Basketball Penn State shocks No. 12 Illinois in 90-89 win at Rec Hall

[bdgan]

Playing as well as they can on offense. Not do much on defense. ILL drives to the basket without much resistance. Nobody stopping the ball.

Happy Valley Insider - Penn State shocks No. 12 Illinois in 90-89 win at Rec Hall

The most recent chapter of Penn State basketball in Rec Hall was one that won't be forgotten anytime soon.

pennstate.rivals.com

 

[AWS1022]

We had a good 15 minutes, but then we had to play the next five.

 

[AWS1022]

Led the first 15 minutes, ended the half losing 48-41. Good half for Wahab and Baldwin. Mitchell had some good minutes as well. We just can’t stop Illinois’s offense and we’re getting killed on the offensive boards.

 

[bdgan]

Nobody is stopping the ball and rebounds favor ILL 23-12. Tough to win that way.

 

[bdgan]

Led the first 15 minutes, ended the half losing 48-41. Good half for Wahab and Baldwin. Mitchell had some good minutes as well. We just can’t stop Illinois’s offense and we’re getting killed on the offensive boards.

ILL is physically stronger than PSU but PSU also lacks the mental toughness to get back on defense and play hard with their feet.

 

[bdgan]

First possession of 2nd half says it all. ILL takes the ball all the way to the basket with nobody stopping the ball. Shooter misses but ILL player gets inside possession on 3 on 3 PSU defenders for rebound and easy put back.

5-12 FT shooting doesn't help.

 

[87 Penn St8]

Friends at the game say that many of the empty seats in ends/corners are student seats but still some other empties around. Hard to believe we can't fill up Rec Hall for a game vs #12 team. All of the yapping of us being able to build a consistent program start with fan interest/support. Bardo just echoed that point on BTN.

 

[bdgan]

Kern going crazy with 24 pts.

Unfortunately not much defense and blocking out. Offensive rebounds favor ILL 18-5.

 

[AWS1022]

Two point game with 29 seconds left.

 

[bdgan]

Two point game with 29 seconds left.

Do you believe in miracles?

 

[OldiesAtTheGaff]

C'mon Li🏀ns...get r done

 

[AWS1022]

Do you believe in miracles?

I usually temper my enthusiasm in these situations.

 

[OldiesAtTheGaff]

Do you believe in miracles?

 

[AWS1022]

I usually temper my enthusiasm in these situations.

And that call is exactly why I do that.

 

[OldiesAtTheGaff]

instead we "get" a foul.

 

[AWS1022]

Damn, that three should have dropped.

 

[OldiesAtTheGaff]

 

[AWS1022]

Holy sh!t!!! What a great win!

 

[OldiesAtTheGaff]

whoo hoo

 

[bdgan]

Unbelievable!

 

[AWS1022]

Wow! Foul on a go ahead 3 attempt. Hit the free throws!!

Zach Hicks money!

 

[OldiesAtTheGaff]

WEEEEEEE AAAARRREEEE

 

[AWS1022]

Let’s play all our games at Rec Hall.

 

[SLUPSU]

Holy Sh!t

 

[OldiesAtTheGaff]

what an awesome win, they fought and fought for it

 

[AWS1022]

And we did it when we got killed on the offensive boards and Illinois had a guy that went to the foul line every time someone looked at him the wrong way.

 

[republion]

Let’s play all our games at Rec Hall.

I’ve been saying this for years.

 

[AWS1022]

I’ve been saying this for years.

Great atmosphere tonight.

 

[ryoder1]

What a gritty, gritty win! Rhoades is doing a great job and is building a culture of toughness. Not good to give up 89 but to pull off that win being down double digits with under 5 to play is a testament to the heart of this team.

 

[NittanyLionRoar]

Yeah they should do it in reverse, play most games at rec hall and have the “special” game at the BJC… there’d be such demand for that one game because rec hall would have to be rationed it would actually fill it.

 

[bdgan]

And we did it when we got killed on the offensive boards and Illinois had a guy that went to the foul line every time someone looked at him the wrong way.

PSU defenders kept getting beat off the dribble and the help didn't seem to want to get set and take the contract.

 

[Erial_Lion]

So many guys contributed to that one point win...I don't know if we scored a single BLOB bucket all year, yet we got 3 dunks/layups tonight. Mitchell had been MIA, but when he got his chance, he looked like he fit in well. Hicks knocking down 3 huge FTs at the end without one of them touching the rim. Our defense really turning it up down the stretch and forcing some TOs and runouts. Our defensive rebounding, awful all night, coming through with that huge board after the last Hawkins miss. Kern having the best offensive night of his career. Wahab getting us to that hot start early. And Ace having another really solid game.

Illinois really let that one slip away down the stretch, but we made all of the plays that we needed to make to take it from them.

This really opens up the path for avoiding Wednesday in Minneapolis...another big one on Saturday that we'll need to stack on top of this one to really make it a reality.

 

[AWS1022]

PSU defenders kept getting beat off the dribble and the help didn't seem to want to get set and take the contract.

But they let the teams play physical with every other player on the floor for both teams. There were a lot of bumps and hacks by both teams that weren’t called but every time he went to the basket, they were calling a foul. When one guy has more free throws than the entire other team and the rest of his team only has 8 free throws, someone is getting the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Kasparaitis]

ILL is physically stronger than PSU but PSU also lacks the mental toughness to get back on defense and play hard with their feet.

This team isn’t lacking anything. They give everything they have.

 

[bdgan]

ILL had a 7 pt lead and the ball with 40 seconds to go. They should never have lost.

Shannon missed a jumper instead of running the clock down. Coleman missed 2 FTs. They turned the ball over under the basket. They fouled Hicks on a 3 pt shot.

But give PSU credit for keeping up the fight. Brown made a 3, Johnson got the steal and scored, and Hicks made his 3 FTs. 8 pts in the last 35 seconds.

 

[bison13]

I recorded the game starting at halftime so I could get the kids to bed. After a crappy last four minutes of the first half and watching the first four of the second I thought they would lose by 15 or more. Unbelievable last two minutes.

 

[BOSCO2]

Friends at the game say that many of the empty seats in ends/corners are student seats but still some other empties around. Hard to believe we can't fill up Rec Hall for a game vs #12 team. All of the yapping of us being able to build a consistent program start with fan interest/support. Bardo just echoed that point on BTN.

As far as I know, no tickets were sold to the public. I remember reading that all tickets went to students and season ticket holders. Anyone know if my info is accurate?

 

[WaylonJ]

ILL had a 7 pt lead and the ball with 40 seconds to go. They should never have lost.

Shannon missed a jumper instead of running the clock down. Coleman missed 2 FTs. They turned the ball over under the basket. They fouled Hicks on a 3 pt shot.

But give PSU credit for keeping up the fight. Brown made a 3, Johnson got the steal and scored, and Hicks made his 3 FTs. 8 pts in the last 35 seconds.

The real head-scratcher in all this is how we didn't get whistled for some BS foul on Illinois' last possession. That is automatic in this situation.

 

[AWS1022]

The real head-scratcher in all this is how we didn't get whistled for some BS foul on Illinois' last possession. That is automatic in this situation.

We did get whistled on a foul after the player from the other team travelled, but he missed the free throws….but I get your point. I was waiting for that too.

 

[87 Penn St8]

As far as I know, no tickets were sold to the public. I remember reading that all tickets went to students and season ticket holders. Anyone know if my info is accurate?

Not sure. My friends have been season ticket holders for 6 years or so. They were disappointed that there were many unused seats.

I was happy for them to get to enjoy that win. Their seats were 3 rows behind our bench for a few years. Both are State grads and she took a Prof position at PSU awhile ago. They have been there for the ups and downs.

Tonight was same as usual....until it wasn't. Great close. Happy for Coach and team after a rough stretch.