This Week In Penn State Basketball
Whether you’re spending Spring Break at home or in a tropical locale, there’s a chance you may have missed a few things during Conference Tournament Week.
Head Coach Ed DeChellis Named Big Ten Coach of The Year, Battle Gets First-Team Honors
As commenter Russ B pointed out, DeChellis hasn’t always gotten the credit he deserves – so it’s great to see some love for the guy that engineered one of the best seasons in Penn State Basketball history. On top of that, guard Talor Battle was selected for All Big Ten first-team honors, forward Jamelle Cornley and guard Stanley Pringle received second- and third-team honors respectively, and Andrew Jones received the conference’s sportsmanship award.
[Source: Penn State Live]
Nittany Lions Steamroll Hoosiers In The First Round
Rebounding from a frustrating double-overtime loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Nittany Lions asserted dominance over Big Ten bottom-feeder Indiana. Jamelle Cornley “played like a man possessed,” with 22 points and five rebounds. With a 66-51 victory, Penn State advanced to play Purdue in the quarterfinals.
[Source: The Daily Collegian]
Cornley and Co. Fall To Purdue In The Quarterfinals, 79-65
Despite a 20-point effort from the senior forward, the Boilermakers took control of the game from the start, never yielding the lead. A good deal of the credit can be given to the 20 point, 5 rebound effort of Purdue forward Robbie Hummel, who did not face Penn State during the regular season due to a lower back injury. A win would have been a huge boon for a tournament appearance for the Lions, but Penn State fans have to be thankful to be on the bubble at this point.
[Source: ESPN]
Selection Sunday
An NCAA tournament appearance for the Nitany Lions is far from guaranteed, but it is largely speculated that Penn State could be one of as many as eight teams from the Big Ten. At this point, Michigan State, Illinois, and Purdue have at-large bids, and Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio State, Minnesota, and the blue and white are considered “on the bubble.” Penn State’s biggest weakness is its less than impressive out-of-conference schedule. With the early exit from the Big Ten tournament, all Penn State basketball fans can do is wait until 6:00 PM this Sunday to find out if there’s a spot in the top 65 for Carlton.
[Photo Courtesy Darron Cummings, AP]
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About the Author
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Gorman Abruptly Resigns
Head coach of the men’s soccer program Barry Gorman unexpectedly announced his resignation Monday. He leaves a legacy of 22 years of coaching and three Big Ten titles in his wake. Citing “personal reasons,” he has left the team to a nation-wide search for his successor.
“We expected Gorman to be there,” [rising Senior and Co-Captain Andres] Casais said of next season. “He was a father figure to us.”
Oof, that can’t feel good. The move isn’t completely out of the blue, as Gorman was periodically absent during the past few weeks without notice. But from all accounts, his intention to resign was only revealed yesterday. On the abandonment scale, this registers just slightly above “going to the store for some cigarettes and never coming back.”