Pocketful Of Clang

by Run Up The Score on Jan 7, 2009 10:31 AM EST in Basketball

Penn State 67, Purdue 64

There were many positives from last night's game at the BJC.

Rebounding and Hustle - Yes, Penn State (13-3, 2-1) outrebounded a Big Ten opponent 41-27, which is proof enough that the program has improved. This was apparent from the very beginning of the game as Penn State grabbed five consecutive offensive rebounds its first possession before Talor Battle finally converted the opportunity with a three-point play. It was a theme for the entire game.

"A lot of the rebounds were hustle plays, long rebounds, scrapping," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "Battle's proven sometimes it's chasing the ball as well as getting it above the rim. Whenever there was a 50/50 play and the ball was loose, Penn State got the majority of those, and that's how you're gonna win games."

Confidence? Rising.

"Last year when we were freshmen, we all would've been jumping up and running around the gym after we beat the 14th ranked team in the country," Battle said. "Now we really just expect to win. We feel we can play with anybody."

Also rising are the opinions held by other conference coaches about the PSU program.

"We’re better," DeChellis said. "I’m not gonna take any credit. Our players are better, we’ve elevated our talent."

Painter, whose team dusted the Nittany Lions by 22 points in the Jordan Center last January, would agree. "They’ve made improvements," he said, "but they’ve also made improvements together, and that’s important."

So, there's a catch? It's Nittany Lion basketball, there's always a catch. For a team so heavily dependent on guard play, the team's free throw shooting is just abysmal. This team isn't nearly talented enough to be so awful at the line. We need to be winning games at the stripe, not giving them away.

I love to say that Jamelle Cornley is 6'4", but 6'2" of it is balls. He's an undersized hustler, and his passion for the game is unquestioned. At the free throw line, however, he's one hitch away from being Chuck Hayes:

Perhaps some actual, professional advice is in order?

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Jones

I was really impressed with Jones last night, but not for his obvious work on the offensive glass. I remember 4-5 plays on defense where he cleared out his man perfectly and allowed Morrisey and Pringle to sweep in for easy rebounds. Little things like this go a long way in helping a team win, and marks a huge improvement for an incredibly raw player.

by STU Boy on Jan 7, 2009 11:10 AM EST reply actions

Free throws

Outside of Memphis, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a team that struggled so badly to hit big free throws. It almost cost us the Ga Tech game, and last night shouldn’t have been as close. Even Morrisey missed 2 free throws. Nice win though. Need a few more like that, and a couple of nice road wins to have a shot at the tourney.

by speedomike on Jan 7, 2009 11:20 AM EST reply actions

Toll throws

For a team so heavily dependent on guard play, the team’s free throw shooting is just abysmal. This team isn’t nearly talented enough to be so awful at the line. We need to be winning games at the stripe, not giving them away.

My thoughts exactly. Missing over 40% of your “toll throws” is inexcusable at this level, and is going to cost them some games if they’re not careful. I actually like DeChellis overall, but this is one thing that he and his staff need to fix. However many free throws the players are practicing, it needs to be doubled. Although like other people have said in the past, maybe better form needs to be taught first. It always befuddles me why players at this level aren’t all at least 80% free throw shooters. It’s an easy way to boost your scoring average, and an easy way to make sure your coach keeps you on the floor in crunch time!

Let's Go State!

by Gopher Broke on Jan 7, 2009 11:23 AM EST reply actions