Penn State Falls in Iowa

by BSD on Mar 9, 2009 10:16 AM EDT in Penn State Basketball Comment 24 comments

Final - 3.7.2009	1	2	OT	2OT	Total
Penn St. Nittany Lions	24	32	8	3	67
Iowa Hawkeyes	24	32	8	11	75

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It was a valiant effort by our cardiac kids. They trailed by nine points with 2:23 to go in regulation. I was just about to turn it off but decided not to. I'm a masochist who believes you have to suffer through the bad games if you want to truly enjoy the good ones. I started getting that tingly feeling inside when Talor Battle rattled off 11 straight points. Then David Jackson poked a ball loose and Stanley Pringle raced the length of the court for a layup and drew a foul. And before we knew it we were back in the game and going to overtime.

But ultimately a double overtime game after an emotional game less than two days earlier was too much, and Penn State just ran out of gas. Much like this recap.

The Good

I'm so impressed with the way this team closes out their games. How many times have they overcome deficits late in the game to pull out a win? When they get inside of five minutes they make every possession count and do what they need to do to get back in the game and win. If they could just play with that level of focus and intensity for 40 minutes they would be unstoppable.

Penn State shot 10-of-12 from the free throw line. Most of that was Talor Battle who shot 9-of-11.

The Bad

In a game that went into two overtimes, the bench only played a combined 62 minutes. By comparison, the starters played a total of 198 minutes. Is anyone surprised we ran out of gas at the end? All they could do is pass it around and throw up desperation threes.

Speaking of which, Talor Battle has seriously lost his outside touch. He only made one of eight attempts, and some of those attempts made you scratch your head. It's almost like he was getting so tired he didn't want to exert the effort to drive to the net or even run the offense.

Jake Kelly killed us. The guy was running a 102 fever and lit us up for 22 points. We couldn't stop him. Of course he was also extremely lucky banking in two three pointers. When crap like that is going down on the road it's always an uphill battle.

The Ugly

The Iowa fans crying and bellyaching after every little whistle that didn't go their way. There was a string where Penn State was getting a lot of calls, but they were good calls. Shut up.

What was with Ed not calling a timeout with ten seconds to go in regulation? Instead the let Battle take the inbound pass and dribble up the court where he threw up an uneccessary three point shot from way too deep. Why didn't he drive the lane like he did against Illinois on Thursday night? Maybe he was too tired to finish, but he could have drawn the defense and probably found Jones wide open underneath or something.

Ed did the same thing last week. I'm not talking about the drive where Battle made the game winning shot. I'm talking about the possession before that. Down by one inside of 30 seconds Ed opted to run the offense instead of using his timeout. The result was a careless turnover by Battle that nearly cost us the game. Use your damn timeouts and draw up a play, Ed. You don't get to carry them over to the next game.

On to the Big Ten Tournament

So we went into Saturday with a chance for a #2 seed in the conference tournament. Instead we end up with the #6 seed and a dreaded rematch with Indiana. Yay tie breaker rules! Here's a game where we have nothing to gain. Just playing the Hoosiers is going to drag down our RPI. Lose and we are probably looking at the NIT. Beating them will do nothing except drain our weary legs so we're nice and soft for Purdue in the next round. We may up playing both Indiana teams in Indianapolis. Talk about a lousy draw.

But I don't feel good about playing Indiana. Beating the same team three times in one season is difficult. Last year we choked against an inferior Illinois team we beat twice in the regular season. And the Hoosiers are showing signs of putting things together. They played us tough in the Jordan Center last week and they gave Michigan State a run for their money after that. Right now our team just seems completely beaten down and running on empty. Indiana has nothing to play for so they'll be loose and aggressive. I don't have a good feeling about this game at all.

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Looking Forward

To the game Thursday. At least if we win we still have hope to make the field of 65. And get to root for other bubble teams to lose the rest of the weekend. And if we lose I’ll be bummed but it’ll be a lot less stressful over the weekend watching the games.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

by wookieeman on Mar 9, 2009 10:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

And

If we win, I think Purdue will destroy us. Even though they lost to Mich St yesterday I think they are the best in our Conf.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

by wookieeman on Mar 9, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think

purdue is one of the most overrated teams in the country. their best win is over a crappy boston college team.

by raimman on Mar 9, 2009 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Umm...

So you’re saying that Boston College is better than Michigan State? They housed MSU in Mackey a couple weeks ago by 25 or so. Purdue and Michigan State are the only Big Ten teams that I think have a good shot of making the Sweet 16. Sure, there might be some other random team that sneaks in there (hopefully PSU), but those two teams are clearly the class of the conference. Beating Purdue on Friday is going to be a big challenge, but then again, Purdue doesn’t usually play well in the Big Ten Tournament.

Let's Go State!

by Gopher Broke on Mar 9, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

When healthy they're good.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

by wookieeman on Mar 9, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Timeout thing is Interesting

It’s all coaches preference what to do. Mike is 100 percent right in that against Illinois with 30 seconds left you need to take a timeout. But if there is less than 15 seconds a lot of coaches will let them play that way the defense can’t get set. If we called a timeout, there is a good chance they would have denied Battle the ball, putting the game in the hands of an inferior player.

Personally, I don’t know what to think. I would have probably called a TO but that’s just me. I can see the arguement for letting them play though.

by STU Boy on Mar 9, 2009 10:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

We didn't want to win that game

We just played not to lose. It was like we wanted to end the game on a tie.

That first OT we had every opportunity to get a small lead and then cling to it by eating the clock. Iowa was emotionally defeated b/c of our comeback, they were on the ropes and we had plenty of defense and offensive possessions to win. Instead we missed 8 3-point attempts. That’s 8 posessions we didn’t even try — we just passed the ball a few times and eventually shot the 3 — and most of the time we couldn’t even get the rebound.

I was disgusted by the laziness of the team after bringing us back to tie the game up. I know that’s a bit strong, but being tired is a lame excuse for why they refused to drive in and try and get a basket or even a foul.

"We hugged as grown men do. It was a great moment. Then, it was business as usual." -- LJ Sr.

by millzners on Mar 9, 2009 10:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't know

They just came off an emotional game that they played hard for 40 minutes, then had to go on the road roughly 40 hours later and play a team that makes you defend for 30 seconds a possession. We do not have a deep bench, so I completely understand how in OT they were wiped.

Plus there is a strong possibility that Battle was completely worn down after the last 2 minutes whenhe drove to the hoop just about every play. It seemed like in the OT when he would try to drive on Kelly he was a step slow and couldn’t get past the foul line.

by STU Boy on Mar 9, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm slow to rush to the defense of our guys too

and I hate even saying it, but I gotta agree with you Millz. We’ve pulled some crazy upsets and comebacks this season, but I can’t believe that one got away from us. We weren’t playing like it was a must-win game, and I don’t see it as a problem of being winded or worn down. I just thought Iowa wanted it more. Who knows, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle like it usually does.

by jimbo2psu on Mar 9, 2009 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just wonder if calling a TO might have helped

by giving the guys (especially Battle) some time to rest. Granted it is probably insignificant, but man he just looked gassed out there, heaving up that 3 pointer.

I suppose the danger would have been that we wouldn’t be able to get him the ball on the in-bounds, or in time to get a shot off.

by The JuggerNitt on Mar 9, 2009 11:58 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah but

So let’s say we couldn’t get the ball to Battle on the inbounds. Would anyone be griping if we let Pringle drive the net and take the last shot? He’s probably been more conisistent than Battle these last few weeks.

Sometimes I think Ed puts more confidence in Battle’s abilities than Talor himself does. In the final minutes he’s either going to score or turn the ball over, and what he does decides our fate. Meanwhile four other guys just stand on the court and watch.

If you go back and watch that last play of the Illinois game, the entire defense was focused on him. He dribbled around all five orange guys to take that goofy shot. Meanwhile, he could have just dished the ball off to Andrew Jones who was standing all alone on the weak side begging for a game winning dunk.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Mar 9, 2009 12:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

It may have come down to Ed contemplating between our 1-on-1 offense vs. their defense not being completely organized, or our set play vs. their set defense. For better or worse we know what he pick. Again I think you can make compelling arguements either way.

by STU Boy on Mar 9, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

Second guessing is what we do here.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Mar 9, 2009 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Second Guessing is Great

When we do it, we get a lot of good thoughts and opinions, some of which make me change my view on certain things. But poor Ed probably lost sleep because of this 10 seconds were are talking about. Yet another reason why I would hate to be a basketball or football coach in a game like this that can put you over the edge. You gotta feel for the guy because this is the first time he has been in theis situation and his head is probably spinning.

by STU Boy on Mar 9, 2009 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well, if he is a good coach

he should be telling his players to have a short memory (and should take it to heart as well), and not to get hung up on past performances (both successful and failures). Learn what you can from them, and move on. Of course, that is all easier said than done.

by The JuggerNitt on Mar 9, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

new to the comments

but i’ve enjoyed following this site over the past few months, and i wanted to put in my two cents about the game on Saturday. First, although we didn’t get any favors from the schedule makers (has there been a quicker turnaround between games for any team THIS SEASON except for the early season tournaments?), I think the team fought as hard as they could despite being seemingly a step behind the whole game. It’s a shame that they were one defensive stop from being a #2 Big 10 seed and definite lock into the tourney. I know it can be debated either way, but I wouldn’t have called timeout after the game was tied in regulation. I think our best look was to have Battle or Pringle push it and look to draw a foul or kick out. Calling a TO would have had a chance for Iowa to get set, and as those of us that have watched this team all year know, running actual plays is not something this team does very often. If anything, I would have considered a TO after Pringle’s FT put us up two, for Ed to go over what to do on defense and maybe considering fouling one of the big guys down low if the opportunity presented itself, because they weren’t doing much at the line. Let’s hope they can turn it around the Hoosiers…given the way this whole season has gone and our backs are now pretty much against the wall, who would have expected it to turn out any other way?

by mundyscorner99 on Mar 9, 2009 1:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You can thank ESPN

tWWL is the one that decided the date/time of the Illinois game. Prior to a couple weeks before the game, it was listed as happening on March 3/4/5, if I recall correctly, but with ESPN having the rights to pick the date/time if they decided they wanted to televise it.

But yeah, I’m not very surprised that they lost to Iowa. In my heart of hearts I was actually more or less expecting it, given the short turn-around time from the emotional overtime game, with it being senior day at Iowa, and with the Hawkeyes actually playing pretty decent basketball since the return of Cyrus Tate. The only Big Ten team that’s handled Iowa relatively easily in Iowa City was MSU, and even they had to fight off some furious rallies by the Hawkeyes. Their record isn’t great, but they’re not a bad team, and they play teams tough especially at home. Just like Northwestern is probably the best 9th-place team in any conference nationwide, Iowa might very well be the best 10th-place team in the country.

I hope that after the last two games that DeChellis institutes an actual plan in practice that the players can implement on the fly, should they find themselves in another tight game at the very end again. It’s easy to second-guess about the lack of a timeout, but if Battle would’ve hit a three we would’ve been praising Ed for not allowing Iowa’s defense to get set. Even so, there should be some semblance of a plan that the players execute, although that would go against the grain of our entire “offense” this year.

Let's Go State!

by Gopher Broke on Mar 9, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

oops

I meant “emotional Illinois game,” not “emotional overtime game”

Let's Go State!

by Gopher Broke on Mar 9, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That reminds me

Another gripe I had with this game that I should have included in the review:

What was with the defense? Every time Iowa made a pass we were switching off. Ultimately we would end up with with either Pringle or Battle guarding Tate or Cole down low giving up five or six inches. We must have given them a dozen points where all their big man had to do was catch the ball, turn around, and drop it in the basket. And it went on like that through the entire game and into overtime.

Why wasn’t an adjustment made? Were they trying to protect Cornley but letting him avoid contact down low? A 50% Cornley could have done a better job than Battle and Pringle could on defending Tate and Cole.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Mar 9, 2009 2:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Watching the Game

I felt the same way and for the life of me my friends and I could not figure it out. In only one game this year did we switch on every screen (URI because of Jimmy Baron), so why this one too? Interesting coaching move that was puzzling and irritating.

My only theory is that Iowa leads the Big 10 in turnovers (I believe), so maybe they thought this would increase the pressure on the Iowa guards. But I think even that is a stretch.

by STU Boy on Mar 9, 2009 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The most confusing thing is that we were often in a zone when this was happening.

How do your guards end up under the basket in a zone defense? And why wasn’t it fixed after the 7th time.

We just needed a couple players, a couple people to buy in to the fact and we were able to do it. --A.Q. Shipley

by psu on Mar 9, 2009 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think it was a zone

I think they were just switching every time Iowa set a pick. This created the mismatch, and then Tate or Cole would go low and post up and PSU couldn’t switch back.

Mike
Black Shoe Diaries

by BSD on Mar 9, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

my wife told me I shouldn't drink so early in the day.

We just needed a couple players, a couple people to buy in to the fact and we were able to do it. --A.Q. Shipley

by psu on Mar 9, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Defensive Switching

I could not understand for the life of me why we kept ending up with our Guards in the paint trying to defend a guy who was 6 inches taller and 40 lbs heavier? I can understand the switching a bit, but it seemed like they were super quick to switch when the ball was first brought down the court and then never switched back. After the 3rd or 4th time you ahve to realize what is going on and make an adjustment, failing to do so is complete incompetency. Also, you started playing full-court press at the end of regulation and it works like a charm and gets you back into the game, so why go away from it? Why not even attempt to win the game in regulation? Yea, you have momentum, but so what? GO FOR THE WIN, GO FOR THE KILL. (that is for all Penn State athletic coaches, not just Ed.)

I’ll give Ed and the players a lot of credit for making something of the season, but they could have done so much more if it wasn’t for all the complete stupidity out there. Failing to make adjustments, failing to make LAYUPS, failing to make foul shots. They are by far the most frustrating team to watch.

by Hoptafence3 on Mar 9, 2009 7:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs