Feb. 10, 2012
COACHES VS. CANCER "BAND TOGETHER" DAY, SAT., FEB. 11 VS. NEBRASKA
• $3 FROM EVERY TICKET GOES TO CVC
• $3 RALLY TOWELS AT THE DOOR - SUPPORT CVC
• SILENT AUCTION ON THE CONCOURSE - INCLUDING BASKETBALL SIGNED BY JOE PATERNO, MIKE KRZYZEWSKI AND Patrick Chambers
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Penn State Basketball Show Live Thursdays from Damon's Grill
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., FEB. 10, 2012 - One of the most anticipated events of the season returns to the Bryce Jordan Center Saturday when Penn State (10-15; 2-10 Big Ten) takes on Nebraska (11-12; 3-9 Big Ten) on Coaches vs. Cancer "Band Together" Day.
More than 11,000 tickets have already been sold for the 1:00 p.m. tip live on ESPNU. Penn State is donating $3 from every single game ticket sold to the game and fans can purchase $3 "Band Together" Rally Towels at any BJC gate to support Coaches vs. Cancer. There will be a silent auction of sports memorabilia on the concourse featuring a basketball signed by Joe Paterno, the winningest coach in major college football history, Mike Krzyzewski, the winningest coach in NCAA Division I college basketball history, and first-year Nittany Lion head coach Patrick Chambers.
The Nittany Lions will begin a final regular season stretch that features four of six games at home in the Jordan Center. Penn State will also break out gray alternate-color uniforms for the second time this season. Penn State downed No. 22 Illinois on the first occasion on Jan. 19.
The Lions will hope to build on a couple of strong second half performances in their last two games in which Penn State shot better than 53 percent and hit a combined 12-of-24 from three while posting an average of 41.5 points in the half in road games at Iowa and Michigan State.
Junior guard Tim Frazier stands tied with Northwestern's John Shurna as the leading scorer in Big Ten conference play posting 19.5 ppg. Sophomore Jermaine Marshall brings a string of four-straight double-figure scoring games into the contest and is averaging 13.0 ppg over that stretch.
Nebraska brings a three-game losing streak into the weekend. The Huskers, who are led by 15.3 ppg from guard Bo Spencer, dropped a 63-46 decision to Michigan in Lincoln their last time out. The Huskers posted a 70-58 victory over Penn State in Lincoln in the first meeting this year.
Penn State will return to the Bryce Jordan Center on Thursday for an 8:00 p.m. tip vs. Iowa on the Big Ten Network.
PENN STATE (10-15; 2-10 Big Ten) vs. NEBRASKA (11-12; 3-9 Big Ten)
SATURDAY, FEB. 11, 2012 @ 1:00 P.M. (ET)
BRYCE JORDAN CENTER (15,261) • UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.
GAME INFO
TELEVISION: ESPNU: Mark Brown & Tim McCormick
RADIO: Penn State Sports Network
Local: 1450 AM; Sirius: CH 113; XM; CH 193
Steve Jones (p-by-p) & Dick Jerardi (analyst)
LIVE STATS & AUDIO:
COACHES:
PENN STATE: Patrick Chambers - 10-15 (1st at PSU); 52-43 (3rd Overall)
NEBRASKA: Doc Sadler - 100-83 (7th at NU); 148-101 (8th Overall)
RPI: Penn State: #137; Nebraska: #115
NEXT UP:
Penn State will continue a two-game home-stand Thursday when the Lions face Iowa. Iowa claimed a 77-64 victory in Iowa City 12 days prior to this meeting. The Hawkeyes lead the series 23-12, but the Lions lead 10-6 in State College. The teams have split the last eight meetings, 4-4, each winning four at home. PSU won, 65-51, last year in Iowa's last trip to the BJC and has won the last four in the BJC.
THE GAME:
Penn State returns to the Jordan Center for Coaches vs. Cancer "Band Together" Day Saturday vs. Nebraska. The Lions will look to end a five-game losing skid, the longest of the season, as they begin a final regular season schedule that features four of six games at home. The Huskers claimed a 70-58 victory in Lincoln in January. It will be Nebraska's first trip to State College since a 60-58 Penn State victory in Rec Hall in December of 1981 and their first as a member of the Big Ten. The series is tied at 2-2, with Penn State holding a 1-0 lead in State College.
CVC "BAND TOGETHER" DAY SATURDAY:
The event, which raised more than $27,000 last year for Coaches vs. Cancer-Penn State, is slated for a 1:00 p.m. Saturday tip vs. Nebraska on Feb. 11. It is a bringing together of survivors and their families, fans, Penn State coaches and players and cancer fighting organizations from around the Centre Region. Penn State will donate $3 from every single game ticket sold and fans can purchase $3 "Band Together" Rally Towels at the game as well as participate in a silent auction of sports memorabilia. Penn State invites all cancer survivors and their families to use up to four FREE tickets to the game by contacting Nathan Leopard (Nathan.Leopard@cancer.org, 814-234-1023) of the American Cancer Society (ACS). Coaches vs. Cancer-Penn State has raised nearly $2 million in the last 16 years and now sponsors a year-round schedule of seven events to raise funds and awareness.
SCOUTING NEBRASKA:
The Huskers (11-12) bring a three-game losing skid into Saturday after posting 15 first half points on their way to a 62-46 loss to Michigan in Lincoln on Wednesday. Bo Spencer led NU with 13 points in that game and leads the Huskers on the year with 15.3 ppg and 41 threes. Spencer had 19 vs. the Lions in the first meeting this year while Toney McCray had 13, three above his 10.3 ppg averaged which ranks second on the Huskers. NU is 3-9 in the Big Ten and 1-4 in conference road games, winning 79-73 at Iowa. They also have a home victory over Indiana (70-69). The Huskers rank last in the Big Ten in scoring (61.9 ppg) and 11th in field goal percentage (42.8), but lead the conference shooting 75.8% at the foul line.
LAST TIME VS. NU:
Penn State shot just 29% in the first half and trailed 34-22 at halftime in Lincoln. Penn State collected nine steals and forced 17 Husker turnovers to help play an even, 36-36, second half despite Nebraska shooting 60% in the half and 55% for the game. Penn State mangaged just 33% shooting and 3-of-24 from thee and sent the Huskers to the foul line 29 times where they made 19. Tim Frazier led the Lions with 30 points and six rebounds in 40 minutes, the only Lion in double-figures. Bo Spencer posted 19 to lead four Huskers in double-digits.
FRAZIER FANTASTIC VS. NU:
Tim Frazier posted career highs of 30 points (on 10-of-16 shooting and 9-of-9 at the foul line) and six steals at Nebraska (1/11) while also logging a season-high 40 "Attitude Points" (dives, deflections, offensive boards, charges taken, hustle plays) in 40 minutes of action. It marked just the 77th 30+ point game in 116 years of Penn State basketball as Frazier became the 40th Penn State player to reach the mark. His six steals tied for the 6th best game total in Penn State history and tied for the second most ever by a Lion vs. a Big Ten team.
COLELLA GETS START:
Walk-on Nick Colella made his first career start at Michigan State on Feb. 8 and responded hitting a career-best equaling three treys for nine points in a career-high 37 minutes of action.
FAVORABLE FINISH:
Penn State will finish the regular season with four of its final six games at home where the Lions are shooting and scoring considerably better on the year. After facing five ranked foes in their last six games and playing seven games vs. teams in the top half of the Big Ten in their first 12 conference games, the Lions will play four teams in the bottom half (three at home) in their final six.
FRAZIER APPROACHING FIRST-EVER 500, 150, 50 SEASON AT PSU:
Tim Frazier led Penn State with 23 points and five assists in a loss at Iowa, Feb. 4, and became just the THIRD Lion ever to eclipse 400 points and 150 assists in a season - joining Talor Battle (635 points & 189 assists in 2009) and Joe Crispin (649 points & 178 assists in 2000). Frazier enters the weekend with 457 points, 158 assists (8th all-time) and 53 steals (9th all-time) on the year - just 43 points shy of becoming the FIRST LION EVER to eclipse 500 points, 150 assists and 50 steals in the same year. He needs to reach 520 points (63 more) to become the FIRST LION EVER to post a top 10 season in scoring, assists and steals in the same year. He is currently THIRD among active career assist leaders in the Big Ten with 404 (Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor leads with 422).
GOING GRAY:
Penn State will wear alternate-color gray uniforms for the second time this season Saturday vs. Nebraska. The Lions wore gray for the first time in program history on Jan. 19 at the Jordan Center and promptly posted a 54-52 upset of No. 22/25 Illinois. Penn State students participated in the "Grayout" as over 2,000 filled the Nittany Nation student section wearing gray t-shirts. Penn State When Wearing Gray W 54-52 vs. #22/25 Illinois, Jan. 19, 2012
STRONG IN THE 2ND:
Penn State has shot better than 53% from the floor in the second half of each of its last two games, combining to shoot 53.3%, 12-of-24 from three and average 41.5 points per half in contests at Iowa and at Michigan State.
LAST TIME OUT:
Michigan State 77, Penn State 57, Feb. 8 • East Lansing, Mich.
Penn State started 0-8 from the floor and didn't score until a Nick Colella three at the 12:20 mark, but trailed just 9-3 in East Lansing. PSU remained cold shooting just 21% in the first half as an MSU team that shot just 27% and made 10 turnovers took a 33-19 lead at the half. MSU pushed its lead to 22 points early in the second half before the Lions got hot and shot 77% over the first 13 minutes of the half to close within five, 52-47, with 9:18 to play after scoring 10-straight points and following that with 17-5 run. PSU shot 53% in the half, but MSU hit at a 65% clip and reestablished control holding a double-digit lead over the final 6:30. Tim Frazier posted 19 points and six assists for PSU while Draymond Green had 23 points and 12 boards for MSU which dominated the boards, 44-25.
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.
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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