The new era of Penn State basketball got off to a good start in a season-opening win at home, but a road trip to UMass for the second game of the season was not particularly kind to the Nittany Lions. Penn State was blown away by the Minutemen, 81-52, thanks to a big second half by former Penn State player Trent Buttrick to help lead his new team to a big win on Monday evening.
After the game, Penn State men’s head coach Micah Shrewsberry took responsibility for the way his program lost on the road after suffering his first loss as a head coach.
“It’s all a learning experience,” Shrewsberry said in his postgame media availability (via Blue White Illustrated). “Early in the year, these games are hard.”
#PennState coach Micah Shrewsberry on loss to UMass "This is on me"#PSUvsMASS @NittanyLionWire pic.twitter.com/hzWSOZ2tRU
— David Malandra Jr (@DaveMReports) November 16, 2021
Even though this was the first road game of the season & this is a learning experience for Penn State as there is plenty of time to make whatever changes needed to get back to their winning ways.
Penn State is a program in a state of transition with a blend of returning players and a batch of transfers brought in by Shrewsberry during the offseason. As such, it could easily take some time to form an identity as a team, and Shrewsberry knows that expecting all of the pieces to fall into place in the second game of the season, and the first on the road, is misguided. Instead, Shrewsberry stressed that this loss on the road is a great opportunity to learn on the go for the Nittany Lions.
“Winning is hard at any level, but for a new team, this is something we have to use this as a learning experience,” Shrewsberry said Monday night. “If we don’t come out playing with our hair on fire on Thursday, then this game is for naught.”
Penn State returns to the Bryce Jordan Center on Thursday when they take on St. Francis Brooklyn as part of the Emerald Coast Classic. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and will stream live on B1G+.
You can view Penn State’s entire men’s basketball schedule HERE.
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