Feb. 11, 2012
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Fans help raise nearly $23,000 to fight cancer
Billy Oliver ends his playing career
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; FEB. 11, 2012 - Tim Frazier (Houston, Texas) posted 23 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and three steals Saturday as the 6-1, guard nearly posted the first triple-double for a Nittany Lion since 1998 in helping Penn State (11-15; 3-10 Big Ten) cruise to a 67-51 victory over Nebraska (11-13; 3-10) in front of a season-high 13,103 fans in the Bryce Jordan Center.
"He's done it all year in ways that, you know, unfortunately we can't even talk about - in the locker room, his work ethic," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said of Frazier who posted his fifth double-double of the season. "I know he can give us more. I know how much better he can get. Which is scary. He's only going to continue to get better, because he's humble and he's hungry. His mom has done a great job with him."
Penn State improved to 3-3 at home in the Big Ten on Coaches vs. Cancer "Band Together" Day in the Jordan Center. Fans helped raise at least $22,801 to fight cancer Saturday, as Penn State donated $3 from every single-game ticket purchased and fans donated $3 for rally towels at the doors. The total also included proceeds from the silent auction on the concourse in which a basketball signed by Joe Paterno, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and Patrick Chambers went for $2,000.
Cammeron Woodyard (Westminster, Md.) added a career-high tying four three-pointers and posted his 10th double-figure scoring game at home on the year with 14 points. Jermaine Marshall (Etters, Pa.) logged his fifth-straight double-figure scoring game with 12 points as the Lions came out hot hitting 58 percent from the floor in the first half and shot 52 percent for the game. Penn State hit a season-high 85.7 percent (12-14) from the foul line and won the rebounding battle, 30-21, while logging 15 points off 11 Nebraska turnovers.
Woodyard made three of the Lions' five first half threes as Penn State shot 62 percent from the three-point arc in the first 20 minutes to take a 36-26 lead at the half.
Nebraska, which shot 39 percent for the game and 6-of-20 from three, was led by 12 points from Dylan Talley who had three of the Huskers' six threes.
Penn State sophomore forward Billy Oliver announced following the game that he is discontinuing his playing career due to on-going symptoms stemming from his history of concussions and migraine headaches. Oliver, in his fourth-year with the program, has applied to graduate in May with a degree in finance, but plans to stay with the team through the year and return with the team next year in a non-playing capacity as he completes a second degree in economics. He will continue on scholarship as an NCAA medical non-counter.
"We've had a really rough couple days," Chambers said. "He's such a great kid with big-time character and I hope someday my son, Ryan, ends up like Billy Oliver. Because, Billy's that type of person; he give you everything he has every single day. He works hard in the classroom. I mean he's just an unbelievable person."
Throughout the first 10 minutes of Saturday's game, the teams traded baskets before Penn State went on a 7-0 run to take an eight-point lead, 25-17, with 6:50 remaining in the first half forcing the Huskers to take a timeout. The run was highlighted by a nice drive and convert in the lane by Marshall and a powerful post move by John Graham.
The timeout didn't slow the Nittany Lions however, as Frazier finished a layup in traffic while getting fouled to cap a 10-0 Lion run. He completed the three-point play at the line and stretched the Nittany Lion lead to 28-17 with 6:02 remaining.
The Cornhuskers tightened the gap to seven after a pair of buckets from Caleb Walker. Penn State used a 1-2-2 trap along with sharpshooting from Woodyard to push the lead back to 33-21 with 3:45 remaining after the senior's third trey of the half.
The Lions took a 36-26 lead to the half after Colella's half-court shot came up just short. Woodyard led the early charge with 11 first half points. Frazier filled the stat sheet with 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
"You can't take possessions for granted," Chambers said. "That's the way we played today. We didn't play in 4-minute increments. We played possessions. And that's all I kept saying in the huddle, that's all I kept saying yesterday. Win the next possession, whatever you did the last possession forget about it."
The Lions started the second half with a Colella three and an emphatic dunk by freshman Ross Travis giving the Lions a 45-33 lead with 15:27 remaining.
The Jordan Center erupted as a three by Woodyard and another and-one three-point play by Frazier capped an 8-0 run that built a 51-33 lead for the Lions with 13:30 remaining.
Penn State would hold a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game and push its margin to as many as 20 points. The only thing that left to be determined was whether Frazier would reach a triple-double and the Lions would reach 70 points and send the crowd home with free McDonald's Big Macs.
Frazier got his ninth assist after feeding Marshall for a three with 2:22 to play, but the Lions couldn't convert on several Frazier deliveries that would have logged number 10. Chambers pulled his starters and called for the Lions to hold the ball in the closing seconds ending the charge toward 70.
The Nittany Lions return to the BJC on Thursday as the face the Iowa Hawkeyes in an 8:00 p.m. tip on the Big Ten Network. It will be Dollar Dog Night at the BJC.
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
• Fans helped raise at least $22,801 for Coaches vs. Cancer on the day as Penn State donated $3 from every single-game ticket sold to the game and fans purchase $3 rally towels at the door and participated in a silent auction on the concourse.
• Tim Frazier achieved his 5th double-double the season with 23 points and 10 rebounds. It marked the sixth double-double of his career tying him with Talor Battle (2008-2011) for the most ever by a Penn State guard.
• Frazier posted 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, coming one assist shy of posting the first double-double for a Nittany Lion since Calvin Booth logged 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocks vs. Dayton in 1998.
• Tim Frazier increased his Big Ten leading total of 20-point game's to 13 on the year.
• Walk-on Nick Colella made his second career start. He had two three's in the game, giving him 14 in Big Ten play.
• Cam Woodyard had 14 points, his 13th double digit scoring game on the year and 10th at home. He is averaging 11.5 ppg at home on the season.
• Penn State improved to 3-2 all-time vs. Nebraska and 2-0 at home vs. the Huskers.
• Tim Frazier improved his season assist total at 167, moving him up to sixth place on Penn State's single season charts surpassing Freddie Barnes (159) and Tom Wilkinson (165) on the day and now trailing his own mark of 173 from 2011 for 5th. He now has 413 for career assists good for 9th all-time and just five shy of Ben Luber (418) for 8th.
• Cam Woodyard had four threes, tying his previous record which was set against Hartford earlier this season.
• Jermaine Marshall sets a career high for three-point percentage hitting 66.7% (4 of 7) on his way to his fifth-straight double-figure scoring game with 12 points.
• Penn State shot 52.3%, its second best percentage of the year and the third game of the year shooting 50% or better.
• Penn State posted a season high free throw percentage with 85.7% (12-14), bettering the previous high of 84% (21-25) shot vs. Indiana.