Dec. 21, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; DEC. 21, 2011 - Penn State will head to the holidays riding a two-game win streak after shooting 7-of-14 from three in the second half to dispatch a determined Cornell (4-6) team, 74-67, Wednesday at the Bryce Jordan Center.
The Nittany Lions (8-5) turned in their second-straight 44-point second half to turn a one-point halftime deficit, 31-30, into their eighth non-conference win of the season, surpassing the 7-4 pre-Big Ten mark of last year's NCAA Tournament team. Junior guard Tim Frazier (Houston, Texas) once again led the way with his fourth double-double of the season. The 6-1 point-guard equaled a career high with 11 rebounds to go with his team-high 17 points and six assists.
The Lions got a season-high equaling 30 points off their bench, led by 13 points from freshman Trey Lewis (Garfield Heights, Ohio) who hit a career-best 4-of-6 from three. Cammeron Woodyard (Westminster, Md.) went 3-of-3 from long range, all in the second half, for 13 points and Jermaine Marshall (Etters, Pa.) added 12 points for his sixth-straight double-digit outing.
Cornell led for most of the first half and stayed close through the second, tying the game at 64 with 1:54 to play, behind 20 points on 6-of-11 from three from senior guard Drew Ferry. Ferry entered the game ranked No. 2 in the nation hitting four threes per game. Forward Shonn Miller added a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds for a Cornell team that was held to 38 percent shooting, but went 16-of-17 at the foul line.
Penn State won the rebounding battle, 40-33, for the 11th time on the season and posted its sixth 70-point game, surpassing its total of five last year. The Lions got to the foul line 30 times, making 22, and committed just two second-half turnovers, after 10 in the first half, to help overcome 11 Cornell threes.
Cornell held a 37-34 lead with under 17 minutes to play when the Lions went on a 9-0 run to seize the lead. Four different players scored in the run, including Billy Oliver (Chatham, N.J.) who hit one of his three treys in the game for nine points. When Frazier converted a pair of free throws with 14:07 to go, Penn State led 43-37.
Penn State built the lead to as much as seven before Cornell used a 7-0 run to knot the game at 49 with 9:53 to play. Woodyard answered with back-to-back threes and Penn State led, 55-51, with 7:29 to play.
Cornell scored the next four points, the last two on a tip-in from Dave LaMore, to tie the game at 55. Frazier hit a free throw and Woodyard buried his third three to give the Lions a 59-55 lead. Ferry drained one of his six threes, but Oliver answered 14 seconds later from long range and Penn State clung to a 62-58 lead with five minutes to play.
Ferry struck again from long range to get Cornell within two and Chris Wroblewski hit his second three of the game to tie the game at 64 with 1:54 to go. Marshall, who scored eight points in the first half, would get all four of his second half points in the next minute as he drew a foul and hit two at the foul line and then converted a driving lay-up after a Nittany Lion timeout to put the Lions up 68-64 with 35 seconds to play.
Woodyard hit four-straight at the foul line down the stretch to stave of Ferry's final three of the game with 22 seconds left and Frazier iced the game with two at the charity stripe after a Lewis steal.
Penn State trailed by one, 31-30, at the half after hitting just 31 percent and committing 10 turnovers. Cornell opened the game red-hot before Penn State's defense cooled the Big Red to 33 percent shooting in the half.
Cornell hit its first four from three and five straight from the field to leap to a 12-5 lead. A pair of threes from Lewis had the Lions down 14-11.
Cornell pushed its lead to eight, 21-13, following a pair of free throws from Miller. Penn State used a 5-0 run to get within three, 21-18, following put-back from Matt Glover (Orange, Calif.). The Lions employed a 1-2-2 press that increased the tempo and forced Cornell turnovers.
Cornell led 26-21 late in the half when the Lions strung together a 7-0 run to take a 28-26 lead, its first since 5-3, following a Frazier runner off the glass. Frazier and Marshall, who had a team-high eight first-half points, did all the scoring in the run.
A Ferry three gave Cornell a 31-28 lead before Frazier closed the first half scoring with a pair at the foul line.
The Nittany Lions will take a break for the Holidays before returning to State College on Dec. 26. Penn State will open its 20th Big Ten season on Dec. 29 at No. 20-ranked Michigan. That game will tip at 7:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
All of Penn State's games can be heard live on the Penn State Sports Network throughout Pennsylvania with Steve Jones and Dick Jerardi calling the action. "The Penn State Basketball Show" featuring Nittany Lion coach Patrick Chambers and Steve Jones airs each Thursday live from Damon's Grill in State College. Fans are encouraged to attend the live broadcast or call in their questions for the coach at 1-800-52LIONS.
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.
-NITTANY LIONS-
Penn State vs. Cornell Game Notes
• Penn State out-rebounded Cornell 40-33, marking the 3rd time this year that Penn State has pulled down 40 or more boards in a game and the 11th in which it has out-rebounded an opponent.
• Penn State held Cornell to a near season-low 37.75 from the field just missing 37.5% shot by Cornell against Buffalo and Delaware, respectively.
• Tim Frazier recorded his 4th double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 boards. Frazier equaled his career high rebound total, posting 11 for the second time on the season.
• Trey Lewis made a career-high four three-pointers, topping his previous high of three vs. Hartford and Youngstown State, respectively.
• Lewis finished with 13 points for his 3rd double-digit game of the season, 1st since the Youngstown State game.
• Jermaine Marshall scored 12 points giving him double-digit points in six-straight games and total of seven double-digit games this season.
• Marshall also tied a career-high with 11 free-throw attempts, making 8. Marshall went 6-8 from the line in the 1st half.
• Tim Frazier attempted 13 free throws, giving him his 4th game this year with 10 or more free throw attempts.
• Frazier also dished out 6 assists, giving him at least 5 assists in 12 of 13 games this season. He has 338 career assists, 12 shy of 10th all-time at Penn State.
• Marshall recorded a career-high 3 blocks.
• Matt Glover had a season-high 3 steals. His previous high was 2 vs. Hartford.
• Penn State recorded a season-high 5 blocks, all in the first half.
• Penn State drew 14 Cornell fouls in the 1st half and 29 overall. 29 fouls is the most that the Big Red have committed in a game this season.
• The Nittany Lions attempted 30 free throws, the most this season since attempting 31 vs. Youngstown State.
• The Lions made a season-high 22 free throws, topping the 19 made vs. Youngstown State.
• Penn State caused 16 Cornell turnovers, giving the Nittany Lions 6 games where they have forced 15 or more turnovers.