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Penn State got back into the win column against Nebraska.
Penn State's five-game losing streak is over.
The Nittany Lions (11-15, 3-10) defeated Nebraska 67-51 at the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday, getting on the board with their first victory since Jan. 19 thanks to hot shooting and solid perimeter defense.
Penn State hit at 52.3 percent from the field against the Corhuskers (11-13, 3-10) while holding their opponents to just 39.6 percent shooting overall and 30 percent (6-20) from the 3-point line. Nebraska kept throwing up the deep ones, but Penn State forced tough looks for most of the afternoon, helping keep the Huskers at bay.
"I think we did some good things the last couple days," coach Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said after the game. "I thought you saw 13 guys for the most part play with a clear head out there. That's why I think we played at a different level."
Tim Frazier just missed out on a triple-double in leading the Lions, putting up a 23-point, 10-rebound and 9-assist line. He would have been the first Penn State player to attain that feat since Calvin Booth did it against Dayton in the 1998 NIT. Cammeron Woodyard joined Frazier in double figures with 14 points and Jermaine Marshall had 12 points off the bench.
Chambers said he ran two plays under the 2:00 mark to try and get Frazier his elusive 10th assist. It just didn't come to fruition. He still had good things to say about his point guard after the game, though.
"He's done it all year," Chamber said. "In the locker room, his work ethic...and you know I'm on him. I'm probably on him the hardest, because I know he can get us more and I know how much better he can get, which is scary."
Dylan Talley was the big scorer for the Huskers with 12 points on 4-11 shooting from the field. Caleb Walker had 10 points and Bo Spencer, who put up 19 in the two teams' first matchup on Jan. 11, was held to seven points on 3-8 shooting from the field.
Penn State will look to build on its momentum on Thursday when it hosts Iowa at the Bryce Jordan Center for an 8 p.m. tipoff.
For more analysis and reaction from Penn State's win, be sure to stay tuned to SB Nation Pittsburgh.
Back in the comfort of the Bryce Jordan Center after a two-game road trip, Penn State got off to a good shooting start on Saturday and took a 36-26 lead into the halftime break.
The Nittany Lions shot a red-hot 57.9 percent from the field, including 62.5 percent (5-8) from 3-point range. They also forced the Cornhuskers into 38.5 percent shooting from the field, including a lackluster 27.3 percent (3-11) from beyond the arc.
Cammeron Woodyard led Penn State with 11 points on 3-3 shooting from the perimeter in the half. Tim Frazier had 10 points, five rebounds and four assists while Jermaine Marshall added six points on 3-5 shooting from the field.
Dylan Talley led Nebraska with nine points on 3-7 shooting from the field. Caleb Walker had five points in the half and Bo Spencer had five.
The two teams combined for just nine turnovers in the first period.
For a full recap after the game and reaction from players and coaches after the game, be sure to stay tuned to SB Nation Pittsburgh later on Saturday and Sunday.
Penn State will host Nebraska for the first time since 1981 on Saturday at 1:00 PM inside the Bryce Jordan Center looking to break a season-high five-game losing streak.
The Cornhuskers (11-12, 3-9 Big Ten) fell below the .500 mark last time out in losing 62-46 against Michigan on Wednesday, and are in the midst of their own three-game losing streak. Nebraska did top Penn State 70-58 on Jan. 11 in Lincoln, however, in a game that was never very close.
The Nittany Lions (10-15, 2-0 Big Ten), meanwhile, are coming off a 77-57 thrashing at Michigan State on Wednesday that dropped them to a season-high five games below .500. Penn State hasn't earned a win since defeating Illinois on Jan. 19 at home.
Check out some things to watch for in the game below.
When Penn State has the ball...
-It took the Lions almost eight minutes to score against the Spartans on Wednesday. After getting on the board, Penn State played a competitive game, but that early hole was way too much to overcome on the road. Whatever this team's early jitters are (Penn State fell behind 16-2 to start the game at Iowa last Saturday) it has to try and overcome them against a fellow bad team at home. Otherwise, another frustrating loss probably awaits this team.
-Penn State was a horrific 3-of-24 from three-point territory against Nebraska last time, a signal not only of poor shooting but lazy offense. If Penn State expects to win, it has to work for some better shots this time around rather than settling for a high volume of shots the team has proven it can't make against the Huskers.
-One thing the Lions did do well in the first matchup was offensive rebound, earning a 12-4 margin on the offensive glass. Similar success at home will keep Penn State in the game at the very least and very likely give it a distinct advantage in this one.
When Nebraska has the ball...
-Only Bo Spencer's 19 points were of real note in the first matchup. If Penn State can do a better job slowing him down, it should be in pretty good shape. Of course, that's probably easier said than done, now that the Lions have seen this team and know what to expect defensively, expect Spencer to get a lot less room than he did the first time around.
-Penn State forced Nebraska into 16 turnovers on the road. If the Huskers cough it up that many times in this game, the Lions will be in excellent position, assuming they can make the most of the extra opportunities.
Overall
Nebraska didn't really play well the first time these two teams met. Penn State, more or less, gave up a lot of possessions by shooting an excessive number of three-pointers and missing most all of them. Better shot selection is an easy remedy for that, and the Lions have already shown themselves they can hang with this team by forcing turnovers and grabbing offensive rebounds. A smart effort will get the job done, and with Penn State finally back in the BJC, there's every reason to think the Lions will play some less stressful, intelligent basketball and break through for a much-needed win here. Pick: Penn State, 65-58
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Billy Oliver Announces End Of His Basketball Career
Penn State forward Billy Oliver announced Saturday afternoon following the Nittany Lions' 67-51 win against Nebraska at the Bryce Jordan Center that he is ending his basketball career as a result of continued concussion-related symptoms.
Oliver, who lost all of his 2009-2010 season while suffering from chronic headaches, was taken out of action starting on Jan. 19 with the symptoms and missed four games total. He returned and played in Penn State's losses at Iowa last weekend and at Michigan State this past Wednesday, but has since decided not to continue with the team for the rest of this season and in 2012-2013, when he would have had senior eligibility.
"I have put a lot of thought into this and decided not to continue my basketball career here with Penn State," Oliver said.
The 6-foot-8 Chatham, N.J. native plans to return to Happy Valley next season to work in a graduate assistant-type role while on medical scholarship.
For full reaction to Oliver's announcement and for more on Penn State basketball, be sure to stay tuned to SB Nation Pittsburgh this week.
Feb 11 8:54p by Adam Bittner