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Basketball Penn State blows 19-point lead in 59-56 loss to Rutgers, dealt tough blow to dwindling NCAA Tournament chances

PSU BB continues to kick fans in the nuts.

Pickett no shot attempts in 2nd half.

Lundy 1-16. At some point you put him on the bench or at least tell him to give it up.

Give the Rutgers staff credit. They made the halftime adjustment to double team Pickett every time he had the ball. Henn was pretty much all we had at that point. Shrews didn't make adjustments and he didn't use his TOs.

But IMO the worst thing was the defense. We looked like 6 year old soccer players where everyone chases the ball. Wide open shooters for most of the 2nd half.

At the end Rutgers had a couple of wide open 3s and an uncontested drive from the top of the key to the basket. We're they tired? Were they hanging their heads?

One of the worst collapses in PSU history.
 
But IMO the worst thing was the defense. We looked like 6 year old soccer players where everyone chases the ball. Wide open shooters for most of the 2nd half.
We played well enough defensively to win. Thought we got good enough looks to win. Did a solid job on the boards, didn't let them get to the FT line too much (as I feared). But we didn't make enough open shots to win.
 
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No clue what they were attempting to accomplish on offense the last 8 minutes of the game. Everybody with their feet bolted to the floor watching Pickett dribble. Funk + Lundy + Dread something like 1 for 19 shooting the 3 AT HOME!! Wow. Basketball at PSU is just hopeless. There is not enough money on the planet to convince a proven coach to come here and zero culture. Just accept being the doormat in men's and women's hoops. Cash your checks and put the money to work in football. Enough is enough.
 
We played well enough defensively to win. Thought we got good enough looks to win. Did a solid job on the boards, didn't let them get to the FT line too much (as I feared). But we didn't make enough open shots to win.
I admire your objectivity and balanced assessment. I'm unfortunately still stuck on blowing a 19 point lead at home and the hapless excuse for an offense over the final 8-10 minutes of the game. Just not getting the warm and fuzzy about were this program is headed. 40 years of futility and counting.
 
We played well enough defensively to win. Thought we got good enough looks to win. Did a solid job on the boards, didn't let them get to the FT line too much (as I feared). But we didn't make enough open shots to win.
You need to dig a little deeper though. Yes. we missed open shots. The problem is that happened for basically an entire half and literally for the last 10 minutes. Soooo, at some point the HC needs to adjust. No shots from outside are going in and the lead is slipping away. What do you do???? Tell Pickett to go one on one and create a foul or pass only if a teammate has a layup. I mean you can't just sit there and watch them miss every effing shot. Maybe that doesn't work but get a clue, Shrews, the outside shot is NOT GOING IN. Wake Up!! Need to adjust!!
 
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You need to dig a little deeper though. Yes. we missed open shots. The problem is that happened for basically an entire half and literally for the last 10 minutes. Soooo, at some point the HC needs to adjust. No shots from outside are going in and the lead is slipping away. What do you do???? Tell Pickett to go one on one and create a foul or pass only if a teammate has a layup. I mean you can't just sit there and watch them miss every effing shot. Maybe that doesn't work but get a clue, Shrews, the outside shot is NOT GOING IN. Wake Up!! Need to adjust!!
Pickett was getting doubled every time he touched the ball down the stretch and we don't have a guy to dump the ball down to on the post. Our personnel is dictating what type of offense we're running. If it was that easy to say "hey, pass only if a teammate has a layup", wouldn't every team run that play every time down the court. I'd much rather stick with my bread and butter than bench Funk/Lundy down the stretch simply because they're not making shots.

There is a reason that Rutgers has the 3rd best defensive team in the country...personally, I was comfortable with the looks we got tonight against that defense (and the guys that were taking the looks).
 
You need to dig a little deeper though. Yes. we missed open shots. The problem is that happened for basically an entire half and literally for the last 10 minutes. Soooo, at some point the HC needs to adjust. No shots from outside are going in and the lead is slipping away. What do you do???? Tell Pickett to go one on one and create a foul or pass only if a teammate has a layup. I mean you can't just sit there and watch them miss every effing shot. Maybe that doesn't work but get a clue, Shrews, the outside shot is NOT GOING IN. Wake Up!! Need to adjust!!
I’m not sure there’s a coach in the country who has no inside game and can win a game when his best three point shooter goes 0-11 from the three point line and 1-16 from the field overall.
 
We played well enough defensively to win. Thought we got good enough looks to win. Did a solid job on the boards, didn't let them get to the FT line too much (as I feared). But we didn't make enough open shots to win.
I didn't see a lot of good looks. Pickett was being double teamed and had trouble making a good pass.
We played well enough defensively to win. Thought we got good enough looks to win. Did a solid job on the boards, didn't let them get to the FT line too much (as I feared). But we didn't make enough open shots to win.
I didn't see a lot of good looks. Pickett was doubled as soon as he touched the ball and he struggled to make a good pass. Shooters need to catch the ball in rhythm. We were forcing shots late in the clock.

The defense was great for the first 17 minutes but not good after that. Rutgers must have shot over 50% for the last 17 minutes.
 
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I’m not sure there’s a coach in the country who has no inside game and can win a game when his best three point shooter goes 0-11 from the three point line and 1-16 from the field overall.
I think Shrews had to tell Pickett to reverse the ball quickly. Instead he took a dribble or two until the double team got him bottled up. He couldn't back his defenders down and he couldn't make a good pass out of the double team. When you keep failing you've got to change things up.

I also think he's got to tell Lundy to stop forcing things. Sometimes it's not your night.

I think Shrews should have gone to Clary more. Funk wasn't moving without the ball and he was getting killed on defense.

I played D III basketball. I was the 2nd or 3rd guy off the bench and I was usually OK with that. I only got frustrated when I was on the bench while the starters were struggling. The best players aren't always the best players every night. Sometimes the coach has to recognize that and make a change.
 
We played well enough defensively to win. Thought we got good enough looks to win. Did a solid job on the boards, didn't let them get to the FT line too much (as I feared). But we didn't make enough open shots to win.
Rutgers is a good defensive team but not so much on offense. They scored 45 points in the last 22 minutes of play. That's an 82 ppg clip.
 
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I played D III basketball. I was the 2nd or 3rd guy off the bench and I was usually OK with that. I only got frustrated when I was on the bench while the starters were struggling. The best players aren't always the best players every night. Sometimes the coach has to recognize that and make a change.
If I’m coaching, I’d bench Seth for mental mistakes, for not hustling, etc. if he’s missing shots in the flow of the offense, I’d still rather he takes the next shot at 0-10 on the night, trusting more what he’s shown over his 500+ previous shots than the variance of the smaller sample size.

It’s not like we’ve got a stacked bench to sit Seth/Pickett/Funk. It’s freshman that are starting to come around, a couple of role players, etc. I’d rather go down with the guys that got us here.
 
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Rutgers is a good defensive team but not so much on offense. They scored 45 points in the last 22 minutes of play. That's an 82 ppg clip.
And yet we still held them under a point/possession on the night. If we could do that more often, we’d be a lot better team than we are.
 
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And yet we still held them under a point/possession on the night. If we could do that more often, we’d be a lot better team than we are.
The defense was great for 17 minutes but poor after that. Team that win play 40 minutes.
 
If I’m coaching, I’d bench Seth for mental mistakes, for not hustling, etc. if he’s missing shots in the flow of the offense, I’d still rather he takes the next shot at 0-10 on the night, trusting more what he’s shown over his 500+ previous shots than the variance of the smaller sample size.

It’s not like we’ve got a stacked bench to sit Seth/Pickett/Funk. It’s freshman that are starting to come around, a couple of role players, etc. I’d rather go down with the guys that got us here.
I agree…you go with the guys that win for you. If we had more depth, then maybe you sit Lundy or tell him to stop shooting. Even if Lundy would have had a slightly below average night, we still win that game. Just not going to win with 0 for shooting from him. We also had some key turnovers that killed us.
 
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If I’m coaching, I’d bench Seth for mental mistakes, for not hustling, etc. if he’s missing shots in the flow of the offense, I’d still rather he takes the next shot at 0-10 on the night,
Lundy was forcing things. It often happens to scorers after they get shut out for a half. He threw up a couple of air balls and was called for a charging foul. Not much was in the flow of the offense. I agree he should keep taking good shots ut a lot of those weren't good looks.

He also got beat off the dribble on defense.
 
Honestly, the loss isn't surprising. The blown lead is disappointing and unacceptable but the reality is this team was never making the NCAAs without a win or two in the conference tournament. 2 out of 3 wasn't likely to happen and it wouldn't have been enough. Gotta win at least 3 more games.
 
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Pickett was getting doubled every time he touched the ball down the stretch and we don't have a guy to dump the ball down to on the post. Our personnel is dictating what type of offense we're running. If it was that easy to say "hey, pass only if a teammate has a layup", wouldn't every team run that play every time down the court. I'd much rather stick with my bread and butter than bench Funk/Lundy down the stretch simply because they're not making shots.

There is a reason that Rutgers has the 3rd best defensive team in the country...personally, I was comfortable with the looks we got tonight against that defense (and the guys that were taking the looks).
Micah admitted he was outcoached. Maybe that is coach speech for the press but he is right. Kick out for a dribble drive. When the double comes hit a driver to the hoop. Something!!! Offense was waaaay too stagnant. When 3 bomb are not dropping you have to have plan B and that did not exist tonight. Not just we didn't make shots, oh well. There were things to try. Maybe they all fail epically but do something. Not just stand there and wait for a kick out to then miss your 15th shot in a row. Yeah the Rutgers defense is good but any defense is good when you just keep launching shots and missing them all. We were so bad offensively the last 10 minutes that good high school teams would have outscored us.
 
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I think Shrews had to tell Pickett to reverse the ball quickly. Instead he took a dribble or two until the double team got him bottled up. He couldn't back his defenders down and he couldn't make a good pass out of the double team. When you keep failing you've got to change things up.

I also think he's got to tell Lundy to stop forcing things. Sometimes it's not your night.

I think Shrews should have gone to Clary more. Funk wasn't moving without the ball and he was getting killed on defense.

I played D III basketball. I was the 2nd or 3rd guy off the bench and I was usually OK with that. I only got frustrated when I was on the bench while the starters were struggling. The best players aren't always the best players every night. Sometimes the coach has to recognize that and make a change.
Didn’t see the game as what at sisters and she doesn’t get BTN. Besides, I stunk at basketball and don’t know a whole lot about it.

But when your team is blowing a 19 point lead and a starter is 0- Infinity and is throwing up poor shots….you make a change. Sit him down with four minutes left and put in your best shooter on the bench. Give him two-two and half minutes to see if he can hit a couple shots. If he doesn’t produce put the starter back in. Sitting for a couple minutes sometimes calms a guy down and gets him to focus.

And if does come in and make a couple shots it could restore his confidence for the next couple games. Now he is going to be down on himself all week and be pressing again next game.
 
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Didn’t see the game as what at sisters and she doesn’t get BTN. Besides, I stunk at basketball and don’t know a whole lot about it.

But when your team is blowing a 19 point lead and a starter is 0- Infinity and is throwing up poor shots….you make a change. Sit him down with four minutes left and put in your best shooter on the bench. Give him two-two and half minutes to see if he can hit a couple shots. If he doesn’t produce put the starter back in. Sitting for a couple minutes sometimes calms a guy down and gets him to focus.

And if does come in and make a couple shots it could restore his confidence for the next couple games. Now he is going to be down on himself all week and be pressing again next game.
He wasn’t throwing up poor shots though…he was putting up good shots that didn’t fall.

Who are we bringing in that’s the “best shooter on the bench”? Dallion Johnson? I’d rather ride with Seth.
 
I think Shrews had to tell Pickett to reverse the ball quickly. Instead he took a dribble or two until the double team got him bottled up. He couldn't back his defenders down and he couldn't make a good pass out of the double team. When you keep failing you've got to change things up.

I also think he's got to tell Lundy to stop forcing things. Sometimes it's not your night.

I think Shrews should have gone to Clary more. Funk wasn't moving without the ball and he was getting killed on defense.

I played D III basketball. I was the 2nd or 3rd guy off the bench and I was usually OK with that. I only got frustrated when I was on the bench while the starters were struggling. The best players aren't always the best players every night. Sometimes the coach has to recognize that and make a change.
The flip side of your example is my situation…. I was a starter in high school, but I would get benched as soon as I missed a couple of shots…so it made me gun shy to put up a shot. Quick way to kill a player’s confidence, which is a bad thing to do to a shooter.
 
Pickett was getting doubled every time he touched the ball down the stretch and we don't have a guy to dump the ball down to on the post. Our personnel is dictating what type of offense we're running. If it was that easy to say "hey, pass only if a teammate has a layup", wouldn't every team run that play every time down the court. I'd much rather stick with my bread and butter than bench Funk/Lundy down the stretch simply because they're not making shots.

There is a reason that Rutgers has the 3rd best defensive team in the country...personally, I was comfortable with the looks we got tonight against that defense (and the guys that were taking the looks).
Dude. I'm not the most astute basketball fan in the world, but if one player is being consistently double teamed that means he needs to throw the ball to someone else. This ain't rocket science. Live by the 3 point shot, die by the 3 point shot.
 
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I admire your objectivity and balanced assessment. I'm unfortunately still stuck on blowing a 19 point lead at home and the hapless excuse for an offense over the final 8-10 minutes of the game. Just not getting the warm and fuzzy about were this program is headed. 40 years of futility and counting.
More like 60 years of futility and counting. When I was on campus (1966-1970) we looked forward to one basketball game per year. That was when the football team choose a pickup team to play against the basketball varsity. The football pickup team normally won by at least 40 points. I was at the game when Tom Sherman (the football QB) scored at will. He had about 35 points before he decided to back off and just pass the ball around. The varsity basketball team was pathetic then and still is now.
 
My question is why wasn't Wynter more a part of the offense in the 2nd half. He has played well and was getting to the basket. With Pickett being doubles, Wynter needed to on the floor to handle the ball more.
 
My question is why wasn't Wynter more a part of the offense in the 2nd half. He has played well and was getting to the basket. With Pickett being doubles, Wynter needed to on the floor to handle the ball more.
I have an even bigger issue with Henn getting so few minutes (as I have all season long)...am I overrating him, or do you agree that he should be seeing more time? I don't get it.
 
I have an even bigger issue with Henn getting so few minutes (as I have all season long)...am I overrating him, or do you agree that he should be seeing more time? I don't get it.
He was our best offense in the second half. Would you rather have Henn or Dread take a 3?
 
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I have an even bigger issue with Henn getting so few minutes (as I have all season long)...am I overrating him, or do you agree that he should be seeing more time? I don't get it.
He drilled a couple 3s around 12 minutes to go to stem their impending tidal wave from engulfing us for a few minutes so yeah what happened to him? Another poster suggested Wynter, where was he?

How many TOs did we leave on the table, any? We used two in the last minute and change. Too late at that point in my opinion. I thought we should have used TOs earlier to stem their momentum. Treat it like a final possession and you need a hoop. Draw up your best play. Rutgers' margin of error was so slim to make that comeback that any hoop to throw them off their big mo ride would have been huge for us. When McConnell cut it to 5 at the 4:12 mark before the Dread turnover could have been a great time. I know that is close to the TV TO but you can't wait, you are desperate, your team is collapsing and see what happened, the TV TO did not save us. Then another time could have been at the 3:11 mark after their missed dunk off the Pickett turnover. Your team is rattled, your best player just turned it over you have to get a basket to go up 2 possessions. Also you need the TO to set your defensive strategy. We of course don't call one then we miss right on cue and they nail a 3 right on cue to tie us. Poor use of TOs. Just a brutal, brutal loss considering the opportunity we had to then see us blow it. Hopefully Shrews learned from this game.
 
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My question is why wasn't Wynter more a part of the offense in the 2nd half. He has played well and was getting to the basket. With Pickett being doubles, Wynter needed to on the floor to handle the ball more.
Once Rutgers got close Wynter brought the ball up and tried to get it to Pickett at the wing. Pickett was quickly double teamed and the sideline became the 3rd defender in the trap.

That's why I say Wynter should have got the ball to Pickett but Pickett should have reversed it as soon as the double team came instead of trying to put it on the floor. Then it would have been 4 on 3 and we would have had better looks.
 
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The flip side of your example is my situation…. I was a starter in high school, but I would get benched as soon as I missed a couple of shots…so it made me gun shy to put up a shot. Quick way to kill a player’s confidence, which is a bad thing to do to a shooter.
My problem wasn't Lundy missing good shots. It was Lundy getting frustrated and forcing shots. Most weren't taken in rhythm.
 
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So NW has lost two in a row, a horrible come from ahead loss to Illinois then a beatdown at MD. Maybe they are on a downturn? Issue is that loss we just absorbed is a big gut punch.

In looking at the BTT, for us to make any kind of run we then need to start off with the easiest game possible. I am assuming we are either an 11 or 12 seed. We obviouly want the 11 seed to play Minny and not 12 who would play O$U. Of course we lose every tiebreaker under the sun so we need Neb to lose their final two games and we somehow go 1-1. 2-0 is what we all want but most likely ain't happenin. If we beat Minny then you're telling me we have a shot, thank you Lloyd Christmas.
 
So NW has lost two in a row, a horrible come from ahead loss to Illinois then a beatdown at MD. Maybe they are on a downturn? Issue is that loss we just absorbed is a big gut punch.

In looking at the BTT, for us to make any kind of run we then need to start off with the easiest game possible. I am assuming we are either an 11 or 12 seed. We obviouly want the 11 seed to play Minny and not 12 who would play O$U. Of course we lose every tiebreaker under the sun so we need Neb to lose their final two games and we somehow go 1-1. 2-0 is what we all want but most likely ain't happenin. If we beat Minny then you're telling me we have a shot, thank you Lloyd Christmas.
I guess a quad 1 win at NW would be worth more than a quad 2 win at home vs Rutgers. But....
 
I have an even bigger issue with Henn getting so few minutes (as I have all season long)...am I overrating him, or do you agree that he should be seeing more time? I don't get it.
Agree I would have thought he would have played more all year with Pickett being the low post scoring option, especially yesterday to help with the spacing. The last ten minutes I would have had Wynter as the primary ball handler and used Henn as the screener. Force Omoruyi to stay outside with Henn or if they switch, then make him stay in front of Wynter. Pickett, Lundy and Funk then can fan out along the 3 point line.
 
More like 60 years of futility and counting. When I was on campus (1966-1970) we looked forward to one basketball game per year. That was when the football team choose a pickup team to play against the basketball varsity. The football pickup team normally won by at least 40 points. I was at the game when Tom Sherman (the football QB) scored at will. He had about 35 points before he decided to back off and just pass the ball around. The varsity basketball team was pathetic then and still is now.
Interesting story. I'm quite sure today our hoops team could drub any kind of football pick up team they could put together but yeah PSU hoops has not had a rich history.

I remember as a kid my Dad and I went with one of my Dad's friends to a PSU vs Villanova game at the old Nova fieldhouse. A small little gym. This was somewhere around '79 or '80. My Dad's friend was a big supporter of PSU athletics so I knew this was a big deal. The place was packed and all I remember was after about 10 minutes of playing time the score was something like 30-4 in favor of Nova. Nova crowd going crazy.
 
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