|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jan. 23, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After opening with four of six games on the road, the Penn State men's basketball team returns to the Bryce Jordan Center for a two-game homestand beginning at noon Saturday vs. Rutgers. The game vs. the Scarlet Knights marks the first repeat league opponent for Penn State this season.
The Nittany Lions remain in the hunt for their first Big Ten win after each of the the last five games were decided by single digits, an average of fewer than six points (5.8).
PROMO PLANS
- Purchase your tickets in advance through 1-800-NITTANY or Ticketmaster for the best view of the Nittany Lions. The lower bowl is filling up fast for the game vs. Rutgers, which is being presented by AAA.
- Saturday is Alumni Day with nearly 50 former Penn State players expected to be in attendance, along with their families. The honorary captain this year is Brian Allen, an ambassador for Penn State basketball and a letterwinner in 1986-89.
- GIVEAWAY: In honor of Penns Valley Community Day, which also is taking place Saturday, fans will receive a No. 14 jersey-shaped rally towel. Check out this feature on one of Penns Valley's most famous residents, Kevin Montminy: http://bit.ly/Montminy012215.
QUICK HITS
RUTGERS | The Scarlet Knights are 10-10 overall and 2-5 in the Big Ten with losses in each of their last three games.
THE SERIES | Penn State and Rutgers have met 67 times, dating back to 1922. The Lions hold a 37-30 advantage in the series and a 24-8 mark when playing in University Park.
LAST FIVE GAMES | In the last five games, all decided by average of 5.8 points, D.J. Newbill is averaging 22.0 ppg with Brandon Taylor and Shep Garner each providing 8.4 ppg. Five players are shooting 45 percent or better from field, including Donovon Jack who is 10-14 and hitting 71.4 percent of shots.
LEADER | Senior guard D.J. Newbill, the top scorer among the Power 5 conferences and fourth in Division I, has paced the Nittany Lions throughout the season with 21.9 ppg. He has scored 64 points in the last two games and has 11 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.
37 POINTS | D.J. Newbill scored a record-setting 37 points in Penn State's overtime loss to Purdue, 84-77, Jan. 17 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]
THE MATCHUP
SCOUTING RUTGERS
- The Scarlet Knights are 10-10 on the season with a 2-5 mark in the Big Ten. Penn State fell to Rutgers in the teams' first meeting Jan. 3 in Piscataway.
- Rutgers also defeated No. 4 Wisconsin, 67-62, in the RAC and have losses to Northwestern, Nebraska, Maryland, Minnesota and Michigan. The Knights are 0-3 on the road in Big Ten play.
- All but one Big Ten game has been decided by single digits with Rutgers' last three losses being separated by an average of 7.0 points
- Myles Mack leads Rutgers with 14.7 ppg on the season, an average that went up to 16.3 ppg in conference play.
- Rutgers' top 3 scorers are meeting or exceeding their overall scoring average vs. league opponents. In seven Big Ten games, Mack, Kadeem Jack and Bishop Daniels are all producing double-figure scoring.
14-15 PLAYERS vs. THE KNIGHTS
The matchup Jan. 3 was the only meeting with Rutgers by current players. D.J. Newbill finished with 14 points and four assists, while Brandon Taylor joined him in double figures with 10 points and added a team-high seven rebounds.
SERIES HISTORY
- Penn State and Rutgers have met 67 times previously with the Lions holding a 37-30 advantage in the series.
- Rutgers captured the first meeting this season with a 50-46 decision in Piscataway.
- The Nittany Lions hold a 24-8 advantage playing in University Park with the last home meeting taking place in 2006. Penn State fell, 76-71, in NIT first-round action in the Bryce Jordan Center.
- The Scarlet Knights and Nittany Lions were both members of the Atlantic 10 Conference from 1976-79 and from 1982-1991. Penn State was 11-12 vs. Rutgers as an A10 conference foe.
LAST TIME VS. RUTGERS
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Jan. 3, 2015) - Despite trailing by as many as 14 in the first half and 11 at halftime, Penn State men's basketball rallied within one in the final minute of play, but could not complete the comeback in a 50-46 setback on the road at Rutgers Saturday evening.
D.J. Newbill scored 14 for the Nittany Lions (12-3, 0-2), who have dropped two straight. It was the second-lowest scoring output this season for Newbill, who entered the game with Big Ten-leading 21.9 average.
Myles Mack had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Scarlet Knights (9-6, 1-1 Big Ten), who gained their first Big Ten victory since joining the conference this season. [RECAP]
THREE MORE NOTABALE GAMES
Dec. 1, 2004 (PSU, 83-80): Then-freshman Geary Claxton scored 10 of his 17 points in the second half, including two decisive late-game foul shots, to give Penn State its third-consecutive win of the 2003-04 season. This was Penn State's last visit to the RAC.
Feb. 27, 1991 (RU, 92-70): Rutgers handed Penn State its largest loss of the season in the regular-season finale in Piscataway before the Nittany Lions went on a four-game winning streak through the Atlantic 10 tournament and the second round of the NCAA tournament.
March 21, 1990 (PSU, 58-55): In the National Invitational Tournament quarterfinal in Piscataway, Penn State rallied from a second-half deficit to defeat Rutgers for its first trip to the NIT semifinals.
BEFORE & AFTER
LAST TIME OUT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Despite a game-high 27 points from D.J. Newbill, Michigan State slipped past Penn State in a 66-60 decision on the road in East Lansing Wednesday evening.
Newbill, the nation's No. 4 scorer, had 18 of his 27 points in the second half and nearly gave the Nittany Lions (12-7, 0-6) their first win since Dec. 22.
Branden Dawson had 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots to help Michigan State outlast Penn State. Gavin Schilling added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Spartans (13-6, 4-2 Big Ten). Denzel Valentine scored 11 points and Travis Trice and Matt Costello 10 each.
The Nittany Lions battled back from an eight-point first half deficit to tie the game at 37-37 in the opening part of the second half. [RECAP]
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions remain at home for a 7 p.m. Wednesday night matchup with Minnesota on BTN. The Gophers are 12-8 on the season and 1-6 in the Big Ten (0-4 on the road in league games). They have a weekend game vs. Illinois at home before making the trip to University Park.
It's Dietz & Watson Dollar Dog Night Wednesday vs. the Gophers. Also, all fans in attendance will receive a free bucket of balls to the Blue White Courses for 2015.