Penn State's Tournament Resume Suffers Another Setback
Penn State traded on its NCAA NET ranking (No. 31 entering Sunday) and strength of schedule to develop a tournament-trendy resume despite a sub-.500 record. But the Lions needed some wins to complement their reputation.
These last two games did not help.
After falling scoreless in the last 3 minutes of a 60-58 loss to Michigan State on Tuesday, the Lions returned home for their most disappointing game of the season. Nebraska ended a 26-game Big Ten losing streak Sunday at the Bryce Jordan Center, winning 62-61 in a game that tarnished Penn State's NCAA tournament hopes.
The Lions (7-10) rallied from an 11-point deficit to take the lead on Myreon Jones' 4-point play with 1:58 remaining. But, like they have done multiple times this season, the Lions could not secure victory in the last minute.
Penn State had three chances to extend the lead on its second-last possession, but a Nebraska steal led to Teddy Allen's go-ahead layup with 12 seconds remaining. The Lions had fouls to give, and interim coach Jim Ferry shouted for one, but Allen still managed to drive the lane for the basket.
Then Penn State did not get off a shot on its final possession, as Trey McGowens stole the ball from Izaiah Brockington on a lane drive to secure the unexpected victory. It was another stinging finish for Penn State, recalling games against Indiana, Ohio State and at Michigan State, where Myles Dread's late 3-point attempt ringed the rim but wouldn't fall.
Penn State had won five straight at home against Nebraska, which claimed its first Big Ten victory since January 2020. Further, the victory was the Cornhuskers' first at Penn State since 2013.
"We lost. It stinks. We have to move on," said Dread, who scored 14 points and went 4-for-9 from 3-point range.
Moving on has been a life force for Penn State this season. Ferry has preached learning curves after each of these difficult losses. He said the team's last two practices after the loss at Michigan State were among the best late-season sessions of which he has been part.
Then, in turning-point situations, the Lions can't finish a shot. They get good looks. Dread's 3-point attempt at Michigan State, which would have given Penn State the lead, rolled open via good ball movement and screens. The shot simply didn't fall.
Similarly, Penn State couldn't make two chances fall late against Nebraska. The final play, set to free Brockington on a lane drive, broke free but ended with the guard losing the ball to McGowens.
"For us, it's a shame we're just not making the shots," Ferry said. "We're getting them. We're just not making the shots."
Penn State, which has lost three of its last four games, hasn't scored more than 61 points in that stretch. Prior to a 72-56 loss at Wisconsin, the Lions had been on an offensive roll. They averaged 79 points through a four-game stretch and delivered a 50-point second half in defeating Wisconsin 81-71.
Since then, Penn State's shooting has frozen, leading to rushed plays and a lack of quality selections. The Lions haven't shot 40 percent from the field in their last four games. They shot 32.3 percent against Nebraska.
Because of that, Penn State's second-half rally didn't extend as far as possible. The Lions adjusted their defense, applying more pressure, and held Nebraska scoreless for more than 8 minutes. The Cornhuskers missed nine consecutive shots and turned over over the ball five times.
Yet Penn State could take only a 1-point lead, allowing for Allen's moment.
"It appears like we're in a little bit of a shooting slump," Ferry said. "It's not for a lack of work, and it's not for the lack of caring. So I'm going to go to war with these guys every single day and we're going to be in this situation hopefully on Thursday."
With these two losses, Penn State forced itself to make an heroic February run. The Lions face three consecutive ranked opponents, starting Thursday at home against No. 4 Ohio State. Games against Iowa and Purdue follow.
As a result, Ferry kept the post-game message positive.
"With this league, there are a ton of opportunities still left," Ferry said. "We play the No. 4 team in the country next, so if you win that game then everything flips and we're back on [the bubble]."
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