Tag: Penn State Basketball

Can Penn State land a key mid-major transfer against a growing list of interested schools and the NBA draft?

Penn State basketball in deep competition to secure a key mid-major transfer against UNC, Notre Dame, the NBA draft, and more

Penn State men’s basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry has been keeping tabs on the activity in the college basketball transfer portal, and another potential target may have just become available. But to secure the transfer, Shrewsberry may have to win a pretty tight recruiting battle against Texas Tech, a pair of SEC programs, and the NBA draft.

According to Jeff Goodman of Stadium, Kevin Obanor of Oral Roberts is looking to enter the NBA draft. However, as a way to keep all of his options on the table, he has also added his name to the transfer portal database, which is not a bad strategy given the uncertain nature of a two-round NBA draft.

As of now, Obanor reportedly prefers to head to the NBA with the hope of being drafted by an NBA franchise in need of a 6′-8″ forward who helped Oral Roberts advance to the Sweet Sixteen in this past season’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament following upset victories over Ohio State and Florida. He has already worked out for the Golden State Warriors and has workouts scheduled with the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic.

But now that he is in the transfer portal, Obanor is getting calls from interested programs. Among those reaching out, according to Goodman, has been Penn State.

Goodman went on to add some other names to the list of schools reaching out to Obanor. Among them were Notre Dame, North Carolina, and Georgetown. Don’t be surprised if more schools are added to the list.

Penn State could certainly benefit from the addition of one of the nation’s top mid-major forwards if Obanor were to join the program. Seth Lundy has already made the decision to remain with the Nittany Lions after testing the waters of the transfer portal this offseason. John Harrar will also return for another season. Penn State has also added Greg Lee from the transfer portal via Cal State Bakersfield. Penn State isn’t exactly short on forwards, but any time a program can add a good quality player to the roster, it is worth examining.

Shrewsberry’s experience in developing NBA talent could also come into play as an advantage in recruiting Obanor to Happy Valley. But Penn State may be considered a bit of a longshot to land Obanor as he makes his decision on his future.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

[vertical-gallery id=2348]

[listicle id=2972]

[lawrence-related id=4037,4005,3970,3517,3428,3173]

Two Penn State athletes receive Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award

Two Penn State student-athletes were recognized by the Big Ten for their sportsmanship.

At the end of every season, the Big Ten comes out and honors those athletes who did well during the season and for any other things you do off the field.

On Wednesday, the Big Ten named their Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners for the 2020-21 academic year and two from Penn State who made the list. Kerry Abello (women’s soccer) and John Harrar (men’s basketball) were among those honored by the Big Ten with the recognition.

Kerry Abello has been a versatile student-athlete for Penn State and has been part of three Big Ten championship titles. Also, Abello is a two-time All-Big Ten honoree as well as a two-time United Soccer Coaches All-North Region honoree.

John Harrar earned his first career all-conference honor during his senior season, collecting All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades after leading the Nittany Lions with 8.8 rebounds per game and a 54.9 field goal percentage.

Harrar is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in management from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business. He also served as a member of the team’s leadership council and is a two-time Big Ten Sportsmanship Award selection.

Harrar announced that he will return to Penn State for the 2021-22 season by utilizing the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

Penn State basketball transfer addition ranked among best in nation by ESPN

Jalen Pickett committing to Penn State was a pretty big deal for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State men’s basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry wasted little time in securing one of the best transfers in the nation. Jalen Pickett, who committed to Penn State earlier this spring after entering the transfer portal from Siena, was among the top college basketball transfers in a list compiled by ESPN.

Pickett was ranked No. 22 on a list of the top 100 college basketball transfers to date. The transfer commitment of Pickett had previously been praised as Shrewsberry has gone right to work to rebuild a Penn State basketball program in long need of a confident foundation for sustained success.

“Pickett actually had the worst statistical season of his career this past season, dropping to 12.9 points and 4.8 assists after going for at least 15 points and six assists in each of his first two seasons at Siena,” ESPN noted. “But he has size and shooting ability, and he can really pass.”

Penn State has lost a handful of players from last year’s roster through the transfer portal, however. Myreon Jones is the most notable of the departures from Happy Valley. Jones, ranked No. 45 by ESPN, is heading to the Florida Gators.

Guard Izaiah Brockington, ranked No. 84, is heading to Iowa State. It’s there he’ll be helping to fill a roster spot left vacant by Rasir Bolton, who also started his career at Penn State. Bolton (No. 44) is heading to national powerhouse Gonzaga.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

[vertical-gallery id=2348]

[listicle id=2972]

[lawrence-related id=3025,2873,2832,2343,2310,2258,2243]

Ranking of Big Ten’s basketball cities from best to worst

Which Big Ten school has the best basketball city to play in? Which has the worst? Some of the answers may surprise you.

Penn State isn’t necessarily viewed as a college basketball hot spot. Games in the Bryce Jordan Center struggle to bring the kind of electricity another arena around the Big Ten can offer. But how does the college basketball environment in State College rank compared to others around the Big Ten? Is Penn State home to the worst college basketball city in the Big Ten?

Not according to a recent ranking compiled by personal finance outlet WalletHub. Using data comprising of data such as winning percentage, stadium capacity, and social-media engagement, WalletHub ranked every Division 1 college basketball city on the map. Keep this in mind as a city like Philadelphia is home to multiple college basketball programs (Temple, Penn, St. Joseph’s, LaSalle, and Drexel) while Penn State is the only program in the game in State College.

The ranking ranges from No. 1 Durham, North Carolina (Duke), and No. 2 Lexington, Kentucky (Kentucky Wildcats) at the top all the way down to No. 290 St. Georgia, Utah (Dixie State) and No. 291 Stephenville, Texas (Tarleton State).

You can view the full ranking and breakdown of the list here, but we trimmed out the Big Ten-based cities for you below so you can see just where Penn State stands in the Big Ten college basketball scene.

Editorial note: There was no ranking given to Piscataway, New Jersey, the home city for Rutgers. It’s possible Rutgers flies under the New York umbrella for this ranking (New York is No. 6), but it has been omitted from this listicle.

Penn State men’s basketball Big Ten home and away opponents have been confirmed

Micah Shrewsberry will have to wait at least one more year before making a return trip to Purdue.

College football scheduling news is beginning to creep out for the upcoming college football season, but the Big Ten was making some headlines on Thursday with their men’s basketball schedule. Home and away opponents for each Big Ten school were confirmed for the 2021-22 college basketball season, including Penn State.

Penn State will play home-and-home games against Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State and Rutgers. In addition, Penn State will get home games at the Bryce Jordan Center against Michigan, Nebraska, and Purdue.

Penn State will play on the road in games against Illinois, Maryland, and Wisconsin.

Getting one game this year against Purdue means Micah Shrewsberry will have to wait at least one more season before making his return trip to Purdue. Shrewsberry was a Purdue assistant coach prior to being hired to be Penn State’s men’s basketball coach.

Still to come for the schedule are confirmed dates and times, as well as broadcast information. That information will come later in the year.

Talor Battle leaves Penn State basketball staff for another B1G opportunity

Talor Battle was expected to stay with but he has now been introduced as an assistant coach elsewhere in the Big Ten.

[mm-video type=video id=01f10y16wa6dr1nyrp playlist_id=01ey902ehrs6e9bvhw player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f10y16wa6dr1nyrp/01f10y16wa6dr1nyrp-4179c413037bdbceeec361fe1aaf4ce5.jpg]

Former Penn State basketball player-turned assistant coach Talor Battle is on the move. Battle, who had been a holdover on the basketball coaching staff for new head coach Micah Shrewsberry as an assistant coach, has officially been named an assistant coach with the Northwestern Wildcats.

“We’re excited to welcome Talor to the program,” Northwestern head coach Chris Collins said in a released statement on Monday. “His track record as an elite player in this league makes him an incredible mentor for our players, and an obviously compelling recruiter. He has a great knowledge of the game and an undeniable passion for coaching that will be great additions to the staff.”

Battle would have been a nice piece of the staff to keep in Happy Valley for Shrewsberry, which had been part of the original plan. Battle’s connection to the basketball program and understanding of what it takes to succeed within the program could have been of good use for the new head coach and the newly assembled staff.

But there is something to be said about entering new territory and working with another head coach to make yourself a better all-around coach. At the same time, losing one of Penn State’s top players of the Big Ten era can be a tough pill to swallow for a program looking to build a foundation.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

[vertical-gallery id=2348]

[listicle id=236]

[lawrence-related id=2343,2310,2258,2243,1805,1760]

Report: Penn State guard Izaiah Brockington has returned to the transfer portal

The Nittany Lion guard is back in the transfer portal for a second time this offseason.

It has been a back-and-forth offseason for Penn State guard Izaiah Brockington. After stepping out of the NCAA transfer portal to remain with Penn State, Brockington has reportedly entered his name back into the NCAA database.

247Sports reported on Thursday Brockington was back in the NCAA transfer portal as of Thursday morning. So, for whatever reasons there may be, the good conversation Brockington had with new Penn State men’s basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry didn’t have the kind of lasting impact it had originally seemed.

Brockington announced he would “run it back” with the Nittany Lions on March 26, a mere 10 days after first reportedly entering his name in the transfer portal. Now, nearly a month later, Brockington has decided to once again weigh his transfer options.

The news of Brockington’s return to the transfer portal comes days after John Harrar made the decision to stay with Penn State for the 2021-22 season. Seth Lundy has also opted to remain with the program after entering the transfer portal this offseason.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

John Harrar will run it back with Micah Shrewsberry and Penn State basketball

Penn State will return a veteran leader for the new era of Nittany Lion basketball.

Another Penn State men’s basketball player has decided to withdraw his name from the transfer portal and stay with the Nittany Lions. John Harrar will remain with the program after taking some time to evaluate his future in the transfer portal this offseason.

Men’s basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry seemingly confirmed this development with an image posted on his Twitter account on Tuesday afternoon. Shrewberry’s official update followed a report from Jon Rothstein via Twitter earlier in the day.

Harrar’s return gives Penn State a returning leader as the new era of basketball gets underway with a new head coach. Harrar offers good size for the lineup.

Shrewsberry is also managing to find a way to convince a few players to stay put. Harrar is the third Nittany Lion to withdraw from the transfer portal and remain in Happy Valley moving forward. Izaiah Brockington and Seth Lundy previously decided to stay at Penn State rather than pursue a transfer.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

[vertical-gallery id=2006]

[listicle id=236]

 

Seth Lundy set to return to Penn State after withdrawing from transfer portal

Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry convinced the sophomore to stick with the Penn State basketball program.

Penn State men’s basketball head coach Micah Shrewsberry is putting in the work to keep some of last year’s squad intact. Forward Seth Lundy has reportedly exited the transfer portal and will return to Penn State. Lions 247 was one of the first to report the update on Lundy’s decision.

Lundy, who will retain his sophomore eligibility next season, will join Izaiah Brockington as the two Penn State players, so far, to return to the University under Shrewsberry. Jamari Wheeler (Ohio State), Myreon Jones (Florida), forward Trent Buttrick (UMass) and Patrick Kelly (Fordham) are four former Nittany Lions that entered the portal and will finish their college careers at different schools.

John Marrar is another name that entered the transfer pool, but he has not decided where he will play next season.

Averaging 10.1 points per game last season, Lundy provided much needed offense at times when Penn State would go cold. On the flip side, there were moments when his offensive game would struggle.

Shrewsberry has had success developing young wing shooters and making them a threat on the offensive of the ball. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Lundy took notice to Shrewsberry’s track record and wanted to learn under the veteran coach.

Lundy finished the 2020-21 season shooting 38.5 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from beyond the arc. Inconsistency got Lundy knocked out of the starting lineup during conference play at one point in the season, but it’s clear he has the potential that Shrewsberry hopes to unlock.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter @NittanyLionWire.

Like Nittany Lions Wire on Facebook.

Micah Shrewsberry knows he can always call Brad Stevens or Matt Painter for some advice

Jim Ferry says he will return to Penn State for a football game

Former Penn State interim head coach Jim Ferry says PSU will always be a special place for him, and he’ll be back for a football game.

Whenever you move on to a new job, you want to take the time to say thank you for the opportunity you got at your former location.

On Wednesday, Jim Ferry was introduced as the new head coach at UMBC. During his introductory press conference, Ferry was asked if there was anything he wanted to say to Penn State and its fans. Naturally, he obliged and offered his thanks to the entire Penn State basketball community.

“I’d like to thank everybody for the support throughout the year,” Ferry responded. “I know they missed not being able to come out to the games, but all the text messages and emails I received during the season and even after when I left Penn State, you know you did the right thing when all those people are reaching out.”

Ferry served as the interim head coach of the Nittany Lions for the 2020-21 season, taking over for Pat Chambers, who was removed as head coach shortly before the start of the season amid controversy. It was not an easy spot for Ferry to take over, and the season proved to be a challenging one in a deep Big Ten.

“Penn State is always going to be a special place to me. My two daughters are graduates,” Ferry said. “It’s nice to feel that the respect of what we did and how we did it.”

Ferry went on to say he will return to Penn State as a fan to attend football games with his daughters. In the meantime, maybe Penn State can book UMBC for a future basketball game.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on Twitter and like us on Facebook for continuing Penn State coverage and discussion.

[listicle id=236]

[lawrence-related id=1805,1760,1680,1628,1547,1430,1365,1070,1018]