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Cari Greene
@NotCarlotta
(Former BSD Handle: NotCarlotta)

The third commitment for Black Shoe Diaries in about two weeks, Cari Greene comes to BSD from the nation's capital and will be helping out with our recruiting coverage, though you can expect to see her in many other capacities. Another recruiting team member? Yes, we're hitting this new coverage hard.

What sets our newest commitment apart isn't the hometown (we've already got at least three writers from Larry Johnson territory) or the school affiliation (Penn State, natch). What sets Cari apart, if you haven't already figured it out, is that she is the first ever* female author at Black Shoe Diaries. We're excited to have her enthusiasm and writing talent on board. Welcome to Black Shoe Diaries, Cari!

Cari, in her own words, after the jump...

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Coach Chambers already has four future Penn State basketball players committed to the program. I've admittedly done a poor job keeping tabs on their individual seasons, but with district and state playoffs just around the corner, now is as good a time as any to see how our future Lions are doing this year.

Akosa Maduegbunam - Winchendon School - Winchendon, MA

The former Charlestown High star and Boston native has spent his senior year at the Winchendon School, which plays in the NEPSAC (New England Prep School Athletic Council). If you are unfamiliar with the NEPSAC, the league easily produces the most D-1 basketball talent year-in and year-out. Unfortunately, this year's Winchendon roster couldn't match up with some of the other powerhouses on their schedule like Brewster Academy and Northfield Mount Hermon. Their season is wrapping up as they're currently just 8-21 on the year. You can find a select few game statistics on Winchedon's website, but nothing's complete so I have no numbers to offer on Akosa's season.

Lions247 caught up with him last month. There's also some film out there on him, thanks to The Basketball Diary. TBD filmed both of Winchendon's games in the National Prep Showcase back in November. Check out the full games on youtube against Wilbraham & Monson and New Hope Academy.

Brandon Taylor - Trenton Catholic Academy - Trenton, NJ

Brandon plays for a stacked TCA team that features at least four other D-1 prospects in addition to himself. Fellow seniors Chazz Patterson (Mount St. Mary's) and Charles Cooke (James Madison) are already signed, and 2013 PF AJ Sumbry and 2015 G Malachi Richardson will also receive D-1 scholarships in the future. TCA is 19-4 on the season and ranked #6 in the state of New Jersey. It's been impossible finding complete stats on TCA's season, as apparently that 19-4 record is missing the results of some games. He did score 29 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in his last game.

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Our next Class of 2012 member was the fourth commitment for the Nittany Lions in the last recruiting class. Derek Dowrey, coming in at 6-3, 280 pounds, was invited to attend a Rising Senior Camp at Penn State last June, and must have been quite impressive. A day before the event, Dowrey had a scholarship offer from just one BCS school (West Virginia), but a day after the event, the Virginia native walked away a committed Nittany Lion.

At the time, there was little known about Dowrey, though his stats from his junior year were quite impressive.

"I was first-team all region on both sides of the ball, playing defensive tackle and offensive guard," said Dowrey on Thursday night. "I felt it was a pretty good season."

The junior racked up 145 tackles primarily playing nose guard, and 40 of those stops were recorded for a loss. He also had 10.5 sacks to go along with four forced and recovered fumbles over the 14-game season.

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I guess it takes a Big Ten Championship to finally get some recognition for this Lady Lions team. Maggie Lucas earned this honor more for her 28-point outing against Purdue earlier in the week, but also chimed in with a double-digit game in the Reagan-Smashing of Ohio State.

From the Big Ten release:

• Helped Penn State secure at least a share of the Big Ten Championship after averaging 20 points on the week and recording her first career double-double in the clinching win against Ohio State
• Scored a game-high 28 points, shooting 5-of-7 from 3-point range, to lead Penn State to a road win against nationally ranked Purdue on Thursday
• Recorded her first career double-double against Ohio State, scoring 12 points and pulling in 10 rebounds, securing a piece of the Lady Lions’ first Big Ten title since 2004 and the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament
• Claims her first career Big Ten Player of the Week honor
• Last Penn State Player of the Week: Tyra Grant (Jan. 27, 2009)

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First, The Important Stuff. You may know John Tecce from his work with Paternoville and Onward State. He danced in THON over the weekend, and dedicated his performance to an uncle he never knew. His uncle, Mark, died at age five due to cancer:

I dedicated my THON 2012 experience to you, Uncle Mark. I wrote your initials on my headband and sweatband and I thought of you the entire time, especially when I felt myself struggling. I had a rough few hours on Sunday morning, but seeing a reminder of why I THON (that’s you!) hanging on a curtain along with the reasons the other 700+ dancers THON gave me strength to push on. I know that the pain you experienced during your year of treatments, which your dad told me you never once complained about, must have been much worse than the few hours of pain that I felt.

You existed in every Four Diamonds kid I saw, kids you have so much in common with, who spent their weekend away from hospitals and treatments to squirt us with water guns and play games with us. You existed in every line dance I danced, every piece of dancer mail I received (and there was a lot, including some pictures of you!), and every time I laughed, cried, smiled, hugged, danced, and felt loved. And, perhaps most importantly, you existed in the amazing support I received from your brother, his wife, and from your niece, Lauren, who will continue to THON for you after I graduate this spring.

An excellent tribute to a great cause and a young boy who wasn't given the chance to live a full life.

Baseball In February? Yes, college baseball starts early, and usually requires northern teams to start their seasons with extensive Southern road trips. Corn Nation is taking the Big Ten baseball season by the reins, and has a rundown of each team's initial week of action. Penn State has started 1-2, picking up a win against Cincinnati after two opening losses.

Kill, Kill, Kill Oh Crap Another 80-Yard Touchdown. David Jones goes in depth with new PSU defensive coordinator Ted Roof:

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"All of these kids came here with the promise that we'd be in this position, but they had nothing to go on as [I was] a first time head coach. All of these kids come from all over the country - California, Texas, Atlanta, Chicago - and we said `Hey, come to central Pennsylvania and let's win a Big Ten title.'" - Coquese Washington, Feb. 20, 2012.

And that's exactly what they did last night.

Penn State women's basketball is back, proving so in dominant fashion last night against No. 8 Ohio State in the Bryce Jordan Center. In a one-game playoff for the 2011-12 regular season conference title, No. 11 Penn State positively dismantled the Buckeyes from start to finish, 84-66. Three Lady Lions logged double-doubles and all five starters finished the night scoring double digits on the visitors.

With their win over Ohio State, the Lady Lions clinched the #1 seed in this year's Big Ten Tournament, which also gives them a first round bye.

After a competitive start by both teams, Penn State literally took the ball and ran... and ran... and ran. Using an 11-2 run, the Lady Lions led 20-11 seven and a half minute into the game. But by halftime, that lead would steadily grow to 15, as Penn State was up 45-30 at the break.

The Lady Lions broke open their first 20-point lead in just under six minutes into the second half at 58-38. Ohio State would tread water just enough to keep Penn State about 20 points ahead the rest of the game, but it seemed like every time the Buckeyes created an opening, a Lady Lion was there to slam it shut:

A Penn State foul allowed a four-point Buckeye run, 58-42, but Penn State scored five of the next seven points to go back up by 20 (63-43) by the 11-minute mark. Ohio State took off on a 6-2 run, but Prahalis fouled Lucas, who sparked a 7-0 Lady Lion run to increase Penn State's lead to 21 (70-49) with 8:06 to play.

The teams traded baskets for almost four minutes with Penn State maintaining at least an 18-point lead. Nickson made two shots at the line to make it 79-59. Ohio State's Darryce Moore also made a trip to the foul line where she hit both baskets, but Greene scored the next three points off a layup and a free throw to give Penn State its 21-point lead back (82-61). Ohio State closed out the game with a 5-2 run, but it was too little too late as the Lady Lions sealed the 84-66 win.

Junior NIkki Greene set career marks with 25 points and 15 rebounds. That second number proved to be the deciding factor in the team stats. Penn State totally owned the boards last night, nearly doubling up on Ohio State's rebound total, 60-32.The home team also had a ridiculous 29-0 advantage on second-chance points.

Junior Mia Nickson (18/15) and sophomore Maggie Lucas (12/10) joined Greene with their own double-double games. It was Lucas' first of her career, as she is usually making her mark from beyond the 3-point line.

Greene, Nickson and Lucas combined to out-rebound the entire Ohio State team.

Usually when you say a win was "a team effort," it's not quite so literal as what Coquese Washington was able to coax out of her squad last night.

"Across the board, I think we have a lot of players who can put up points," Washington said during the post game press conference. "We strive to be a team that plays smart and whatever's available, we're going to take it. A lot of nights, Maggie Lucas is available and she's able to get shots but tonight, she wasn't and that's okay. To her credit, she doesn't get bothered by it. She just keeps playing and says, 'Ok, well, it's Nikki's night.' Tonight was a night of the post and our guards were very pleased to sit back and watch them go to work."

All five starters reached double figures for the Lady Lions. Senior Zhaque Gray finished with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists, while junior Alex Bentley threw in 10 more points of her own.

The victory over Ohio State gives Penn State their first regular-season title since 2004 when they advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Lions are now 32-21 all-time, and 17-6 at home against the Buckeyes.

Stats via GoPSUSports.com

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This news was lost in the wash of the weekend, but Bill O'Brien finally named a quarterbacks coach prior to the big recruiting weekend. After Bill O'Brien was unable to pull George Godsey from New England's coaching staff (RIP, @DouchyGodsey), Charlie Fisher comes to Penn State following a short stint at MAC Miami. Prior to that, Fisher was at Vanderbilt for nine seasons. Here's his résumé, courtesy of Miami's official site:

Fisher spent the last nine seasons at Vanderbilt, serving as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator. He also mentored the Commodores' running backs during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

Before joining Vanderbilt, he served two years as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Temple and had a two-year stint tutoring North Carolina State receivers, including likely NFL Hall of Famer Torry Holt.

Fisher's background also includes a successful tenure as head coach at West Georgia from 1993-97. While there, he led the Division II Braves to a 36-17 overall record. He also served as an offensive coach at Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) College from 1985-90.

Despite his career taking him to the deep south, Fisher is a Pennsylvania native. In SEC circles, Fisher was known for his ability to recruit talent that was overlooked by goliaths such as Alabama and Auburn. He helped Jay Cutler become a first-round NFL draft pick, and also coached WR Torry Holt at North Carolina State. As the York Daily Record noted, his passing attack was ranked 14th nationally at Miami last year, despite the team winning only four games.