No. 6 Seed Penn State Opens B1G Tournament

courtesy of GoPSU sports
No. 6 Seed Penn State Opens B1G Tournament Play Thursday Night

Nittany Lions earn by for third-straight year, play winner of #11 Indiana/#14 Nebraska

INDIANAPOLIS – The Penn State men’s basketball team opens 2020 Big Ten Tournament play in the second game of the Thursday, March 12 evening session at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The No. 6 seed Nittany Lions face vs. the winner of Wednesday night’s contest between No. 11 seed Indiana and No. 14 seed Nebraska.

The game, slated for a tipoff of approximately 9 p.m. ET, will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network and available on the Fox Sports mobile app. Kevin Kugler and Stephen Bardo will call the action for BTN with “Voice of the Nittany Lions” Steve Jones and Dick Jerardi courtside for the Penn State Sports Network.

Penn State is 14-22 overall in 22 Big Ten Tournament appearances and is 2-3 in second-round play. The Nittany Lions earned a first-round bye for the fourth time in program history (2016, 2018, 2019 & 2020) and third-straight season.

WATCH: BTN and Fox Sports mobile app

Kevin Kugler (pxp) & Stephen Bardo (analyst)

LISTEN: Penn State Sports Network

Steve Jones (pxp) & Dick Jerardi (analyst)

Affiliates: GoPSUsports.com/affiliates1920

Listen online: GoPSUsports.com/lionvision

SiriusXM | Sirius 84 |  XM 84 | Internet  84

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TICKETS: All-session and single-session tickets are available for the 2020 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament. All-session tickets range from $210 to $290 depending on seat location. Orders are limited to eight all-session tickets. Single-session ticket prices range from $25 to $100 depending on the session and seat location. Orders are also limited to eight tickets per session. Tickets are available at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse box office and Ticketmaster.com.

Additional ­Information for the 2020 Big Ten Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament can be found at www.bigten.org/MBBT.

BIG TEN TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

LIVE STATS: Penn State vs. TBD

SOCIAL: Twitter @PennStateMBB | Facebook | Instagram @PennStateMBB
ROSTER: Penn State  |  Indiana | Nebraska

SCHEDULE: Penn State  |  Indiana | Nebraska

STATS: Penn State  |  Indiana | Nebraska

GAME NOTES:  Penn State |  Indiana | Nebraska  | Big Ten

MEDIA GUIDE:   Penn State | Indiana | Nebraska

#11 INDIANA HOOSIERS

Coach: Archie Miller (NC State, 2002)

Indiana Record: 54-43 (3rd season)

Career Record: 193-106 (9th season)

2019-20 Record: 19-12, 9-11 Big Ten

2019-20 Leading Scorer

#4 Trayce Jackson-Davis, F – 13.6 ppg

2019-20 Leading Rebounder 

#4 Trayce Jackson-Davis, – 8.2 rpg

2019-20 Assists Leader

#5 Rob Phinisee, G – 3.3 apg

#14 NEBRASKA HUSKERS

Coach: Fred Hoiberg (Iowa State, 2005)

Nebraska Record: 7-24 (1st season)

Career Record: 122-80 (6th season)

2019-20 Record: 7-24, 2-18 Big Ten

2019-0 Leading Scorer

#22 Haanif Cheatham, Sr., G – 13.0 ppg

2019-20 Leading Rebounder        

#24 Yvan Ouedraogo, Fr., F – 6.5 rpg

2019-20 Assists Leader

#3 Cam Mack, So., G – 6.4 apg

PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Coach: Patrick Chambers (Philadelphia, 1994)

Penn State Record: 148-150 (Ninth season)
Career Record: 190-178 (11th season)

2019-20 Record: 21-10, 11-9 Big Ten

Top Scorer

#11 Lamar Stevens, Sr., F – 17.6 ppg

Top Rebounder
#24 Mike Watkins, Sr., F – 7.6 rpg

Top Assists Leaders

#5 Jamari Wheeler, Jr., G – 3.2 apg

#0 Myreon Jones, So., G – 3.0 apg

PENN STATE STARTERS (LAST GAME)

F — 11 — Lamar Stevens – Sr.  |  2019-20 ppg: 17.6 | rpg: 6.9

Note: 2020 All-B1G first-team selection by coaches and media; Second Nittany Lion to earn All-B1G first-team accolades for two seasons; Second on PSU all-time scoring list with 2,207 career points

F — 21 – John Harrar – Jr. | 2019-20 ppg: 4.3 | rpg: 4.6

Note: Penn State’s 2020 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner. Scored first career double-double with 12 points, career-best 14 rebounds at Northwestern 3/7; Started 14 games and shooting 62.7% from the field for season

G – 0 – Myreon Jones — So. | 2019-20 ppg: 13.3 | rpg: 2.7

Note: 2020 B1G Honorable Mention by media; Led league in 3-FG percentage for most of season, finished third with 56 three-pointers and 40.3 3-FG%; Double-figure points in 17 games

F – 1 – Seth Lundy — Fr. | 2019-20 ppg: 5.3 | rpg: 2.7

Note: Started last 15 games in 2019-20 regular season; Averaged 7.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg and hit 25 3-FG in starting role; Career-high 19 points at Iowa 2/29

G – 5 – Jamari Wheeler — Jr. | 2019-20 ppg: 3.8 | rpg: 2.9

Note: 2020 B1G All-Defensive Team selection; Leads B1G with 48 steals; Ranked 11th on PSU career steals list with 147; Leads Penn State with 99 assists

STARTING 5

Penn State tied for fifth in the Big Ten and brings a No. 6 seed, matching its highest ever in tournament history (2009, 2011), into Thursday’s game.

Lamar Stevens became the second Nittany Lion with first-team All-B1G selections in two seasons. Jamari Wheeler earned All-Defensive team honors while Myreon Jones as recognized as an honorable mention. John Harrar was presented with the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for Penn State.

The Atlanta Tipoff Club named coach Patrick Chambers one of 10 semifinalists for the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Award. Chambers is one of only two coaches in Penn State’s Big Ten era to record two 20-win seasons.

Stevens has amassed 2,207 career points in his four-year career and needs seven to become the Nittany Lions’ all-time leading scorer. Talor Battle (2007-11) holds the record at 2,213.

Penn State’s 2019-20 senior class is the winningest in its Big Ten era with 76 victories. The 33 Big Ten wins from 2016-2020 also rank as the most in any four-year span since 1992-93.

SERIES vs. INDIANA

Penn State and Indiana have split their four meetings between the two teams in the Big Ten Tournament (2012 – IU, 2011 – PSU, 2009 – PSU, 2003 – IU). Penn State is 2-1 vs. the Hoosiers in Indianapolis.

The Nittany Lions and Hoosiers split the regular season series in 2019-20, each winning a game on their home court.

Series streak: Indiana, W1

Last game: at Bloomington, Ind.

Indiana 68, Penn State 60, 2/23/20

Overall series: Indiana leads 40-12

At neutral sites: Indiana leads 3-2

Vs. Indiana in BTT: 2-2

Last BTT game: Indiana 75, Penn State 58, 3/8/12

Chambers vs. Indiana: 4-12 (BTT: 0-1)

SERIES vs. NEBRASKA

The Nittany Lions have won both of their meetings against Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament (2017 & 2015) and hold a 3-0 record over the Huskers in postseason play all-time (1995, NIT).

Penn State also won the lone matchup of the 2019-20 season between the two programs, 76-64, in Lincoln, marking the Nittany Lions’ first win at Nebraska since 1995.

Series streak: Penn State, W2

Last game: at Lincoln, Neb.

Penn State 76, Nebraska 64, Feb. 1, 2020

Overall series: Penn State leads 11-9

At neutral sites: Penn State leads 2-0

Vs. Nebraska in BTT: 2-0

Last BTT game: at Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.

Penn State 76, Nebraska 67 (ot), March 8, 2017

Chambers vs. Nebraska: 9-8 (BTT: 2-0)

2019-20 B1G HONORS

Four Nittany Lions were presented with 2019-20 Big Ten honors from the league’s media and coaches on Monday. Senior forward Lamar Stevens, junior forward John Harrar, junior guard Jamari Wheeler and sophomore guard Myreon Jones were recognized with Big Ten accolades this season.

All-Big Ten          

Lamar Stevens (2x-2019 & 2020), Sr., F

All-Defensive Team

Jamari Wheeler, Jr., G

Honorable Mention

Myreon Jones, So., G

Sportsmanship Award

John Harrar, Jr., F

Three Nittany Lions earned All-Big Ten recognition for the second time in three seasons and third time since 2008-09. Stevens is the ninth Nittany Lion to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors (14 selections). Stevens becomes only the second Nittany Lion to earn first-team honors twice. Thirty-two Nittany Lions have been named to Big Ten honors lists since 2011.

TIED HIGHEST TOURNEY SEED

Penn State’s tied for fifth place in the Big Ten standings and brings a No. 6 seed to the 2020 Big Ten Tournament. The No. 6 seed is the highest seed earned by coach Patrick Chambers and is tied for the highest seed ever received since the tournament began in 1998.

Seed — Years

#6 — 2020, 2011, 2009

#7 — 2018, 2008, 2001, 1998

#8 — 2006

#9 — 2000, 1999

#10 — 2019, 2016, 2014

#11 — 2010, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002

#12 — 2013, 2012

#13 — 2017, 2015

B1G TOURNAMENT

Penn State is 14-22 overall in 22 Big Ten Tournament appearances with a 5-10 all-time record in Indianapolis.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

According to kenpom.com, Penn State plays one of the toughest schedules in the nation. In the most recent NCAA NET rankings (thru games of 3/10/2020), Penn State owns a No. 35 NET ranking and has played nine opponents (13 games) with NET scores in the top 40.

BY THE NUMBERS

3 — The 2019-20 Nittany Lions, with 21 overall wins and 11 B1G victories, are one of only three teams in program history with at least 20 overall wins and 10 B1G wins.

7 — Senior forward Lamar Stevens needs 25 points to become Penn State’s all-time leading scorer. The top spot is held by Talor Battle (2,213; 2007-11).

32 — Total number of Nittany Lions to earn honors from league’s coaches and media members under Coach Patrick Chambers, most under any coach

in Penn State’s Big Ten era.

43.0 — The Nittany Lions tied the 1994-95 mark for lowest opponent field goal percentage (43.0 percent)

in Big Ten games.

56 — Coach Patrick Chambers’ 56 Big Ten wins from 2011-present are the most by a Nittany Lion basketball coach.

76 — The 2019-20 seniors are the winningest class in Penn State’s Big Ten era with 76 wins in the last four years.

135 — Senior forward Lamar Stevens, with 135 consecutive starts, owns and continues to add to the Penn State record for career starts. In his four-year career, he has played 4,351 career minutes, an average of 32.2 minutes played per game.

NITTANY LIONS FALL IN REGULAR-SEASON FINALE

Strong shooting with a 55.6 percent second half and 11 3-pointers propelled Northwestern to an 80-69 win on senior night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Miller Kopp and Boo Buie each scored 13 points in the second half with Kopp finishing with a game-high 21 points to lead the Wildcats. Kopp had three of his five 3-pointers in the second period to help Northwestern break the 34-34 halftime tie.

Four Nittany Lions recorded double-figure scoring nights and John Harrar had the first double-double of his career, scoring 12 points and grabbing a career-high 14 rebounds. Lamar Stevens led the Nittany Lions in scoring with 18 points. Myles Dread and Curtis Jones Jr. each made four triples, and had 14 and 12 points, respectively.

With 11:29 to play in the game, a 3-pointer from Dread and steal and layup by junior guard Jamari Wheeler trimmed the Penn State deficit to just one, 53-32. Sophomore guard Izaiah Brockington responded to a Buie triple to keep the Nittany Lions within one, 55-54.

Over the next three minutes, Northwestern connected on five of its six shotsand added three free throws to take a 66-56 lead with 6:38 remaining. Penn State got within single digits in the final minute.

Northwestern got off to a fast start and took an early 16-2 lead as Penn State struggled to get in an offensive rhythm. Starting the game 1-12 from the field, the Nittany Lions closed the half going 10-18 including three triples from Dread for a team-best 11 points at the break.

Penn State ended the half on a 10-4 run behind six points from Harrar to erase a 14-point Northwestern lead.