Nov. 20, 2011
UNCASVILLE, CONN.; Nov. 20, 2011 -Penn State (3-1) will look to rebound from a tough loss at the hands of No. 2-ranked Kentucky on Saturday as they take on South Florida Sunday in a 2:30 p.m. tip in the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-off Tournament at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
The Bulls (3-1) are coming off a 68-66 overtime loss to Old Dominion on Saturday. Kentucky, which reached the 2011 Final Four, handed Penn State an 85-47 loss on Saturday, the Lions' worst since falling by 43 at Illinois in 2004. Penn State hit just 16 percent from the floor in the first half and finished at 26.9 percent, the Lions' worst shooting percentage since hitting 20.6 percent in a loss to Maryland at the Jordan Center last December.
Two newcomers did shine in the game for Penn State as freshman Ross Travis and sophomore transfer Matt Glover had strong second halves to post career highs. Travis ended the game with a career-best 10 points and eight rebounds on the bench while Glover hit his first three three-point attempts of the second half to finish with a career-best nine points.
Entering Sunday, junior guard Tim Frazier, who led Penn State with 11 points vs. Kentucky, ranked fifth in the conference in scoring (18.3), first in assists (8.0) and third in steals (2.5). Frazier posted back-to-back double-doubles, including a career-high 26 points and 10 assists Wednesday vs. LIU.
GAME INFO
TELEVISION: ESPN3.com (on-line); Mike Crispino (p-by-p), Tim Welsh (analyst)
RADIO: Penn State Sports Network Local: 1450 AM; Steve Jones (p-by-p) & Dick Jerardi (analyst)
WEB: Gametracker & Audio at: GoPSUsports.com
COACHES: PENN STATE: Patrick Chambers - 3-1 (1st at PSU); 44-29 (3rd Overall) SOUTH FLORIDA -Stan Heath - 54-78 (5th at USF); 166-155 (11th Overall)
NEXT UP: Penn State will return to the Jordan Center to face Youngstown State on Wed., Nov. 23. The two teams have never met. Penn State is 3-3 all-time vs. Horizon League teams.
GAME VS. SOUTH FLORIDA:
Penn State will take on South Florida Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun in its final game in the Tip-off Tournament. The Bulls fell 68-66 in overtime to Old Dominion on Saturday. USF was led Saturday by 18 points from Augustus Gilchrist and 16 points and seven boards from Victor Rudd, Jr., a transfer from Arizona State. The Bulls are 3-1 to start the season having downed Vermont (61-59), Marist (81-67) and Florida Southern (73-43) all at home. Two players average double-figure points for USF led by the 6-7 Rudd (16.5). The Bulls posted a 10-23 record overall, 3-15 mark in the Big East play last year. Gilchrist, a 6-10 senior, leads all returners having posted 13.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last year.
SOUTH FLORIDA SERIES:
Penn State is 1-3 all-time vs. USF having last faced the Bulls in 1990. Penn State dropped a 60-56 decision at USF in the last meeting and has lost its last two games vs. USF. Penn State's lone victory in the series came with a 63-56 win at Rec Hall in 1982. Penn State is 8-19 all-time vs. Big East teams. The Lions' last meeting with a Big East team came with a 67-59 victory over Notre Dame in the 2009 NIT semifinals.
TRAVIS & GLOVER SHINE IN SECOND HALF VS UK:
Penn State struggled in the game, but saw two newcomers shine in the second half of the Lions' loss to Kentucky on Saturday. Freshman Ross Travis and sophomore transfer Matt Glover scored all of their career high point totals in the second half vs. Kentucky. Glover hit his first three three-point attempts of the second half before finishing 3-of-4 from three for nine points in 21 minutes. Ross Travis hit a pair of threes in the second half on his way to a career-best 10 points and eight rebounds to lead the Lions on the boards.
FRAZIER IN THE BIG TEN RANKINGS:
Junior guard Tim Frazier ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring (18.3), first in assists (8.0) and third in steals (2.5).
3-0 START:
Penn State has posted a 3-0 start for the second-straight year, but for just the fourth time in the last 12 years and eighth since joining the Big Ten conference in 1993. The Lions have reached the post season every year they have started a season 3-0 since joining the Big Ten including 2011 (NCAA), 2009 (NIT title), 2006 (NIT) and 2000 (NIT) since 2000. Penn State began last season with a 4-0 start.
FRAZIER ON FIRE!:
Junior guard Tim Frazier posted back-to-back double-doubles, 20-point games and career-best assist totals in his last two outings and opening the season with a career-high five steals. He is the first PSU player to post back-to-back double-doubles since Geary Claxton posted three straight in January of 2008. Frazier was spectacular in the Lions' win over Long Island posting a career-high 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting and logging a career-best 10 assists for the second-straight game. Frazier went for 20 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals in the Lions previous outing vs. Radford. The 6-1 guard is shooting 51.2 percent (22-43) from the field, 60 percent (3-5) from three and 83.3 percent (15-18) from the foul line while filling his stat line with at least six assists, four rebounds and two steals in every game thus far. He led the team with a career-best five steals in the season-opener helping Penn State to a team total of 15 steals on the day.
Season tickets for Nittany Lion Basketball are $200 for adults, $170 for faculty/staff and seniors, $80 for youth (18 and under) and $59 for students. Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are $117 for adults, $91 for faculty/staff and seniors and $52 for youth. Penn State students will be admitted for free to Lady Lion basketball games beginning this season.
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 on Feb. 11 vs. Nebraska and the Lady Lions' Think Pink game on Feb. 26 vs. Minnesota.
For all the latest information, notes, pictures and related links on Penn State basketball follow Associate 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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