Jan. 15, 2012
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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; JAN. 15, 2012 - Penn State (9-10; 1-5 Big Ten) struggled through its worst home shooting night of the season and couldn't capitalize on 11 steals and 17 Gopher turnovers as Minnesota (14-5; 2-4 Big Ten) left with an 80-66 victory Sunday afternoon in the Bryce Jordan Center.
Penn State got a career-high 22 points from senior Cammeron Woodyard (Westminster, Md.) and junior Tim Frazier's (Houston, Texas) Big Ten leading ninth 20-point game (20) of the year, but shot just 30 percent for the game and 27 percent in the second half. Minnesota hit 55 percent for the game and 5-of-10 from three, but did the bulk of their damage at the foul line hitting 33-of-44 at the charity stripe. The 33 made free throws marked a Big Ten opponent record against the Lions and the 44 attempts were just one off the record mark.
The teams combined for 52 fouls and 72 free throws. Penn State hit 23-of-28 at the charity stripe, but was just 7-of-24 from three.
Minnesota was led by a career-high 23 points from Joe Coleman, who entered the game averaging 4.5 ppg. Coleman hit 13-of-14 at the foul line and 5-of-8 from the floor. Julian Welch added 15 and Rodney Williams 14 on 8-of-11 at the charity stripe.
"I'm disappointed with our effort and that's on me," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. "I have to do a better job getting these guys ready to play. I feel like we looked like we're in slow motion out there. This just wasn't the same Penn State basketball team that competed against Nebraska, competed against Indiana, competed against Purdue. Maybe I'm asking too much. Maybe I'm getting a little greedy. That's on me. Somehow and some way we have to get back to our roots and our habits."
Penn State led 20-13 with 9:34 to play in the first half after a 10-2 run consisting of a pair of Frazier threes book-ending two buckets by Woodyard, who surpassed his career high in the first half with a team-high 15 points.
Frazier's third three of the half had the Lions up 28-25, but Minnesota out-scored Penn State 8-3 to close out the half and took a 33-31 lead to halftime. Coleman led the way scoring 10 of the Gophers final 12 points in the half to finish with 12 in the half, six at the foul line.
Minnesota used an 11-0 run early in the second half to open up a 44-33 lead with 16:43 to play. During the run, the Lions' Matt Glover drew a flagrant one foul following a defensive rebound. Minnesota hit two free throws and possession of the ball. Coleman hit both at the line and then the Gophers got a dunk from Williams. Austin Hollins capped the run with a three.
Penn State rallied holding the Gophers scoreless for 5 ½ minutes and using an 8-0 run to close the lead to 44-41 following four-straight points from Woodyard, the last after a nice pass from Frazier with 12:10 to play.
Minnesota responded with Coleman lay-up. Jermaine Marshall, who scored all of his 12 points in the second half, missed a three. Williams grabbed the rebound and raced to the other end where freshman Ross Travis was called for an intentional foul on Williams' lay-up attempt. Williams hit two at the line and Hollins buried a three on the ensuing possession and Minnesota led 51-41.
It was just the beginning of an 11-0 Minnesota run that would put the Gophers up 55-41 with 9:33 to play.
Penn State scored eight-straight points at the foul line to climb back within nine, 60-51. After Marshall hit a three and finished a lay-up following Frazier's fourth steal of the game the Lions had the margin to five, 62-57, with 4:10 to go. But, the Lions missed five straight shots from the floor and the Gophers scored seven of their next 15 points at the foul line to rebuild a 16-point lead, 77-61, with 1:01 to play.
Penn State will return to the Jordan Center on Thursday when the Lions take on Illinois in a 9 p.m. tip on ESPN2.
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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GAME NOTES
• Minnesota's 33 made free throws marked a Big Ten opponent record against Penn State, eclipsing the 32 made by Indiana twice, the last time on Jan. 5, 2002. The 44 free throw attempts for the Gophers were one of the Big Ten opponent record of 45 shot by Northwestern in 2003. • • This was Tim Frazier's posted his Big Ten leading ninth 20-point game of the season (20) and 17th double-digit scoring game. • Cammeron Woodyard scored a career-high 22 points and went 8-8 for a career-high on free throws, Woodyard's previous career high was 14 points posted twice this year against Hartford and Mount St. Mary's. • • The Nittany Lions shot 23-28 (82.1%) at the foul line and have now shot above 80 percent in free throws in three games on the year. • • Penn State committed a season-high 29 personal fouls.