It’s an exciting week for Penn State athletics. As [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] was getting set to open the start of spring football practices, he took time to be part of the sendoff crew wishing the men’s basketball team good luck in the NCAA Tournament. Franklin shook hands and wished luck to basketball head coach [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag], All-American [autotag]Jalen Pickett[/autotag], and each member of the men’s basketball team as they prepared to travel to Des Moines, Iowa for their first-round matchup with Texas A&M on Thursday.
Penn State is making its first appearance in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament since 2011, and the program is searching for its first win in the tournament since 2001. Penn State lifted its odds to end its tournament drought with a solid run in the Big Ten men’s basketball tournament that saw the Nittany Lions enjoy victories over Illinois, Northwestern, and Indiana before taking top-seed Purdue down to the final seconds of the Big Ten championship game in a losing effort.
“Just over there at the sendoff for the basketball team, which was awesome,” Franklin said at his spring football opening press conference on Tuesday. “Been a big week for Penn State athletics. You got men’s basketball and wrestling competing in the NCAA postseason. But there’s really a ton of other teams within the athletic department that have had great years as well.”
This will mark the first calendar year that will see Penn State play in the Rose Bowl and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in school history.
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