Jan. 20, 2015
Jan. 20, 2015
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's basketball team will play its fourth road contest in the first six conference games of the year when it takes on Michigan State at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. The game will be broadcast on BTN with Kevin Kugler and Stephen Bardo calling the action.
The Nittany Lions (12-6, 0-5 B1G) remain in the hunt for their first Big Ten win after the last four games have been decided by an average of fewer than six points (5.7). Penn State still has the most wins (12) through the first 18 games of the season since 2008-09 (13-5).
QUICK HITS
MSU | The Spartans are 12-6 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten with both losses coming to Maryland. They are coming off a 75-59 loss to the Terps Saturday.
THE SERIES | Penn State and Michigan State have met 40 times, dating back to 1929. The Spartans hold a 33-7 advantage in the series and a 20-1 mark when playing in East Lansing
ONE-POSSESSION | The loss to Indiana Jan. 13, 76-73, was the Nittany Lions' first one-possession loss of the season and broke a seven-game streak of wins in games decided by three points or fewer, dating back to last season.
37 POINTS | D.J. Newbill scored a record-setting 37 points in Penn State's overtime loss to Purdue, 84-77, Saturday in the Bryce Jordan Center. Newbill's effort is an arena record, record vs. a Big Ten team, eighth-most all-time and the most for a PSU player since 1965. It also is a season high for any Big Ten player. [RECAP]
LEADER | Senior guard D.J. Newbill, the Big Ten leading scorer and fourth in the nation, has paced the Nittany Lions throughout the season with 21.7 ppg, with 10 outings of 20-plus points and two with more than 30. He is 9th all-time in PSU career scoring and has the record for a three-year player.
THE MATCHUP
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE
- The Spartans enter Wednesday with an identical overall record as Penn State at 12-6, though the Spartans are 3-2 in the Big Ten. Their lone conference losses have been to Maryland after the Terps swept MSU with a 75-59 decision Saturday in College Park.
- Between the losses, Michigan State knocked off Indiana, Iowa and Northwestern. The Spartans are 8-2 at home this season.
- Denzel Valentine is leading the Spartans with 13.9 ppg and 5.9 rpg, while Travis Trice is just behind him in scoring (13.8 ppg) and the second-highest assist average in the league with 5.8 apg. Brandon Dawsen is the third MSU player averaging in double figures with 11.5 ppg and a team and Big Ten-leading 9.5 rpg.
- In league play, MSU is averaging 70.8 ppg and shooting 44.6 percent, while opponents are scoring 66.2 ppg and shooting at a 38.7 percent clip.
14-15 PLAYERS vs. THE SPARTANS
Nine players on the current PSU roster have seen action vs. Michigan State with D.J Newbill leading the group in scoring with 20.3 ppg in three career meetings. He had 27 points in an 81-72 loss Jan. 16, 2013, in the BJC, a point total which stands as the fourth-most by a PSU player in the all-time series. Ross Travis is the leading rebounder among current players with 4.5 boards per game in four meetings. Travis also averages 1.3 steals vs. the Spartans.
| PLAYER | GP-GS | PPG | RPG | MISC. | POINTS HIGH |
| D.J. Newbill | 3-3 | 20.3 | 2.3 | 2.7 apg | 27, vs MSU, 1/16/13 |
| B. Taylor | 3-3 | 6.7 | 3.3 | 1 block | 18, vs MSU, 12/31/13 |
| D. Jack | 2-2 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 bpg | 9, vs MSU, 12/31/13 |
| R. Travis | 4-2 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 1.3 spg | 8, at MSU, 2/6/14 |
| G. Thorpe | 2-0 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 assts | 4, vs MSU, 12/31/13 |
| J. Johnson | 2-0 | 3 | 1 | 1 steal | 4, at MSU, 2/6/14 |
| K. Montminy | 1-0 | 2 | 0 | 1-1 FGs | 2, vs MSU, 1/16/13 |
| J. Dickerson | 2-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 block | -- |
| A. Wisniewski | 1-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 assist | -- |
SERIES HISTORY
- Michigan State holds a 33-7 advantage in the series - and a 20-1 mark when playing in East Lansing
- Three of the the Lions' seven wins have come in the last seven seasons.
- The lone win at the Breslin Center was Feb. 1, 2009.
- This is the first time since 2011 Penn State has faced an unranked Spartan squad.
LAST TIME VS. MSU
EAST LANSING, Mich. (Feb. 6, 2014) - Adreian Payne scored 12 points in his first game back from a foot injury to help lead the ninth-ranked Spartans to a 82-67 win at the Breslin Center. Tim Frazier scored 22 points for Penn State, who had its three-game winning streak snapped. The Spartans went on an 11-0 run to take a 22-8 lead. A 3-pointer by Kaminski made it 35-16, and the Nittany Lions never threatened. [RECAP]
THREE MORE NOTABALE GAMES
March 12, 2011 (PSU, 61-48): Penn State blew past the Spartans to reach the program's first Big Ten tournament championship game and clinch the Lions' first NCAA bid in a decade. The PSU backcourt of Talor Battle (25 pts) and Tim Frazier (22 pts) powered Penn State in out-scoring Michigan State 32-22 in the second half.
Feb. 1, 2009 (PSU, 72-68): Trailing by as many as 13 in the first half, Penn State rode a 29-point performance from sophomore Talor Battle to down the ninth-ranked Spartans, an eventual Final Four team, and earn the program's first (and last) win in East Lansing, Mich.
March 9, 2001 (PSU, 65-63): Joe Crispin's off-balance trey with little time left capped a 22-point performance and gave Penn State an upset win over No. 2 Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. This win stands as the highest-ranked opponent the Nittany Lions have defeated.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions return to the Bryce Jordan Center for back-to-back games, welcoming Rutgers at noon Saturday and Minnesota at 7 p.m. next Wednesday. The game Saturday vs. the Scarlet Knights will be Alumni Day, with nearly 50 former players expected to make their return. It also will be Penns Valley Community Day with several local groups expected in attendance. The giveaway will be a No. 14 jersey-shaped rally towel.
Tickets are available for purchase from 1-800-NITTANY or Ticketmaster, as well as from the BJC Ticket Office on the day of the game. All seats in the lower bowl will be sold before opening any sections in the upper deck. Anyone who was unable to buy a ticket to the game last Saturday vs. Purdue may call 1-800-NITTANY to receive two complimentary tickets