Nov. 30, 2011
CHESTNUT HILL, MASS., NOV. 30, 2011 - Penn State (6-2) downed Boston College (2-5), 62-54, Wednesday night in Chestnut Hill, Mass. behind 22 points each from Tim Frazier (Houston, Texas) and Jermaine Marshall (Etters, Pa.). The Nittany Lions claimed their fourth victory in their last five Big Ten/ACC Challenge contests and their third-straight victory in a Challenge road game.
Frazier scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half to lead the Lions back from a 29-26 halftime deficit. Marshall scored 15 of his career-best 22 points in the first half, to keep a cold shooting Penn State team close, and added a career-high eight rebounds on the night.
Boston College got 15 points from Matt Humphrey in a game that saw 45 foul calls and 42 combined free throw attempts. Penn State shot just 38.9 percent in the game, but pulled out the win with good defense causing 18 B.C. turnovers while utilizing a 1-2-2 press. B.C. shot just 36.4 percent in the game, 27 percent in the second half, and went nine minutes without a field goal down the stretch.
Penn State previously won games vs. Virginia Tech (2007), at Georgia Tech (2008) and at Virginia (2009) in its last five Challenge games. The Lions, who fell to Maryland in last year's challenge, improved to 5-6 in Challenge games overall and 6-6 all-time vs. Boston College.
Penn State went small starting a line-up of guards Frazier, Trey Lewis and Matt Glover and forwards Ross Travis and Billy Oliver. Redshirt freshman forward Jon Graham did not play as he was diagnosed with mononucleosis on Tuesday and will likely miss several weeks.
Penn State once again struggled out of the gate hitting one of its first nine shot attempts as B.C. built a 12-4 lead. The Lions used a 1-2-2 press to pick up the tempo and cause B.C. turnovers. The press helped generate a 10-0 Lion run that put Penn State up 14-12 after a Marshall three with 12:08 to go. It would be the first of three Marshall treys in the half as the redshirt sophomore went 3-of-4 from behind the arc and 6-of-9 from the floor for 15 first half points to pace the Lions.
Marshall scored the Lions' last 10 points of the first half and 13 of their last 15 as several Lions shuttled in and out of the line-up with foul trouble. Frazier, Billy Oliver, Matt Glover and Ross Travis all picked up two first half fouls as Penn State committed 11 in the half. That created a 5-0 scoring edge for B.C. at the line as they shot nine free throws to the Lions' two.
Penn State shot just 36.7 percent in the first half to B.C.'s 45.5 percent, but helped create nine first half Eagle turnovers and got the big scoring contribution from Marshall to stay close.
Frazier, Oliver and Glover all picked up their fourth foul in the second half, but didn't foul out as Penn State coach Patrick Chambers masterfully employed situational substitutions. Penn State hit 13-of-18 at the foul line in the second half while B.C. went 9-of-13.
Trailing 45-42 after a Humphrey three with 9:43 to play, Penn State used an 11-4 run spurred by five points from Frazier and four from Marshall to take a 53-49 lead with 6:20 left. When Frazier hit a three with 7:01 left, the Lions never trailed again as B.C. scored its next six points over nine minutes all at the foul line and didn't make another field goal until John Cahill hit a three with 21 seconds left that cut a nine-point Lion lead to six.
Penn State returns to the Jordan Center Sunday to face Mississippi in a 6:00 p.m. tip. Ole Miss posted an 84-71 victory last year in Oxford in the first-ever meeting between the schools.
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. 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.
Nittany Lion Basketball single-game tickets or group tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-NITTANY, 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. Penn State also offers special basketball group ticket rates for groups of 15 fans or more. Nittany Lion group rates are $10 for adults and $5 for youth.
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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