Dec. 29, 2014
| DATE | Wednesday, Dec. 31 |
| TIME | Noon CT / 1 p.m. ET |
| LOCATION | Kohl Center (Madison, Wis.) |
| WEB | BTN / BTN2Go: (Cory Provus (pxp), Stephen Bardo (analysis) |
| RADIO | Listen: Penn State Sports Network: Steve Jones (pxp), Dick Jerardi (analysis) |
| GAME NOTES | Penn State Notes | Wisconsin Notes |
| LIVE STATS | |
| BLOG | Basketball Blog: Lions Eager to Open Big Ten Play |
| SOCIAL MEDIA | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | #PSUMBB |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's basketball team opens its 23rd season of Big Ten play by traveling to No. 4 Wisconsin for a 1 p.m. ET matchup Wednesday on BTN. Both teams sit at 12-1 after the non-conference slate with the Nittany Lions holding wins in each of their last 10 games.
| QUICK HITS |
NON-CONFERENCE WINS | The 12 non-conference wins are the most for the Nittany Lions in program history, breaking the previous high of 11 set during the 2008-09 season. In the Big Ten era, Penn State was undefeated in conference play in 1995-96 (9-0) and had one-loss seasons in 2000-01 (9-1) and 1994-95 (8-1).
WIN STREAK | The 10-game winning streak is the longest for a Penn State team since the 1995-96 squad opened the year going 13-0. The longest single-season win streak in program history is 15 games (1952). The Lions are one of just eight teams in Division I to win at least their last 10 games.
WIN PERCENTAGE | The 92.3 win percentage is tied for seventh in Division I with five other teams. There are six undefeated teams and just 16 one-loss teams left through Sunday games.
BEST START | At 12-1, Penn State is off to its best start since 1995-96.
BEST IN THE B1G | Penn State is one of three conference team with 12 wins, along with Wisconsin and Maryland, and has the longest win streak among all 14 league teams.
ROAD WARRIORS | Penn State is 2-0 in true road games this season, one of just 14 Division I teams to be undefeated in multiple road games this season. Wisconsin is the only other Big Ten team in the group.
RPI WINS | Penn State is one of just three Big Ten teams with a win over a Top 25 RPI team (ESPN). George Washington is currently No. 16 in the RPI. The Big Ten is a combined 3-18.
RECEIVING VOTES | Penn State has received multiple votes in each of the last three AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Polls for the first time since the 2011 season. The Nittany Lions have not been ranked in either since 1996.
BENCH POINTS | The PSU bench is averaging 22.0 ppg this season, up from 15.1 ppg in non-conference games last season. The 31 points vs. Dartmouth is the third-highest this season after 32 and 35 at Marshall and vs. Duquesne, respectively.
NEW RECRUIT | Penn State and head coach Patrick Chambers "signed" a new recruit, 9-year old Isaac Bennett. Bennett joined the Nittany Lions through the Friends of Jaclyn program, which places children battling brain tumors with sports teams. [MORE]
| POSSIBLE STARTERS |
| THE MATCHUP |
SCOUTING WISCONSIN
- The Badgers are up to No. 4 in both the AP Top 25 and USA Today polls entering the Big Ten slate. They are 12-1 on the season and have won each of their last five games.
- Wisconsin is 6-1 vs. teams in ESPN's Top 100 RPI with the lone loss coming to Duke in the ACC-B1G Challenge.
- Frank Kaminsky leads the Badgers with 16.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 2.2 bpg and is the current Big Ten player of the week. Sam Dekker and Nigel Hayes join Kaminsky in double figures, producing 12.1 and 11.9 ppg, respectively. Hayes also chips in 7.8 rpg.
- Wisconsin is coming off a 68-56 win over Buffalo Sunday night. Kaminsky had 25 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in the win. After trailing at the half, 27-26, Wisconsin shot 56 percent in the second period and outscored Buffalo 42-39.
- The Badgers have the top-ranked scoring defense in the league, limiting opponents to 52.4 ppg and outscoring them by an average of 21.1 points.
SERIES HISTORY
- This is the 42nd meeting between the teams with Wisconsin holding a 31-10 advantage in the series and a 17-2 lead in Madison. The Lions have never won in the Kohl Center (0-13).
- The last 10 meetings in the series have been decided by an average of 6.6 points.
- Penn State's last win over the Badgers came in the 2011 Big Ten Tournament en route to the tourney championship game, a 36-33 decision. The last win in Madison was Jan. 26, 1995, a 78-67 PSU decision.
14-15 ROSTER VS. WISCONSIN
D.J. Newbill is the leading scorer in the series with Wisconsin, producing 19.0 ppg through three meetings. Seven players on the current roster have faced the Badgers, with four -- Newbill, Ross Travis, Brandon Taylor and Donovon Jack -- seeing time in Madison.
ON NEW YEARS EVE
2014 vs. Michigan State -- L, 79-63
2008 vs. Northwestern -- W, 61-57
2007 vs. Lehigh -- W, 81-68
2005 vs. Mt. St. Mary's -- W, 65-53
1952 vs. W. Kentucky -- L, 91-78
1938 at Syracuse -- L, 43-23
1937 at Kent State -- W, 47-34
1928 at Northwestern -- L, 41-17
LAST TIME VS. WISCONSIN
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (March 2, 2014) - Despite being outshot and outrebounded, No. 14 Wisconsin made 13 of 14 free throws in the final 7:45 and held on for a 71-66 victory over Penn State in the final regular-season home game. D.J. Newbill had 23 points for Penn State, which dropped to 2-5 against ranked teams this season. The redshirt junior became Penn State's 31st career 1,000-point scorer. He leads the Big Ten this season with 178 field goals. Tim Frazier and Ross Travis scored 10 points each for Penn State, which is 4-7 in games decided by five points or fewer. The Nittany Lions were 28 for 58 from the field, while the Badgers were 22 for 50.
NOTABLE GAMES IN THE SERIES
March 11, 2011 (PSU, 36-33): The Lions earned their fourth win over a Top 25 team with a defensive exhibition in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, en route to their appearance in the finals. Talor Battle led Penn State with a whopping nine points as the teams shot a combined 31 percent (28-90).
Jan. 31, 2012 (WIS, 52-46): Tim Frazier had 21 points, including 17 of the team's 23 second-half points to keep Penn State within two with 3:36 to play. Jordan Taylor had 18 points for Wisconsin and hit 6-8 free throws in the final minute to seal the win.
Jan. 26, 1995 (PSU, 78-67): The highest combined point total (145) in the 41-game series came in fifth all-time meeting. It was Penn State's first of just two series wins in Madison.
| BEFORE & AFTER |
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LAST TIME OUT
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) - D.J. Newbill scored 17 points, Geno Thorpe added 12 and Penn State defeated Dartmouth 69-49 Monday, Dec. 22 for its 10th straight win and a school-record 12th non-conference victory.
John Johnson and Brandon Taylor each added 10 points for Penn State (12-1), which held Dartmouth to 19 of 54 from the field and 2 of 20 from 3-point range. The Nittany Lions shot 47 percent from the field and had a 38-30 edge in rebounding. Alex Mitola had 13 points and Gabas Maldunas had nine to lead Dartmouth (5-6).
Dartmouth opened the second half with more energy, outscoring the Lions 15-11 over the initial 7 1/2 minutes. But the Big Green struggled to stay consistent and remained cold from long range as well as at the foul line. Penn State led by 25 with 10:30 remaining but Maldunas was good on four free throws and Malik Gill lobbed a pass over the basket that Wesley Dickinson slammed through to close Dartmouth's deficit to 60-42. [Recap, Notes & Box: Page 33]
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions, who open the Big Ten slate with three of their first four games on the road, will travel to conference newcomer Rutgers for a 7:30 p.m. Saturday matchup on ESPN2. The Scarlet Knights closed out pre-league play with an 8-5 record and 4-3 record when playing at home.
Penn State and Rutgers have met 66 times previously with the Lions holding a 37-29 advantage in the series. The teams last met in the 2006 NIT with Penn State falling, 76-71, in first-round action. In the last meeting in the Rutgers Athletics Center, the Lions came away with a 83-80 win Dec. 1, 2004.