked team under Ed DeChellis during the weekend, including victories at No. 6 Illinois (2006), vs. No. 7 Michigan State (2008) and at No. 9 Michigan State (2009 on Super Bowl Sunday). Talor Battle has been big on the weekend as well posting 29 points in the victory at Michigan State in 2009 and averaging 22 ppg in three career games on Super Bowl weekend.
Penn State has defeated No. 18 Michigan State, No. 16 Illinois, Iowa and No. 15 Wisconsin in its last four home games. Battle enters Sunday as the reigning Big Ten Co-Player of the Week. He shared the honor with his opponent on Sunday, Michigan's Darius Morris. Battle was also named to the Midseason First-Team All-Big Ten team by the BigTenNetwork.com and the Chicago Sun times this week.
Battle needs 15 points Sunday to surpass Joe Crispin (1,050) as the Lions' all-time leading scorer in Big Ten games and stands 41 points from surpassing Crispin (1,986) for second all-time on Penn State's career scoring charts. Battle moved into third all-time in career assists at Penn State (486) with four in the Lions' loss at Illinois on Tuesday.
The Wolverines are coming off a 62-53 loss at No. 1 Ohio State on Thursday, a game in which Tim Hardaway, Jr. led the way with 15 points, and bring a 13-10 overall and 3-7 Big Ten mark into Sunday. Michigan snapped a six-game losing skid with a pair of wins at Michigan State (61-57) and vs. Iowa (87-73) last week. Darius Morris leads the way with 15.3 ppg and 7.0 apg. Hardaway averages 11.9 ppg. Michigan ranks 10th in the Big Ten in scoring (63.3 ppg) in conference games, but is first in threes (9.1 per game).
The Wolverines posted a 76-69 victory in Ann Arbor on Jan. 2 of this year, the second of two road games to open the Big Ten season for Penn State. Battle logged 31 points and Jeff Brooks had 16 in that game which the Lions led 36-31 at the half. Brooks is day-to-day for Sunday's game after suffering a dislocated right shoulder Tuesday in Champaign. Darius Morris posted 20 for Michigan in Ann Arbor as the Wolverines which shot 57 percent in the game. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 24-11. The teams have split the last six meetings. Penn State has won two of the last three in State College and is 6-9 all-time at the BJC. Michigan posted a 64-55 victory in State College last year in a game Penn State led 31-16 at the half as Michigan missed its first 14 threes.
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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