Dec. 18, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lion basketball team will be on the road for six-straight days beginning on Friday when the team travels to Philadelphia in advance of Saturday's intra-state tilt against Drexel in The Palestra (7 p.m.).
Penn State will then board an early flight from Philadelphia International Airport bound for Las Vegas where the team will close out the non-conference slate with two games at the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic. The Lions will meet Colorado inside Orleans Arena on Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. The final non-conference game will be against either SMU or Kent State on Wednesday (8 or 10:30 p.m.).
On the heels of a week where the Nittany Lions went 3-1 during a span of seven days, head coach Patrick Chambers is pleased with the way his team found different ways to win. Now, he's looking for the group to remain steady with its effort on both ends of the floor.
"For me, I want more consistency. I feel like we are playing good basketball in spurts," Chambers said. "We are playing well in four or five minute spurts, and then we have these four or five minute droughts. Our defense needs to dictate our offense, and that's not happening (as much as I'd like). I just want more consistent play."
Penn State returned to the practice floor in earnest on Thursday following some time off during final exam week. The team got shots up on Wednesday before a full practice on Thursday afternoon. The Nittany Lions will head to Philadelphia with a 7-3 overall mark, something Chambers is pleased with.
But his eye is on ensuring the team is playing its best when the 18-game Big Ten slate begins following the Christmas holiday.
"A week like this to close out the non-conference season is going to prepare us for the Big Ten," Chambers said. "I'm very pleased with our record, but the most important thing is getting these guys ready for what awaits us Dec. 30 at Maryland."
The extended trip will be a great primer for Big Ten play. The stretch begins on the road in Philadelphia. All three of the teams in Las Vegas are ranked in the top 75 of the latest NCAA RPI - No. 13 Colorado, No. 9 SMU and No. 74 Kent State. Finishing the non-conference in this manner was by design.
"Regardless of what Drexel's record is, it's going to be a fist fight," Chambers said. "We all know that. It will be a Big 5 game because everyone knows one another. And then after that you are going into two (games) against high major teams that are going to challenge you and let you know where you are, and prepare you for the Big Ten. And that's what I wanted."
Saturday's game will be a homecoming for Chambers and several players on the roster who hail from the Philadelphia area. Penn State last played in The Palestra on Nov. 16, 2013 (83-71 win over Penn). A native of Newtown Square with roots of attending Big 5 games in The Palestra, Chambers bleeds Philly basketball.
The head coach enjoys taking the team around the building to show them the rich history of great players and teams who have competed in The Palestra since it opened in 1927. Penn State held one pre-season practice at The Palestra in October.
"I grew up going down there. A lot of these kids on the team played there," Chambers said. "Shep's (Garner) has played a championship game there in high school. So it's exciting to go back down there and wake up the echo...I have a lot of great memories of going through The Palestra as a kid. I think it will be exciting for our guys."
A Chester native and Roman Catholic product, Shep Garner is no stranger to the hardwood in the historic structure. Garner, who is one of several Nittany Lions who played high school games in The Palestra, competed there approximately 10 times during his scholastic career. But this will be his first college contest in his hometown.
"There is just so much history there with the Big 5," Garner said. "It's one of the oldest gyms. Just the history of how many guys came through there and played on a Big 5 team or all of the Catholic League teams. It's just great."
The Nittany Lions are 5-0 all-time against Drexel, including a 73-68 victory over the Dragons last season in a game played in Allentown.