Yardbarker: Penn State Nittany Lions

The Glass is Half Empty

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:42:08 -0500

This is Part 1 of a three-part basketball preview here at NittanyWhiteOut. Stay tuned for the second and third installments, which will be posted before Friday’s season-opener against Penn. Penn State has zero chance of reaching the NCAA tournament this year. Yes, I’m well aware of the ... Related Posts:Ed DeChellis Signs Contract ExtensionBreaking Down the Big Ten BubbleTalor Battle sends it into OT, PSU advances on in NIT

Previewing Friday The 13th

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:18:00 -0500

Other than that one NC State game and the Coaches vs Cancer tournament, the regular season for everybody else begins on Friday the 13th of November. Six of the top ten teams in the nation will be in action, although none of them should be very tested. In all there will be 126 games involving Division I teams. I'll talk about a few that will interest me more than the others:Pennsylvania at Penn State (7:30 PM ET): First of all, rivalry games are always fun in the Keystone state. Second, th...

Penn State Basketball Preview - Part II

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:56:42 -0500

Earlier this week we talked about what Penn State has to replace this year. We'll get into the new faces Ed DeChellis will ask to fill those minutes. But first, let's talk about what Penn State has coming back this year. 22 - Andrew Jones III (6-10, 245) FG3PTFTReboundsMisc GMMAPctMAPctMAPctOffDefTotAstTOStlBlkPFPPG 2008 - Andrew Jones III 38 25.8 2.3 4.0 57.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6 2.2 69.4 2.2 3.6 5.8 0.4 1.1 0.5 0.3 2.4 6.2 ...

Penn State Basketball Preview - Part I

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:15:11 -0500

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP 6 months ago: Penn State's Jamelle Cornley (2) drives past Notre Dame's Zach Hillesland (33) during the first half of the NIT semifinal college basketball game on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) Browse more photos » Who knew they played college basketball in November? It's true. I looked it up. You have to forgive ...

Nitt Picks Vaguely Remembers Some Other Sport They Play On Campus In The Winter

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:18:13 -0500

More photos » by Ralph Wilson - AP about 19 hours ago: Tim Frazier looks to pass during practice at the Penn State preseason men's NCAA college basketball media day in State College, Pa. on Monday Oct. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Ralph Wilson) Browse more photos » Though we're in the thick of football season with big games against Michigan and Ohio State coming up, let's not forget about the othe...

Penn State's Schedule Is Better, But Still Lacking Big Name Teams

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:17:05 -0500

After its most successful season since making it to the Final Four in 1955, the Penn State basketball program is ready to build on its NIT championship by trying to earn its third NCAA tournament berth in the last 14 years. But one problem remains for the Nittany Lions, one that perhaps costed them a chance for a NCAA bid last season. The non-conference schedule is still loaded with cupcakes and does not have a marquee matchup against a perennial contender. Penn State added a few decent teams...

Talor Battle and Team USA finish third at the World University Games

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 21:14:11 -0500

Talor Battle lit up the scoreboard at the World University Games in Belgrade. Talor Battle and Team USA finished the 2009 World University Games with a disappointing Bronze Medal after beating Israel 91-80 in Belgrade, Serbia. Penn State’s pride and joy, Talor Battle finished the game ... Related Posts:Talor Battle is Going to Serbia!God I Love Talor BattleTalor Battle sends it into OT, PSU advances on in NIT

World, Meet Talor Battle

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:58:35 -0500

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP Browse more photos » Those of you who have been following closely already know that Talor Battle has been struggling to find his game in the World University Games. But today he broke out and showed the world what Penn State and Big Ten fans already know. When the game is on the line, Talor Battle will find a way to get it done. Late in the fourth period, Team USA found themselve...

State College High's Basketball Team Just Got Better

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:48:19 -0500

According to the CDT, Penn State basketball verbal commit Taran Buie will be transferring to State College High School for his senior year. Buie, who is a half-brother of Nittany Lion star Talor Battle, orally committed to play at Penn State in April. Buie did not return several calls from the CDT on Tuesday night. His mother, Denise Murphy, told the Times Union that she and Taran are moving to State College, "where he will attend high school next year." "I’ve he...

Joe Paterno Being Joe Paterno

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:01:40 -0500

Penn State's Simon Birch, Joe Paterno, was on hand last night to see Penn State's Men's hoops team advance to the NIT finals. During an interview, JoPa spouted about the good old days - when basketball was a Jew sport: "Everyone says it's a black mans game. When I played it was a Jewish mans game." Bill Raftery: "Yeah a city game right?"

Tuesday Final Four linkage

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:27:39 -0500

◊ There is a big game tonight. Sure, not big like what Michigan State is hyping up for; but it's big for Penn State. Remember this is a program that is historically terrible, with mediocrity being viewed as a major achievement. Here are a few links to get your blood going for tonight's game, some football links to note, and a link to the great new addition to Zombie Nation... our own message board! Basketball ? Nittany White Out throws some questions around with a Notre Dame blog...

What PSU basketball fans SHOULD not DO

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:04:22 -0500

◊ Thursday night's NIT game against Rhode Island at the BJC is not going to be televised... anywhere. So, with full copyright laws in mind, I am telling all fans to not VIDEO AS MUCH OF THE GAME AS YOU CAN ON YOUR PHONES OR HANDHELD MEDIA DEVICES THEN POST THEM TO YOUTUBE OR A COMPARABLE MEDIA SHARING SITE. Remember, I just told you all what not to do. But I can't control your actions at the game... I'll check YouTube on Friday.

Wanted: A Team with a Pulse

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:36:48 -0500

Dear Tim Curley and Jon Perry, I would like to first thank you for screwing yet another sports team out of a legitimate chance at a national championship. Had we scheduled anyone with a pulse in football, we would have remained competitive in the championship hunt even with a loss in the final seconds to Iowa. Instead, we reward contracts to teams with directions in their names and Temple, which in my opinion should have a direction in it’s name as well in return for home games a...

Awesome Illinois, Just Awesome

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:07:34 -0500

That four seed looked pretty good next to Illinois in the latest bracketology from ESPN. Well after last night it will take quite a bit to get a four seed or better in the big dance. Last night I was hearing how Penn State was trying to play its way into the tournament, while Illinois had nothing to play for. Unbelievable. In all of the "bubble" hype that we are fed this time of year, it's easy to forget about playing for a better seed in your conference tournament and...

Illini set Record for Awfulness*

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:07:48 -0500

*may be false If they didn't it was damn close. Illinois had an awful night shooting the basketball, making just 15 of its 50 shots. In a contest between Illinois shooting regular shots and me shooting free throws with my left foot, it would not be a blowout. The first half saw Illinois score 15 points, but it couldn't get worse than that in the second half, right? It didn't get worse, but things didn't get much better as the Illini followed up with 18 points for a t...

Bubbles to be busted at Bryce Jordan

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:44:39 -0500

And now things get serious. After struggling to lose at home against Indiana on Tuesday night (that had to be the Gophers' goal, right?) the Gophers travel to Penn State for a Saturday afternoon that is much more than just a typical game between middle of the road Big Ten teams. Last season the only implication of a match-up between the fifth and sixth best teams in the Big Ten would have been on seeding in the NIT. A year later it could go along way towards determining a trip to the NCAA tournament.

Despite their poor play of late, the Gophers are not yet in bubble trouble. Their win over Louisville more than made up for a weak non-conference schedule and wins over Ohio State, Illinois, and Wisconsin did enough to show that that Louisville win was not just a fluke. Penn State on the other hand is in real bubble trouble. Penn State's non-conference schedule makes Minnesota's parade of cup cakes look like the upper division of the Big East, leaving the Nittany Lions little room for error during the conference season. Until two weeks ago Penn State hadn't made many errors. They were 6-3 in the conference with wins over Purdue and Michigan State, and were the surprising team in the conference. That success came at a cost though, in the form of extended minutes by their key players. Talor Battle, Jamelle Cornley, and Stanley Pringle all average more than 30 minutes per game. In comparison, Al Nolen leads the Gophers with almost 28 minutes per game. Obviously quality players like Penn State's "Big Three" will play more than non-stars, which make up Minnesota's entire, but no team in the country seems to be in as much danger of running out of gas as Penn State. Only twelve players in the country have played more minutes than Battle, and Cornley ranks in the top 100.

Penn State Nittany Liars?

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:32:41 -0500

A Penn State basketball player was arrested for masturbating in public, but he says he was just touching, not pulling. He told police, ""Why would I need to masturbate? This is how I chill, ma'am." More details at the link, including allegations that the player told the woman about whom he was 'touching' that he was selling hand lotion. What!?

The Tweener That Roared - Penn State's Geary Claxton

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:08:45 -0500

One of the several pleasures of purist basketball fandom is watching players and teams who defy the easy categorizations of the meat market approach to the game and succeed, indeed flourish, where so many saw sure failure. Geary Claxton was one such player.

Penn State at MSU Highlights

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:41:43 -0500

Highlights, recap, box score and thoughts on MSUs victory over Penn State.