While any Penn Stater can tell you all about his leadership qualities and other intangibles, his actual measurables don’t make Hill a desirable pick in the early rounds. The 6’1″ Hill, from Steelton, PA, is reported to weigh anywhere from 292 to 303 pounds; both measurements make him undersized at the position. Hill’s strengths lie with his quickness and agility. Although his 40 yard dash time was a disappointing 5.17, scouts were impressed with his 10 yard dash time of 1.78 seconds. With that acceleration and his excellent footwork, Hill is able to get upfield quickly after the snap. However, he lacks the strength needed to be an impact player if he can’t get the first step.

In addition to his size concerns, there are whispers about the his health as well. Hill sprained his right knee against Purdue in early November but toughed it out and played the reason of the year. In the season finale against Wisconsin, it was the left knee that bothered Hill and resulted in arthroscopic surgery a week later. That left knee swelled up during the combine and Hill admitted that he wasn’t yet at 100%. While neither injuries are considered serious, when combined with his lack of size it has raised concerns over his durability to stay on the field.

Most scouts have him ranked in the top 20 at his position, and Hill should be drafted in the middle rounds. Any team that drafts Hill is most likely getting a rotational player, but don’t write him off just yet. Hill was only a 2-star recruit out of high school and used his work ethic and on-the-field motor to earn his place on a NFL roster. There is no doubt in anyone who watched him over the past four years he could continue to prove the experts wrong at the next level. I’m looking forward to seeing Jordan Hill playing on Sunday for many years.

CBS Sports – Position rank: 13 – Overall Rank: 149 – Projected Round: 4-5

ESPN – Position rank: 12 – Overall Rank: 118 – Projected Round: 4

Optimum Scouting - Position rank: 17 – Projected Round: 6

RotoWorld – Overall Rank: 89

Last year, the panel passed rules that encouraged teams to take touchbacks on free kicks and required players to sit out a play if they lost their helmet. A study illustrated the amount of injuries, specifically head injuries, that occur on kickoffs and the consequent rule was introduced to reduce the amount of kickoff returns. Also, it was determined players were not properly securing their helmets, resulting in almost two helmets per game falling off during play. The rule was instituted to encourage players to firmly secure their helmets and give the medical staff a chance to examine the player if he was hit hard enough to cause the ejection of his properly secured helmet.

Those rules, although debatable, at least made sense. Player safety, especially the safety of unpaid college players, should always be the focus of the Rules Oversight Panel. I will give the panel credit for allowing all “defenseless player” penalties to be reviewed by the replay crew before ejecting the player, but this has gone too far. Football being played at Beaver Stadium is going to resemble the flag football leagues played on the IM fields across Park Ave.

Defensive players are no longer allowed to hit the quarterback high or low. They are unable to physically cover a receiver running routes, and now they face ejection if they hit the receiver while he is trying to catch the ball. A penalty that results not only in a 15 yard penalty, but ejection from the game and potentially the first half of the team’s next contest. You don’t need a vivid imagination to see how this is going to impact games moving forward.

Furthermore, when the defenseless penalties are being reviewed, the rule is written as such that it must show conclusive evidence the player did not intend to violate the rule. The video replay can only be used to overturn an ejection, not the 15 yard penalty that accompanies the call. The first time an ejection is overturned after review but the 15 yard penalty still enforced based on the wording of the rule, twitter will explode. Not to mention the conspiracy theorists that will come out of the woodwork when a key defensive player is ejected in the 2nd half of a game prior to a rivalry game.

To put this in prospective, imagine Adrian Amos laying a hit on Indiana’s Shane Wynn and being ejected, forcing him to miss the first half of next week’s Michigan game. I don’t understand how intent can ever be proven in real time on the field, let alone through a video review. The NCAA is making the same mistake the NFL is making, they are making the officials more important than the players. I’m hoping for a controversy free 2013, but if I was a betting man, my money would be on a lot of controversy surrounding this rule change.

All rule changes, including two that were rejected by the panel, are available on the NCAA website.

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The Last Time Out

Penn State rode junior guard Maggie Lucas (19 points, 4 assists, 4 steals) and a strong second half (47 points) to defeat the Cal Poly Mustangs 85-55. Senior Nikki Green (11 pts, 8 rebounds) helped to slow down Cal Poly star Molly Schlember. After scoring the teams first 10 points in less than eight minutes of play, Schlember was held to 14 over the remaining 32 minutes. The Lady Lions benfitted from a balanced scoring attack to support Lucas; Mia Nickson (13 points), Alex Bentley (18), and the aforementioned Green all contributed double digits.

About the LSU Lady Tigers

In the first round, LSU faced a tough Green Bay team and escaped with a 75-71 victory. Although their strength is in the post position, the Lady Tigers hit a season best 9-14 three point attemps. They are 14-3 at home this season, and made its case for the NCAA tournament board by beating three top-15 teams: Georgia, Kentucky, and Texas. They are lead by junior forward Theresa Plaisance, the SEC’s leading scorer at 17.3 points per game. She also leads the team in blocks and rebounds, and has 31 consecutive double-doubles. Plaisance is supported by guard Adrianna Webb (14.2 ppg), forward Biance Lutley (10.2 ppg), and Danielle Ballard (12.3 ppg). Ballard was voted to the SEC All-Freshman team, and was award SEC Freshman of the Week five times on her way to lead the SEC in steals.

Coach Nikki Caldwell, a national champion with Tennessee in her playing days, has lead LSU to their second consecutive tournament appearance after missing the Big Dance the year prior to her arrival. She has her team believing in their “Eight is Enough” motto; since they were forced to go with an eight person roster, the Lady Tigers at 6-1.

Social Spotlight

Official Account (@LSUwbkb)

Sports Information Director (@LSUBillMartin)

Head Coach Nikki Caldwell (@NikkiCaldwell)

Theresa Plaisance (@tplai55)

The Matchup

Penn State coach Coquese Washington played against coach Caldwell three times during their collegiate career, and now its the second conseuctive season they are faced against each other. Last year, Penn State won 90-80 behind 30 points from Maggie Lucas. Nikki Greene, who set the school record for consecutive starts, needs to play another big game to help limit Plaisance’s scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots. Foul trouble for either team could be a huge factor: LSU’s “Eight is Enough” roster doesn’t provide much depth, but Penn State only has six players with more than 181 minutes logged this season.

The home crowd will be a factor as coach Caldwell has increased home attendance by over 1,500 students in her second season with the Lady Tigers. Penn State is going to rely on Lucas and Bentley to provide the offensive firepower. This game has upset written all over it, but I think the Lady Lions will hold on and advance to the Sweet 16.

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The Last Time Out

We last saw the Lady Lions all the way back on March 9th, in the B1G tournament. PSU, which won the regular season conference title, lost 54-46 to Michigan State in the semi-finals. The Lady Lions led early in the second half, and pulled back within one point after a 15-3 Spartan run, but ultimately couldn’t overcome their 22% shooting. It was a season low in points and shooting percentage for Penn State against the B1G’s top defensive team. Hopefully coach Coquese Washington had the girls practicing their jump shots over the past 15 days.

About the Cal Poly Mustangs

Cal Poly got invited to their first big dance by winning the Big West conference tournament. The past two seasons the Mustangs won the regular season title but failed to win an automatic bid, losing both years and competing instead in the WNIT. This year, as the #2 seed, they defeated top seeded Pacific in the conference finals.

Senior Kayla Griffin, the Big West Hustle Player of the Year, was injured in the game against Pacific and is out for the remainder of the season. She was averaging 7.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists for the season, starting all 31 games for Cal Poly.

Sophomore guard Ariana Elegado is second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game. Her scoring average was good for third in the Big West conference. Junior center Molly Schembler, 5’10″, leads the team in both scoring (13.0) and reboudning (7.2) on the year. She was the Big West Player of the Year, Big West Tournament MVP, and Big West Player of the Week twice. She has scored over 20 points seven times and has six double doubles on the season.

The Mustangs have won eight of their last nine games and will be playing hard for Griffin after her devasting knee injury. However, Cal Poly has not beaten any teams that qualified for the NCAA tournament.

The Match Up

The only common opponent between the two schools is Cal State Northridge, who went 0-1 against Penn State and 1-1 vs Cal Poly. With B1G Player of the Year, and National Player of the Year candidate Maggie Lucas leading the team with 20.5 points, Penn State shouldn’t really be tested. It helps that Penn State played in Baton Rogue last year as well, so they are famaliar with their surroundings (only 1 PSU player hasn’t played in the tournament before this season).

Seniors Alex Bentley and Nikki Greene need to step up in support of Lucas, especially Greene who will most liekly be paired up against Schembler. Assuming the Lady Lions left their shooting slump at the Sears Center, expect them to get out to an early lead and improve to 6-0 all-time against the Big West conference.

Feb 27, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions players celebrate during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State defeated Michigan 84-78. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

From the opening tip, both teams played intense basketball. The Wolverines, B1G conference’s youngest team, rode high flying Glenn Robinson III and big three point shots from Tim Hardaway, Jr and Trey Burke to an early 17-10 lead. Brandon Taylor was huge for the Nittany Lions early, though most of his efforts didn’t show in his final line (7 pts, 1 rebound). Taylor had a put back to close the margin to three, and then hit a three pointer to tie the game with 3:30 left in the first half.

Penn State used a combination of 3/4 and full court pressure to keep the game close until D.J. Newbill (17 points, 5 assists) hit two free throws to give the Lions a 34-32 lead. From that point on, it looked like Penn State was going to waste another good start and end up with a loss on Senior Night. After ending the first half with two turnovers, they allowed Michigan to open the second half on an 8-0 run. With 10:18 left in the game, Penn State trailed by 15.

Jermaine Marshall (25 points, 6-10 3pt FGs) took over from there, scoring 9 of the next 15 points. Marshall and Newbill are 2nd in the Big Ten in scoring backcourts (30.8 PPG), behind only Burke and Hardaway (34 PPG). When it mattered most, Marshall and Newbill put the Lions on their back. Marshall hit a three pointer to get them within seven, and the Newbill’s three got Penn State within five. Marshall capped a 23-8 run to tie the game at 74-74 with less than five minutes left. Trey Burke then had a costly turnover with 4:23 left; the country’s leader in turnover to assist ratio (4:1) ended up with six giveaways.

Feb 27, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach John Beilein reacts during the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State defeated Michigan 84-78. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Marshall then benefited from a generous blocking call, hitting two free throws to give Penn State the lead. With the Bryce Jordan Center rocking at its loudest since GoGo Gadget, Penn State relied on free throws and an acrobatic layup by Marshall to close it out. Senior Sasa Borovnjak was responsible for three of the team’s last four made FTs and had nine points and five boards on the night. Penn State, who shot only 242 free throws in B1G play compared to 418 by its opponents, made 20-27 free throws (Michigan was 13-20).

Michigan, who has lost their last four road games in the B1G schedule, will try to rebound against top ten ranked Michigan State. Penn State travels to Minnesota, who just upset #1 Indiana, on March 2nd. They will travel to Minneapolis as underdogs once again but nobody will doubt their ability to pull off the upset after Wednesday night’s game. The Nittany Lions, a team who has been credited all season for playing hard while win after win escaped them, have finally gotten their first W of 2013.

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While Penn State continues trying to avoid being the 2008 Detroit Lions of the B1G conference, it is important to look for silver linings: The Nittany Lions have played tough since a disappointing effort at Nebraska, losing their last two games but only by a combined ten points. Eight of the past ten meetings between these two teams have been decided by five points or less and Penn State has won at Assembly Hall three times in their last five visits.

THE LAST TIME OUT

The Nittany Lions played perhaps their best 40 minutes of basketball last weekend against one of the best teams in the country but eventually fell to the Michigan Wolverines 79-71. Trey Burke (or former Penn State transfer Trey Burke, as ESPN loves to remind everyone) led his team with 29 points and continues to dominate B1G play. Sasa Borovnjak set a career high with 17 points and is averaging 15.5 points over his last two games and has shot 60 percent from the field over the past ten games.

If nothing else, Penn State showed it is not afraid to play on the road, a positive since four of their last six games are away from the Bryce Jordan Center. The Lions led early and went into halftime tied 32-32 against the #5 ranked Wolverines. The 71 points was Penn State’s highest in a B1G road game since 2010 at Northwestern.

ABOUT THE ILLINI

Illinois is led by a pair of senior guards, Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson. Richardson, the team’s leading scorer in B1G play at 14.7 per game, has averaged 17.3 over the past eight games. Paul, leading the team with 16.4 PPG for the year, is one point away from 1,500 for his career. Illinois has also played to the level of its competition, defeating top ten teams Indiana, Ohio State, and Gonzaga this season but losing to Purdue and at home against Northwestern.

THE MATCHUP

The Illini come in to their matchup with Penn State on a four game winning streak. As previously mentioned, they have been wildly inconsistent this year. They rely on their guards, which plays into Penn State’s strengths since D.J. Newbill and Jermaine Marshall have carried the team so far this season. Consider me the president of the Borovnjak fan club, but he could be the key to the game. The Serbian will be at a height and consonant disadvantage against Illinois big man Nnannna Egwu but is a much more skilled player overall.

It may seem a copout to say a game between two teams that have occasionally been offensively challenged to say the least this season will come down to defense, such is the case Thursday night. Illinois is 14-2 when it reaches 70 points and PSU is giving up just under 68 for the season. The Illini have tightened up their defense lately, only giving up an average of 56.3 points during their four game winning streak. Illinois is also 14-1 on the season when shooting a better percentage than their opponent. The answer isn’t a quick start either, which has been a staple of Penn State in B1G games lately, as Illinois has four wins on the season overcoming a double digit deficit.

Tyler Griffey may be the wild card in this game; the senior forward is averaging 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds over the past four games and at 6’9” may cause matchup problems for the Lions inside. Griffey has also made two buzzer-beating, game-winning shots for Illinois at home, so keep an eye on him should this one come down the wire. I predict that it will, but the Lions come away with a victory, 66-65.

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THE LAST TIME OUT
The first time Penn State played Nebraska they choked at the end, missing key free throws down the stretch. Last time out, again against Nebraska, Penn State choked throughout the game shooting from the field instead. The turnover bug, which has haunted the team since its near flawless game against Ohio State (four turnovers total), crippled the Lions already struggling offense (13 vs Nebraska).

Early leads followed by double digit scoring droughts have plagued Penn State in B1G play. Worst yet injuries (beyond Tim Frazier), and more, are starting to catch up to the team and its lack of depth. Jermaine Marshall is clearly not himself and Brandon Taylor is either hurt, tired, struggling with his confidence, or all three. That being said, the team has had a few days off and hopefully will show up for what they realize is a winnable game.

ABOUT THE IOWA HAWKEYES
Iowa has played well this season even while losing four of their last six games; two of which were in overtime, the last being a double overtime loss at Wisconson. They are top 15 in the country in rebounds and top 20 in assists and team-leading scorer and rebounder Aaron White torched the Lions last time they played for 27 points. White’s season average is only 13.5, junior Roy Devyn Marble is second with 13.2 points per game.

THE MATCH UP
Iowa struggles at time shooting from the field, but their physical play makes up for their lack of touch; against Penn State, Iowa drew 26 personal fouls, forced 18 turnovers, and shot 39 free throws. That type of aforementioned physical play made up for the fact they were outshot by the Lions from three point range, the free throw line, and were held below their season average from field goal range.

If the Lions are going to win at all in 2013, this is their best chance to do so. Penn State needs Jermaine Marshall and D.J. Newbill to show up and shoot consistently throughout the game. A third scorer (Brandon Taylor, Ross Travis, Sasa?) needs to get at least 15 points to support them. They need to limit the turnovers and personal fouls, and crash the boards.. Finally, if they are to be victorious, they need a loud and supportive Nittany Nation to pack the BJC, FTK, FTW.

Jan 16, 2013; Lincoln, NE, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter signals his team during the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in the first half. Purdue won 65-56. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports

If you want to play on Charles Dickens’ novel “A Tale of Two Cities,” this game really was the best the times, and the worst of times. Penn State came out in the first half playing with a sense of urgency and a commitment to finding a third scorer early. Of the first 20 shots by the Lions, only two were by Newbill and Jermaine Marshall. Brandon Taylor was crashing the boards early and often grabbing two early offensive rebounds and totaling five boards by the midway point of the half. Taylor, the 2nd worst shooter in B1G Conference play, even hit a three to give Penn State at 15-10 lead with 8:33 left in the first half.

After two more Penn state buckets, both assisted on by Newbill, D.J. took and made his first shot attempt with 5:46 left in the half. His jumper gave the Nittany Lions a nine point lead (their largest in B1G play this year) at 21-12. Although Purdue would finish the half on a 12-4 run, Penn State still held a one point lead 25-24 fueled by a balanced attack that saw six Lions register at least two points.

Sasa Borovnjak led the team with six points on 3-6 shooting and held A.J. Hammons to just 1-4 shooting. However, he picked up two unfortunate and unnecessary fouls late in the half that would hamper his contributions the rest of the game. With 3:07 left, Hammons was going in for a dunk when Sasa tried to block his shot from behind, and just over a minute later was called for a reach in foul trying to deny an entry pass into the post, his third foul of the game. Without his presence in the post, Purdue started the second half pounding the ball into the paint with dribble drives and post-ups by Hammons and Hale.

Then, it was the worst of times: Purdue started the second half as hot as they finished it, opening with a 7-1 run to take a 31-26 lead with 16:34 left in the game. Penn State would rally and a Newbill layup actually tied the game 33-33, but the Nittany Lions offense sputtered after that, scoring only one field goal the next 5:25 of the game. Penn State would make one more run (eight of the 10 points scored by Newbill), but Nick Colella missed a wide-open three with a chance to cut the lead to three.

The two teams combined to shoot 2-30 from three point range and 18 turnovers. Jermaine Marshall had an uncharacteristically terrible game shooting 2-14, including 0-5 from behind the three point line. The Nittany Lions had three players (Colella, Borovnjak, and Jon Graham) foul out of the game and only shot 30.6% for the game. In what was billed as one of maybe two potential wins on their schedule left, Penn State couldn’t keep up the #attitude they started with in the first half.

Brandon Taylor stopped rebounding (his five rebounds in the first ten of minutes of the game would also reflect his total for the game) and kept shooting (what I hope were) ill-advised three point shots (1-6). There is no reason he should have the green light to keep launching anymore this season. Overall as a team, Penn State is settling for three point shots instead of forcing the ball into the paint. Let’s hope they can bounce back from another disappointing loss before their next game and possible last chance at a win, Saturday night at Nebraska.

THE LAST TIME OUT

Penn State found a new way to lose last Thursday night against Iowa: turnovers. The Nittany Lions had 11 turnovers in the first half and blew an early 10-3 lead against a beatable opponent on the road. They ended up with 17 for the game, after just turning the ball over four times against Ohio State. Coach Chambers ran a zone defense for most of the game, and although it held Iowa to 39% shooting from the field it also allowed a lot of easy baskets inside the paint.
On the other end, Iowa suffocated Penn State with hardnosed man-to-man defense. Iinstead of calling for picks or running screens to get a man open, the Lions settled for contested three point shots time and time again. D.J. Newbill (20 points, 1-4 3 pt FG) and Jermaine Marshall (15, 1-8) led the team in scoring and missed shots. Penn State continues to struggle to find its third scorer that Chambers has been begging for; someone needs to step up for the Lions, Tim Frazier isn’t walking through that door anytime soon.

ABOUT THE BOILERMAKERS

Purdue is led in scoring by junior guard Terone Johnson at 12.7 points per game, but he has struggled in their past two losses scoring only four and five points in losses to Indiana and Northwestern respectively. Freshman center A.J. Hammons is second on the team in scoring at 11 points per game and leads the team with 6.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game as well. He leads all starters with 51.3% field goal percentage and has scored 49 points over the past two games for Purdue. When these two teams met a few weeks ago Hammons led the Boilermakers with 12 points and added 10 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Senior D.J. Byrd and freshman Ronnie Johnson also have major roles with the team, averaging 10.2 and 9.3 points in 30 minutes of playing time per game. Byrd shoots 37% from three point range and Johnson leads the team in assists. Johnson also led Purdue in scoring with 13 points in their last game versus Penn State. Purdue relies heavily on its starting five, only two players coming off the bench average more than 15 minutes per game.

THE MATCHUP

Two of Purdue’s next three games are against ranked opponents, and given that Penn State has played so poorly lately Nick Colella’s PSU-Erie team would give them a run for their money, this could be a trap game for the Boilermakers. That is, sadly, what this season has boiled down to for the Nittany Lions men’s basketball team. 44% of the people who voted on our latest poll feel Coach Chambers can lead the team to two or more victories before the regular season ends, if that is to be, this is a must win.

Penn State does have a legitimate chance to pick up a “W” here, but some disturbing trends need to end immediately. First, Brandon Taylor has clearly developed an overwhelming fear of shooting inside the arc. In the past three games Taylor has attempted exactly four field goal attempts the old fashioned way compared to 17 three point shots, of which only four were successful. Taylor is a 6’7” forward who has the fewest free throw attempts (14) of any player (averaging at least eight minutes per game) on the team. Only a Ross Travis jump shot induces more cringes during a game than watching Taylor launch another unsuccessful 30 footer.

Taylor isn’t the only one who needs to forget that chicks dig the long ball. Penn State has fallen in love with the three point shot despite only hitting 27.7% of their attempts. D.J. Newbill is 1-16 in B1G play from behind the three point line and only Nick Colella is shooting better than 30%. The Lions have had the most success on offense when their two guards are driving into the lane creating their own shot or opening up a wide open look for their teammates. Standing outside the line and launching up a shot whenever you touch the ball isn’t what they had in mind when they set up the peach baskets in Springfield.

Watching Penn State basketball can be frustrating because they don’t possess the talent required to compete with the heavyweights in Division 1 hoops, but it is downright unwatchable when they don’t at least match the other team’s effort. I just haven’t seen much #attitude from the team lately. The Lions have been outrebounded (offensively and total) in four of the last five games.

Picking Penn State to lose isn’t original, and lately even picking Penn State to cover hasn’t been a smart bet. However, I’m going to go out on a limb here and pick a Nittany Lion victory. Their big men are going to need to set up if they hope to contain Hammons, and they need to protect the ball. I’m calling a big game from Sasa Borovnjak (who is shooting better than 50% for the season, by the way) on both ends of the court and a Nittany Lion victory, 65-59.

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In addition to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Robinson is also a member of the Gator Bowl Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and honorable mention on Victory Bell Rings’ list of top Super Bowl performances by a PSU player. Robinson was the 1962 Gator Bowl MVP while playing offense and defense for the Nittany Lions. Penn State went 24-8 when Robinson started, and he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering.

While at Penn State, Robinson was the only African-American on the team and said in an interview with Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel that he was unable to eat with the team when they played teams in the south. Robinson also mentioned in the interview he would prefer one of his former coaches present him in the ceremony August 3rd but “Lombardi is gone, my college coach, Joe Paterno, just passed.”

Dave Robinson was selected three times to the Pro Bowl, twice was an AP All-Pro, and won three NFL Championships (including Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II). He was also named to the NFL’s All-60s team at linebacker. During his 12 seasons in the NFL, Robinson played 127 out of 140 games for the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins. He stood out at the linebacker position on teams with four other Hall of Fame linebackers while with the Packers.

You can purchase tickets to the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement here.

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The Nittany Lions need one victory to avoid becoming the first team in Penn State’s history to go winless in the B1G conference. The 2005 team went 1-15, meaning this year’s Lions need at least two victories to pass the ’05 team in winning percentage for an entire conference season. Here is Penn State’s remaining schedule, the overall and conference records of those teams, and the result from earlier in the year (if available). We will leave the poll up until after Tuesday’s game against Purdue, so get your vote in now!

Penn State’s Remaining Schedule
Tue, Feb 5, 2013 – Purdue (11-10, 4-4) Last Meeting: L 42-60
Sat, Feb 9, 2013 – @ Nebraska (11-11, 2-7) Last Meeting: L 64-68
Thu, Feb 14, 2013 – Iowa (14-7, 3-5) Last Meeting: L 67-76
Sun, Feb 17, 2013 – @ Michigan (20-1, 7-1) Last Meeting: N/A
Thu, Feb 21, 2013 – @ Illinois (15-7, 2-6) Last Meeting: N/A
Wed, Feb 27, 2013 – Michigan (20-1, 7-1) Last Meeting: N/A
Sat, Mar 2, 2013 – @ Minnesota (16-5, 4-4) Last Meeting: N/A
Thu, Mar 7, 2013 – @ Northwestern (12-10, 2-6) Last Meeting: L 54-70
Sun, Mar 10, 2013 – Wisconsin (14-7, 5-3) Last Meeting: L 51-60

Penn State’s B1G Conference Record History
2013: 0-9
2012: 4-14
2011: 9-9
2010: 3-15
2009: 10-8
2008: 7-11
2007: 2-15
2006: 6-10
2005: 1-15
2004: 3-13
2003: 2-14
2002: 3-13
2001: 7-9
2000: 5-11
1999: 5-11
1998: 8-8
1997: 3-15
1996: 12-6
1995: 9-9
1994: 6-12
1993: 2-16

Introduction
10-9
8-7
6-5
4-3

2. Matt Bahr – Kicker, 1991, New York Giants: Super Bowl XXV between the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants was played at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, FL. New York won 20-19, the only Super Bowl ever to be decided by one point. The game is remembered historically for two reasons: 1) Whitney Houston’s rendition of the national anthem, which went on to be a top 20 hit and 2) Scott Norwood, wide right. Running back Ottis Anderson, who ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, was named MVP.

Matt Bahr, drafted in the 6th round (165th overall) in the 1979 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, played 17 seasons in the NFL. Although we mentioned the Bahr Brothers in the honorable mention section, Matt deserves a spot on his own on our top ten performances list. In the closest Super Bowl in history, Matt went 2-2 on PAT attempts and a perfect 2-2 on field goal attempts, including what proved to be the game winner. Worth noting in the NFC Championship game, Bahr went 5-5 including the game winner as time expired to get the Giants to the Super Bowl in a 15-13 victory.

Bahr deserves the #2 spot on the list because of his clutch kicking and impact on the game. He started the game by kicking off to the Bills and making the tackle on the opening kickoff play. He started the scoring with a 28-yard field goal on the Giants first possession. After his team fell behind, he made both extra points to help give New York the lead17-12 going into the fourth quarter.

Buffalo quickly scored to take a 19-17 lead with 14:52 left in the game. When New York got the ball back, they drove the field behind Anderson and quarterback Jeff Hostetler. The 14-play, 74 yard drive stalled at the Buffalo three yard line when Hostetler’s pass was battled down incomplete. Bahr came on to the field and kicked a 21 yard field goal with 7:20 left in the game, making the score 20-19 New York. Buffalo was unable to cross midfield on their next possession, and their final possession ended when Norwood missed a 47 yard field goal attempt with four seconds left; the first of four consecutive Super Bowl defeats for the Bills.

1. Franco Harris – Running Back, 1975, Pittsburgh Steelers: Super Bowl IX was played between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, LA. Pittsburgh won 16-6 in a defensive struggle between the Steel Curtain and the Purple People Eaters. Proud Penn Stater Franco Harris rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown, good enough to earn him game MVP honors and #1 on our all-time list.

Franco Harris, drafted in the 1st round (13th overall) in the 1972 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl Champion. Harris was a horse in this game, carrying the ball 34 times for 158 yards and a touchdown. The game was, as advertised, a battle of two of the best defenses in the NFL and it showed. Neither team could get their offense going in the first half; the score was 2-0 Pittsburgh at the midway point. Harris was bottled up early, gaining only nine yards on his first four carries. Finally late in the first quarter Harris broke loose for 14 yards, and helped get the Steelers into field goal position, but they fumbled the snap and did not convert.

The teams continued to beat each other up in the 2nd quarter, and before breaking off a 25 yarder with under a minute left, Harris had 10 carries for only 22 yards. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, Harris started the second half running the same way he ended the first, going for 24 yards off left tackle on his first carry. Another Harris run to the right, and a nine yard sweep to the left gave Pittsburgh its first touchdown and a 9-0 lead it would never relinquish.

When Pittsburgh got the ball back with 11:16 left in the third quarter, they seemed determined to ride their young fullback to the victory line. 20 times in the next 35 plays, Harris was handed the ball behind the line of scrimmage. He gained 67 yards, but also fumbled twice, losing the ball once in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh picked him up as Mean Joe Greene recovered a fumble at the three yard line to prevent the Vikings from scoring. By pounding the ball with Harris and Rocky Bleier, Pittsburgh was able to gain yards and take time off the clock before finally scoring with 3:31 left in the game to make it 16-6. Harris was named MVP of his first Super Bowl, the first of four in his illustrious career. Not even Louis Freeh can take that away from him.

Thank you for following our list of top ten PSU performances in Super Bowl history! I saved the Excel file with all the winning players and their statistics that I used to create this list and article. If you are interested, feel free to download it here.

Follow VBR Staff Writer Ryne Crabb on Twitter

Introduction
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4. Jack Ham – Linebacker, 1979, Pittsburgh Steelers: Super Bowl XIII was the first rematch in the game’s history as the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Dallas Cowboys at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL. Pittsburgh won 35-31 behind MVP Terry Bradshaw, who threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns. Interesting notes: 1) Both Dallas and Pittsburgh were trying to become the first team ever to win three Super Bowls. 2) Future Hall of Famers involved in the game included 14 players, both head coaches, and four front-office personnel. 3) Dallas is the only team, to date, that scored 30 points and lost in Super Bowl history.

Jack Ham, drafted in the 2nd round (34th overall) in the 1971 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a member of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames. In this game, featuring the league’s two best defenses, Ham’s efforts stood out as he recorded eight unassisted tackles, including one for a loss, and a pass deflection. Remember, as pointed out in the introduction, 70s-era Super Bowls had around 20% less offensive plays than current day Super Bowls. Even so, Ham’s efforts would put him in the top ten statistically in all Super Bowls played since the 2000 season.

Ham was squared up against Tony Dorsett for the majority of the game, trying to slow down one of the league’s most powerful runners. His first three tackles were all made stopping Dorsett, including a big tackle for a three yard loss on Dallas’ first possession after Pittsburgh tied the game 14-14.After gaining 38 yards on his first three carries, Dorsett was bottled up by Ham and the Steel Curtain; he only gained nine yards on his next four carries going into halftime. Fittingly, his last tackle of the game, and eight unassisted tackle of the game, was also on Dorsett.

One of the praises you always hear about Jack Ham was his ability to play against the run and defend against the pass, a rarity in that time. Ham showed his abilities in the Super Bowl making two tackles while in pass coverage, including a pass deflection on a key drive in the fourth quarter of the game. Ham also made two tackles in draw plays, designed to trick to defense into thinking pass before handing the ball off to the running back. Ham was all over the field and submitted a dominate defensive performance for the ages.

3. Franco Harris – Running Back, 1980, Pittsburgh Steelers: Super Bowl XIV was a battle between the Los Angeles Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. It still holds the record for attendance with 103,985 fans at the game. Pittsburgh scored 14 points in the 4th quarter to win 31-19, their fourth Super Bowl in team history. Despite throwing three interceptions, quarterback Terry Bradshaw was named MVP.

Franco Harris, drafted in the 1st round (13th overall) in the 1972 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl Champion. In this game, Harris had two touchdowns and 46 yards on 20 carries, and three receptions for 66 yards. His 112 total yards are greater than either his 1976 or 1979 efforts. Harris’ two touchdowns in the 1980 Super Bowl equal the total of those two games combined.

Another day, another Franco Harris Super Bowl performance that makes our top ten list. If you’ve been following along since the beginning, you already know how this story goes: Pittsburgh starts the game pounding the ball on the ground to set up the pass. Their opening possession six straight runs (Harris 3 times for 5 yards, Rocky Bleier 3 for 16) until Bradshaw found Harris for a 32 yard pass. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, the drive stalled and they had to settle for the field goal and an early 3-0 lead. Franco started their second possession off with a 12 yard run and finished it with a one yard sweep right to give Pittsburgh a 10-7 lead early in the 2nd quarter, but he only had two more carries for three yards the rest of the half as the Steelers trailed 13-10.

Starting the 2nd half with the ball, Pittsburgh ran Bleier once and Harris twice (for six yards) before Bradshaw connected with Lynn Swann for 47 yards and another Steeler lead. Harris collected good stats the rest of the quarter, but none led to Pittsburgh points as Los Angeles led 19-17 going into the fourth and final quarter. Harris ended up with two receptions, one for 14 yards, one for 20, and four carries (for only six yards) in the third quarter. He also collected a tackle after Bradshaw threw a pick in the red zone near the end of the half.

In the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh scored early and never gave up the lead. Harris carried the ball five times to help kill out the clock and preserve the Steelers lead. With 1:49 left in the game, Franco iced it for his team with a one yard plunge into the end zone, his 2nd touchdown of the game. That score made it 31-19 and it would remain that way, giving Harris his fourth and final Super Bowl championship.
Check back tomorrow to find out the runner-up and who is #1!

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Introduction

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6. Matt Suhey – Fullback, 1986, Chicago Bears: In Super Bowl XX, the Chicago Bears faced off against the New England Patriots at the Superdome in New Orleans, LA. Chicago entered the game as 10 point favorites and rolled the cinderella Patriots 46-10. Chicago held New England to -19 yards in the first half, and only 123 for the game, and defensive end Richard Dent was named MVP.

Matt Suhey, drafted in the 2nd round (46th overall) in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, is a true Penn Stater. Matt Suhey’s father Steve Suhey lettered at Penn State, as did Matt and two of his brothers. Matt’s son, Joe Suhey also played for the Nittany Lions. During the 1985 season, Matt only had one rushing touchdown in 16 games. He matched that effort in the Super Bowl, carrying the ball 11 times for 52 yards and a touchdown; he also added a 24 yard reception. Suhey’s main role on the team during the season was blocking for future Hall of Famer Walter Payton, however, in the Super Bowl the Patriots defense keyed on Payton.

After an opening series which was ended by a Payton fumble, the Bears ran Suhey twice for 12 yards, compared to only one carry for Payton. The drive ended with a field goal to tie the game 3-3. Late in the first quarter a fumble by the Patriots Craig James gave the Bears the ball at the New England 13. Suhey ran the ball two consecutive plays, the second attempt being an 11 yard carry for a touchdown to put Chicago up 13-3.

New England responded by going three and out and on Chicago’s first possession of the 2nd quarter, it was more Suhey. Quarterback Jim McMahon found Suhey for 24 yards down the left sideline, and handed the ball off to him three consecutive plays for 7 yards, 1 yard, and 3 yards to set up a first and goal on the 4. On the second play, McMahon took the ball himself the rout was on, 20-3 with 7:24 left in the half. Suhey had a potentially game-changing fumble on the next possession, but the revolutionary Chicago 46 defense bailed him out. To help close out the game in the second half, Suhey had three carries for 15 yards.

5. Franco Harris – Running Back, 1979, Pittsburgh Steelers: Super Bowl XIII was the first rematch in the game’s history as the Pittsburgh Steelers faced the Dallas Cowboys at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL. Pittsburgh won 35-31 behind MVP Terry Bradshaw, who threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns. Interesting notes: 1) Both Dallas and Pittsburgh were trying to become the first team ever to win three Super Bowls. 2) Future Hall of Famers involved in the game included 14 players, both head coaches, and four front-office personnel. 3) Dallas is the only team, to date, that scored 30 points and lost in Super Bowl history.

Franco Harris, drafted in the 1st round (13th overall) in the 1972 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl Champion. In this game, Harris carried the ball 20 times for 68 yards and a touchdown and caught a 22 yard pass. Dallas and Pittsburgh had the top ranked defenses in the league, and behind “Too Tall” Jones did a good job bottling up Harris most of the day. On their first possession, they ran Harris twice but gained only one yard. They opened the second possession with Harris again, this time for five yards, and then two plays later Bradshaw found him for the 22 yard reception but the drive ended after a Bradshaw interception.

On the Steelers’ third possession, Harris started the drive with two carries for 15 yards, but Bradshaw fumbled the next play which led to a Dallas touchdown to tie the game 7-7 at the end of the first quarter. To start the second quarter, after a 10 yard pass, Pittsburgh ran Harris for 7, 1, and then 3 yards for a first down. Bradshaw threw two incompletions and collided with Harris causing him to fumble. It was picked up by “Hollywood” Henderson of Dallas and returned for a touchdown. When Pittsburgh got the ball back, it pounded Harris twice to the left side of the line before Bradshaw was able to find John Stallworth for a 75 yard touchdown to tie the game 14-14 with 10:25 left in the half.

Franco Harris carried the ball six times for -3 yards from that point leading up to the 4th quarter, twice being tackled for a loss by “Too Tall” Jones. On Pittsburgh’s first possession of the final quarter, Harris carried three times but only for nine yards. Then, with 7:10 left in the game, he broke loose for a 22 yard touchdown to give the Steelers as 28-17 lead. Dallas fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Pittsburgh added another touchdown to ice the game.

Check back tomorrow for numbers 3 and 4!

Follow VBR Staff Writer Ryne Crabb on Twitter

Introduction 10-9

8. Franco Harris – Running Back, 1976, Pittsburgh Steelers: Super Bowl X showcased the Pittsburgh Steelers vs the Dallas Cowboys at the Orange Bowl in Miami, FL. Pittsburgh rallied in the fourth quarter to win 21-17 behind a Super Bowl record 161 yards on four catches from Lynn Swann, who was named MVP of the game.

Franco Harris, drafted in the 1st round (13th overall) in the 1972 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl Champion. Harris carried the ball 27 times for 82 yards, and added a 26 yard catch. On their first possession, the Steelers ran five consecutive plays, four of which by Harris who accumulated 16 yards before they had to punt. On the second possession, another four consecutive runs, two by Harris for 12 yards. Once the Cowboys defense sucked in to stuff the run, Bradshaw went deep to Swann for 32 yards, leading to a Steeler touchdown. Dallas was able to slow Harris after that, holding him to only 17 more yards to rest of the half.

Even though they were down at the halftime, 10-7, Pittsburgh continued to hammer the Cowboys with Harris. Five of their first six plays of the 2nd half were to Harris: they ran right, sweep right, left around, right off tackle, and left again. Pittsburgh was still down 10-7 going into the 4th quarter, and opened with a 26 yard pass to Harris. The Steelers continued to pound Harris into the Cowboys line, up 15-10 with 4:25 left in the 4th. The touchdown that sealed the deal that possession was simple: Franco for four yards, Franco for two yards, and then Bradshaw to Swann for the 64 yard TD.

7. Matt Millen – Linebacker, 1984, Los Angeles Raiders: Super Bowl XVIII was a battle between the Los Angeles Raiders and Washington Redskins at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, FL. The Raiders took an early lead and never looked back winning 38-9. Running back Marcus Allen was the MVP of the game, the only championship by a team from Los Angeles.

Matt Millen, drafted in the 2nd round (43rd overall) in the 1980 NFL Draft, was part of a feared Raiders defense featured Pro Bowlers Howie Long, Millen, and Rod Martin. Millen had six tackles and one sack in the game. On Washington’s second possession of the game Millen made two tackles on bruising running back John Riggins, who was last year’s Super Bowl MVP. When Joe Theismann had the Redskins driving on their first possession on the 2nd quarter, Millen came up with a huge sack when Theismann rolled out on the play. After the loss of seven yards, Washington was unable to convert and had to punt to Los Angeles, who drove down the field to take a 14-0 lead.

Millen’s most famous contribution to the game was a play he wasn’t even on the field. Trailing 14-3 with :12 seconds left in the first half, Washington called a “Rocket Screen.” Raiders LB coach recognized the play, and pulled an enraged Millen, who was going to blitz, off the field for Jack Squirek to jump the screen. He did, and took it all the way for a touchdown to give LA a commanding 21-3. Millen added three more tackles, all against Riggins, in the third quarter, which ended with the Raiders leading 35-9.

Check back tomorrow for numbers 6 and 5!

Introduction

10. Andre Collins/Tim Johnson – Linebacker/Defensive Lineman, 1992, Washington Redskins: Our only tie of our rankings, fittingly, goes to two teammates. Super Bowl XXVI pitted the Washington Redskins vs the Buffalo Bills at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, MN. The game was won 37-24 by Washington, led by game MVP Mark Rypien.

Tim Johnson, drafted in the 4th round (141st overall) in the 1987 NFL draft, was a key member of the 1986 Penn State National Championship team. In the Super Bowl, he had 3.5 tackles, including a tackle for a loss he shared with Andre Collins in the 2nd quarter against Thurman Thomas. With Buffalo driving in the third quarter, Johnson made a downfield tackle of wide receiver Don Beebe short of the first down marker. In the fourth quarter, Buffalo had just scored to make it 37-17, and recovered an onside kick. A 13 yard shotgun draw play from running back Kenneth Davis got Buffalo a 1st and goal. They tried to run the same play again to catch Washington off-guard, but Johnson made the tackle after only a three yard gain.

Andre Collins, drafted in the 2nd round (46th overall) in the 1990 NFL Draft, was the team’s leading tackler that season with 151 tackles. In the Super Bowl, he had 4.5 tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss, including the aforementioned shared tackle for loss with Tim Johnson. Teammate Brad Edwards stole the show on defense with 4 tackles, 5 pass deflections, and two picks with 56 return yards, but Collins led the team in tackles from his linebacker position. He also keyed the Redskins defense that shut-out Buffalo in the first half, making them only the 9th team in history to do so. His biggest stop was with the Bills driving in the 2nd quarter trying to get a score before halftime; on a 2nd and two, he stuffed Thurman Thomas for a loss of four yards.

Ironically, Matt Millen was also on this team, his last season in the NFL.

9. Matt Millen – Linebacker, 1990, San Francisco 49ers: Super Bowl XXIV was a matchup of the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos at the Superdome in New Orleans, LA. The game was the most lopsided game in Super Bowl history as the 49ers rolled to a 55-10 victory, led by MVP Joe Montana.

Matt Millen, drafted in the 2nd round (43rd overall) in the 1980 NFL Draft, was part of a dominating 49ers defense that included Ronnie Lott, Charles Haley and Bill Romanowski. In the Super Bowl, he had 5.5 tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss. Two of his tackles came on Denver’s first drive of the game, bringing down running back Bobby Humphrey and quarterback John Elway on consecutive plays. San Francisco quickly put the game out of reach with scores in six of their first eight drives, but the 49ers defense prevented Denver from keeping pace. After a San Francisco touchdown to make it 20-3, Millen stopped Humphrey for a three yard loss on the first Broncos play. In the third quarter, the game well out of reach at 41-3, Millen teamed up with Haley to stop Humphrey for a 2 yard loss on 2nd and goal from the 1.

Check back tomorrow for numbers 8 and 7!

Follow Ryne Crabb on Twitter

Over the next five days leading up to the big game, a lot of attention will be paid to Novarro Bowman and his quest for a ring, and rightfully so. However, Victory Bell Ring is going a slightly different direction, with a look to the past. We will be ranking the best performances by a former Penn State football player in the Super Bowl. Rankings will be released two per day, starting with the 10th and 9th and finishing with the 2nd and 1st. Feel free to bookmark this page, we will update the links at the bottom as the new rankings are released.

About The List

• The rankings were compiled by a committee of one, therefore they are indisputable.
• The player’s performance must have ended in a winning effort. Contrary to the current design of Penn State’s jersey, I still believe the name on the front means more than the name on the back. If your team didn’t win you didn’t win, and your efforts will not be recognized on this list.
• The era in which the game was played will be considered. The 2012 Super Bowl, for example, had 20% more offensive plays than the 1972 Super Bowl; offensive and defensive statistics have been inflated as a result.
• There are no rules prohibiting one player from appearing more than one time, or two players from the same team appearing on the list individually or collectively. However, this was a statistic-based ranking, so apologies in advance to the eight offensive linemen on the list.
• The overall impact their statistics had on the outcome of the game matter. For example, if you had three tackles for a loss on third down in the 2nd half a close game, it will compare favorably to a 40 yard catch in garbage time of a blowout. I reviewed the play-by-play of every Super Bowl, ever. While I recognize statistics don’t tell the whole story, it is the best I could do without watching footage of every game.

We hope you find our list entertaining and historically accurate, if not we welcome any and all comments here or on the individual ranking page. To kick things off, here are some quick honorable mentions that I came across through researching this list. These don’t necessarily follow the rules, and the top ten will have more in-depth analysis.

Honorable Mentions

Dave Robinson – Linebacker, 1967, Green Bay Packers: Robinson anchored the Green Bay defensive line with four tackles, one for a loss, in Super Bowl 1. Just for good measure, he two tackles, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery in Super Bowl 2.

Bahr Brothers – Kicker, 1980 (Matt – Pittsburgh Steelers) & 1981 (Chris – Oakland Raiders): Fun fact that Matt (1-1 FG, 4-4 PAT) won the Super Bowl the year before Chris (2-3 FG, 3-3 PAT) won. Before proud papa Archie Manning, Walter Bahr (National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee) had some pretty good years.

Pete Kugler – Defensive Line, 1982, 1989, 1990, San Francisco 49ers: Kugler may be a victim of a statistical based analysis, but I had to mention the three-time Super Bowl champion contributed a total of two tackles. Not a bad ratio

1994 Team – Kim Herring, Defensive Back, 2001, Baltimore Ravens, Joe Jurevicious, Wide Receiver, 2003, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jurevicious put up good numbers (4 catches, 78 yards) in a game dominated by defensive touchdowns. Herring had an interception and pass deflection in a winning effort against former ’94 teammate Kerry Collins.

10. Andre Collins/Tim Johnson

09. Matt Millen

08. Franco Harris

07. Matt Millen

06. Matt Suhey

05. Franco Harris

04. Jack Ham

03. Franco Harris

02. Matt Bahr

01. Franco Harris

Download the entire list of Super Bowl winning PSU players and their stats.

B1G leading scorer DeShaun Thomas came out hot, making the first two field goals for Ohio State on wide open shots coming off screens. When Penn State adjusted with a 2-3 zone defense, Sam Thompson stepped up and hit some big shots for the Buckeyes. Fortunately for the Lions, they also came out shooting well, starting out 4 for 6, and it was 11-9 Ohio State going into the first timeout with 15:01 left in the first half.

After a D.J. Newbill lay-up tied the game, Penn St missed 13 field goals in a row, a 1-16 stretch that should have put the game out of the reach for the Nittany Lions. However, Ohio State went cold at the same time, with the teams exchanging 11 missed shots in a row. With 7:56 left in the first half, Deshaun Thomas fouled Sasa Borovnjak in transition for his 2nd foul and was forced to the bench. Sasa made 1 of 2 free throws to cut the lead to 19-12, but that was the closest they would be the rest of the afternoon.

Ohio State’s man-to-man defense was suffocating the Nittany Lions offense, forcing long and often contested three point shots. Say what you want about Brandon Taylor, but he certainly didn’t shy away from the challenge. The freshman went 0-5 from 3-point range in the first half, including 0-3 within 80 seconds, and 0-2 on shots from his hometown in Tabernacle, NJ. He ended the game 1-8.

As James Naismith was rolling in his grave, Nick Colella amazingly had a chance to get Penn St within 9 points with 1:28, but missed two of three. The score at the half was 29-18 Ohio State, but the Lions poor shooting prevented them from capitalizing on a huge opportunity to get even closer. With Deshaun Thomas on the bench, Penn State was outscored 9-7. It was the 6th time they have failed to score 20 in a half, while OSU showed their depth, as 8 of 9 players scored in the first 20 minutes.

After an emotional halftime feature about Newbill’s mother passing from cancer this past September, the BJC crowd was ready to lead their team to an upset. D.J. came out a different player, forcing his way into the lane and making plays. He scored or assisted on the first 12 Nittany Lion points, keeping Penn St close through the first ten minutes of the half.

Unfortunately, it was too little too late for Penn State. After four straight possessions that Newbill was able to get into the lane and try to make a play, Marshall air-balled a rushed three point field goal. Missed free throws (12-33 for the game) and awful three point shooting (4-17, including many that weren’t even close) kept Penn State from ever really being a threat.

Coach Chambers used various defenses throughout the game to keep Ohio State off balance offensively. Utilizing a 2-3 zone, 1-3-1 trap, and man-to-man, Penn State was still down 17 with 5:58 left in the game. Finally, Chambers called for the full-court press that led to a 7-1 Penn State run, but D.J. Newbill was blocked on a lay-up attempt to get the lead down to single digits.

Penn State did well keeping Deshaun Thomas off his game, but unlike the Nittany Lions, who have nobody other than Marshall and Newbill who can create offense, Ohio State’s other players picked up their game. Sophomore Sam Thompson had 16, two points off his season high, and didn’t miss until there was 2:52 left in the game (and Ohio State got the offensive rebound anyway). Lenzelle Smith, Jr had a great overall game with 11 points (7-8 FT shooting) and 8 rebounds.

With 2:11 left in the game, Marshall blocked a Aaron Craft (sneaky good game with 7 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, but only 1 steal) lay-up and Penn State called a timeout with the ball, down 10. I was shocked to hear the cheers coming from the Bryce Jordan Center crowd. Penn State basketball still gets too excited about just being in a game, instead of excited about winning a game. We have become the Temple football to Ohio State basketball’s team, this was their 18th straight win over Penn State hoops.

Before the game, the blueprint to beat the Buckeyes was simple; the Lions would have to contain Thomas, limit their own mistakes, and be efficient on offense. Thomas was held to 11 points (4-13 shooting), half his season average and his lowest output of the year. Penn State turned the ball over only four times, had almost twice as many blocks, and more assists than OSU. In the end, it was all for naught and as a last second three point shot by Kevin Montminy missed badly, the Nittany Lions even failed to cover the 13.5 point spread.

See you again in Iowa City on Thursday, January 31st as Penn State tries to avoid going 0-for-January.

The Last Time Out

Penn State traveled to Bloomington to face the #7 ranked Indiana Hoosiers. Entering the game as 24 point underdogs, the Nittany Lions looked the part. The Lions were led by D.J. Newbill (18 points & 7 rebounds in 39 minutes) and Jermaine Marshall (12 & 6 in 28). This should come as no surprise; since Tim Frazier’s injury, Newbill or Marshall has lead the team in scoring in 14 of 16 games. The lone bright spot was holding Player of the Year candidate Cody Zeller to 0 field goals in 21 minutes of play. Also, Penn State did cover the spread: Since Big Ten play started, they are often playing for winning ATS instead of winning percentage. They are now 0-7 in the conference, with the average losing margin at 14.5 points per game.

About the Buckeyes

Ohio State is 14-4 overall, and 4-2 in conference. They have won three of their last four coming into State College. The offense is led by Deshaun Thomas, who has picked up where he left off in last season’s NCAA tourney. He is averaging 20.5 PPG this year, and has lead the Buckeyes in scoring the past nine games in a row, and in rebounding the past two. Look for Aaron Craft, the reigning B1G Defensive Player of the Year, to try to make life miserable for Penn State’s backcourt; the junior leads the team in steals, is second in FT attempts, and first in FT percentage. Thad Matta’s defense is holding teams to 58.2 points per game, a number the Lions have only reached twice since the new year.

The Matchup

To steal a line from Led Zeppelin, with these Lions, “The Song Remains the Same.” Penn State coach Pat Chambers has to find a way to slow down Thomas and hope to win an ugly, slow, defensive game. The Nittany Lions have been too inconsistent on offense, especially with their outside shooting (2-15 3pt FG last game). Even after losing Jared Sullinger to the NBA draft, this year’s Ohio State team looks too good offensively and defensively for PSU to give them much difficulty on the court. If the Lions can pull it out, expect a lot of crow eating on the recap Saturday night. If they can’t, the Lions will have one more shot to avoid becoming the first team since 2009-2010 to go 0-for-January. That year’s team lost 12 in a row en-route to an 11-20 record.

Follow VBR Staff Writer Ryne Crabb on Twitter