INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Penn State men's basketball team (11-13, 7-12), advances to the second round of play in the 2021 Big Ten Tournament where it faces No. 6 seed Wisconsin tonight (Thursday) at approximately 9 p.m. ET. Big Ten Network will broadcast the game, which will start 25 minutes after the conclusion of the 6:30 p.m. ET game from Lucas Oil Stadium.
Penn State and Wisconsin have played twice before in the Big Ten Tournament with a split in those games. On this day, March 11, 2011, 10 years ago, the Nittany Lions defeated the Badgers in their quarterfinal game 36-33 behind a game-best nine points from Talor Battle, who is currently a Nittany Lion assistant coach. Nick Colella, another member of that 2010-11 PSU team, is serving as the program's director of operations.
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LIVE STATS: Penn State vs. Wisconsin
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ROSTER: Penn State | Wisconsin
SCHEDULE: Penn State | Wisconsin
STATS: Penn State | Wisconsin
GAME NOTES: Penn State | Wisconsin
WISCONSIN BADGERS
Coach: Greg Gard (UW-Platteville, 1995)
Wisconsin Record: 117-68 (Sixth season)
Career Record: Same
2020-21 Record: 16-11, 10-10 Big Ten
Leading Scorer
#00 D'Mitrik Trice, R-Sr., G – 13.7 ppg
Leading Rebounder
#11 Micah Potter, R-Sr., F – 5.9 rpg
Assists Leader
#00 D'Mitrik Trice, R-Sr., G – 3.9 apg
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Interim Head Coach: Jim Ferry (Keene State, 1990)
Penn State Record: 11-13, 7-12 (First season)
Career Record: 325-278 (20th season)
Top Scorer
#0 Myreon Jones, Jr., G – 15.5 ppg
#12 Izaiah Brockington, Jr., G – 12.8 ppg
Top Rebounder
#21 John Harrar, Sr., F – 8.7 rpg
Assists Leaders
#5 Jamari Wheeler, Sr., G – 3.6 apg
STARTING 5
Penn State has won four of its last five games, its last three straight away from home and is 8-7 in its last 15 contests.
The Nittany Lions are the only Big Ten team since 2009-10 to win back-to-back games after trailing by double digits at halftime (at Md., 33-23, W 66-61 3/7/21 & vs. Neb., 37-23, W 72-66 3/10/21).
Penn State has won three-straight games to open the month of March for the first time in its B1G era (1991, W4 for Atlantic 10 championship).
According to kenpom.com calculations as of March 11, Penn State holds the second-toughest schedule in the nation with a +19.33 rating. Big Ten teams hold every place in the SOS top 10 and 14 of the top 16 spots.
The Nittany Lions have had the advantage on the offensive glass in 20 games this year with 12.29 per game, best average in the Big Ten, and +4.2 margin. PSU had a +16 overall rebound margin vs. Nebraska, its best in the B1G Tournament since a +19 margin vs. Northwestern (2004).
SERIES vs. WISCONSIN
Penn State and Wisconsin split their season series with each team winning on their home court. The Nittany Lions broke Wisconsin's 13-game series win streak in the first meeting on Jan. 30 for its first win against the Badgers since a 2011 Big Ten Tournament win (36-33, 3/11/11).
In the victory, the Nittany Lions scored 81 points, their highest point total in the 50-game series history.
Series streak: Wisconsin, W1
Last game: Madison, Wis.,
No. 19 Wisconsin 72, Penn State 56, 2/2/2021
Overall series: UW leads 40-11 (PS BTT: 1-1)
Ferry vs. Wisconsin: 1-1
Series record and the last 20 results are on page 5 of the game notes.
ON THIS DAY
On this day, March 11, 2011, 10 years ago, Penn State defeated Wisconsin 36-33 in the quarterfinals, its second game in the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. Current assistant coach Talor Battle was the game's leading scorer with nine points and his 3-pointer that gave the Nittany Lions a 35-30 lead with 2:24 to play also established him as the program's all-time leading scorer.
CALL IT A COMEBACK
Penn State had its third comeback victory in 2020-21 after trailing at the half in the 72-66 first-round win over Nebraska. The 14-point halftime deficit is its largest in a Big Ten Tournament game and ties for the second-largest deficit overcome in its B1G era (since 1992-93 season).
The Nittany Lions have had 12 double-digit comeback wins since the 1992-93 season, eight against B1G opponents, including the three this season against Nebraska-BTT (23-37 half, 72-66), at Maryland (23-33 half, 66-61) and against Wisconsin (31-34 half, 81-71).
B1G HONORS
Three Nittany Lions were presented with 2020-21 All-Big Ten Conference honors as announced by the league Tuesday, March 9. Senior guard Jamari Wheeler and junior guard Myreon Jones were recognized for the second-straight season with Big Ten honors and senior forward John Harrar earned his first All-Big Ten accolade.
All-Defensive Team
Jamari Wheeler (2020, 2021), Sr., G
Honorable Mention Media
Myreon Jones (2020, 2021), Jr., G
John Harrar, Sr., F
Sportsmanship Award
John Harrar, Sr., F (2020, 2021)
Three Nittany Lions earned All-Big Ten recognition for the third time in four seasons and fourth time since 2008-09.
NET & KENPOM.COM
Penn State is ranked 35 on kenpom.com, one of 10 Big Ten teams in the kenpom.com top 40. The March 11, 2021 NCAA NET ranking has Penn State at 41, one of nine B1G teams in the top 45.
BY THE NUMBERS
1 – The Nittany Lions registered their first win in the B1G Tournament as a No. 11 seed with Wednesday's victory. PSU was 0-6 as a No. 11 seed.
14 – Penn State's 14-point halftime deficit in the comeback win ties for its second-largest halftime deficit (-15, H vs. Ohio State, 1/16/1998, 90-81) in all games and largest of the two Big Ten Tournament games (-5 vs. Michigan, 3/8/2001, 82-80)
14 – John Harrar's career-high tying rebounds, his highest total in postseason play, set a Penn State individual Big Ten Tournament record.
34 – The 2020-21 senior Nittany Lions have won 34 Big Ten Conference games over the four-year span of 2017-2021, breaking the mark of 33 set through 2020.
49 – Penn State's 49 second-half points are its most in its Big Ten Tournament history. The Nittany Lions had 48 two times previously, both in second half (2000 vs. Illinois, 2015 vs. Iowa).
125 – Established as a program in 1897, Penn State's 2020-21 season marks its 125th year.
Penn State is one of the 10 oldest programs in the nation and won its 1,500th game at No. 15 Virginia Tech.
LAST TIME OUT: NITTANY LIONS ADVANCE IN B1G TOURNAMENT AFTER COMEBACK WIN OVER HUSKERS
Penn State used a fierce second-half comeback to win its Big Ten Tournament opener over Nebraska 72-66. Led by Jamari Wheeler's career-high 19 points, the Nittany Lions outscored Nebraska 49-29 in the second half to combat a 15-point first-half deficit.
Trailing 37-23 at the break, Penn State opened the second half with baskets by four different Nittany Lions to fuel a 10-0 start. PSU extended the run to 15-2 to cut the Husker lead to just one, 39-38. Penn State tied the game at 47 and again at 50 before taking a 51-50 lead at the 9:27 mark. After a brief Nebraska lead at 54-53, four-straight free throws put them up 57-56 with one final tie at 59 all.
The Nittany Lions' aggressive offensive approach put them into the bonus at the 13:18 mark of the second half and they went 20-24 from the foul line, including a 12-12 mark. Penn State sprinkled in a couple of baskets to stay just ahead of Nebraska in the final minutes.
Izaiah Brockington and Myreon Jones combined for 28 points, all coming in the second half. Jones and Wheeler had six of Penn State's seven 3-pointers with junior guard Myles Dread adding one at the 2:48 mark for a 63-59 Nittany Lion lead.
The Penn State defense forced the Huskers to shoot from the outside in the second half and limited the Huskers to 3-16 shooting from beyond the arc. Penn State's energized defensive effort in the half limited second chance opportunities for the Huskers as the Nittany Lions outrebounded Nebraska at a 43-27 clip.
Penn State saw four score in double figures as junior guard Sam Sessoms added 11 points off the bench. Senior forward John Harrar again led the effort on the glass, with the game high and tied his career high with 14 boards.
Trey McGowens led the Huskers in scoring with 13 points on 4-8 shooting. He went to the bench for a chunk of the second half and was one of four Nebraska players to finish the game with four fouls.
The Nittany Lions got off to a slow start and a strong opening period for the Huskers put PSU down by a dozen at the 10:55 mark after the teams were tied at 8-8. Nebraska held a double-digit lead, but Sessoms had two baskets to bring it down to 8 at the 6:27 mark.
The Huskers countered with two field goals by Walker and Thorir Thorbjarnarson's third triple for a 15-point lead, 33-18. The two teams traded baskets and misses as Penn State was 2-7 and Nebraska 2-6 in the 3:10 before halftime.
After an uncharacteristic 10 turnovers in the first half, which led to 17 Husker points, Penn State only committed four turnovers in the second half.
FOLLOW PENN STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL VIRTUALLY
Please stay connected and follow Penn State men's basketball virtually throughout season. While we are unable to host fans this season due to COVID-19 protocols, fans are able to join the interest list for tickets for the 2021-22 men's basketball season. Sign up for the 2021-22 interest list by clicking here.
