Georgetown/Penn St...

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Penn State (5-2)

Coach: Ed DeChellis
(Penn St. '82 )
2nd season, 14-21
Career: 9th year, 119-114
Rankings: Sagarin #180
Expected Starters
Name Ht. Pts.
Dan Morrissey 6-1 9.6
Mike Walker 6-2 8.3
Geary Claxton 6-5 11.3
Travis Parker 6-5 10.4
Aaron Johnson 6-9 17.4
Team Stats:
Points/Game: 73.3
Points Allowed 65.6
FG Shooting: 45.0
FG Defense: 39.5
3FG Shooting: 34.4
FT Shooting: 67.4
Rebounds/Game 39.0
Assists/Game 14.2
Turnovers/Game 15.1

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Georgetown (2-1)
Coach: John Thompson III
(Princeton '88)
1st season, 2-1
Career: 70-43
Rankings: Sagarin #133
Expected Starters
Name Ht. Pts.
Jonathan Wallace 6-1 9.3
Ashanti Cook 6-2 14.0
Darrel Owens 6-5 6.0
Brandon Bowman 6-8 17.0
Jeff Green 6-8 9.0
Team Stats:
Points/Game: 67.3
Points Allowed 53.3
FG Shooting: 45.1
FG Defense: 37.9
3FG Shooting: 42.7
FT Shooting: 61.7
Rebounds/Game 37.0
Assists/Game 16.3
Turnovers/Game 12.1

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georgetown persepective preview:

The Penn State Nittany Lions arrive at MCI Monday on a four game win streak. Penn State features five new starters off last season's 9-19 team, a team that was one bad pass away from defeating Georgetown in State College. And while Penn State has suffered a pair of bad losses (including a 20 point blowout by South Carolina State), its 61% shooting in a road win at Rutgers served notice that they can play on the road. Or as the Centre Daily Times put it, "They haven't been soured by a long season of losing. There's still a level of expectation there, whether they know they're outmatched or not."

The Lions will feature an all-freshmen backcourt and it's those two matchups which may prove the difference in the game.

With guards Ben Luber and Marlon Smith out of action Monday, the weight of Penn State's offensive attack will fall on Mike Walker and Danny Morrissey. Walker has performed well in his early starts, leading the team in assists and committing only six fouls in seven games. A tougher test awaits Morrissey, who made only his first start in a 94-46 runaway over Lock Haven. Morrissey is averaging 23 minutes a game and his eight turnovers are a team low among players with significant playing time. Morrissey may see action against Georgetown's Jonathan Wallace, coming off a career high 20 points against Davidson last Tuesday.

Up front, the Hoyas will have a height advantage on Penn State's forwards. 6-5 Geary Claxton is shooting 51% from the field while 6-5 Travis Parker checks in at 56% from two and 42% overall. In the middle, 6-9 Aaron Johnson has dominated early, leading all Big Ten players with 12.4 rebounds a game, but has yet to meet much opposition down low. Like Georgetown, Penn State's bench is thin and both teams would like to keep the starters on the court as long as they can.

Just over 60% of Georgetown's offense has come from three players: Brandon Bowman, Ashanti Cook, and Jonathan Wallace, which is why guard play will so important Monday. Georgetown's ability to vary its offense has been a direct result of its guards' efficient play--Cook and Wallace are a +12 on its assist/turnover ratio versus a -1 for reserves RaMell Ross and Ray Reed. Penn State may have to use more trapping sets to disrupt what was a steady flow of offense inside and outside for the Hoyas in the last ten days.

Guard play will drive the ability to get the ball inside, but neither team has the depth beyond the best five they can start on the court. Taking Smith and Luber out of the equation, over 80% of Penn State's points this season come from its starting five. Of GU's 202 points, 60% comes from the starters. Neither team can afford to see their guards play any less then their best, and that also means playing at least 32 minutes each.

Realistically, both teams still have a lot to learn and a season with far tougher competition than seen to date. Georgetown's wins have come over The Citadel and Davidson, while PSU has wins over Western Carolina, Lehigh, Sacred Heart, Rutgers, and Division II Lock Haven. The game is a good early season test for each, and neither team can afford to look ahead to its next opponents (Illinois for the Hoyas, Pitt for the Nittany Lions). The Hoyas have an edge on experience, but need to get the ball inside to prevail.

Either that, or shoot 16 threes. (Hey, it can happen.)

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penn state perspective preview:

Penn State takes magic act on road to Georgetown


It appears Penn State's men's basketball team must tonight try to turn the same trick it did Wednesday -- win without its starting backcourt in a Big East gym.

Once was stunning; twice would qualify as miraculous.






In an 83-80 win at Rutgers, the Lions played courageously, including freshman guards Mike Walker and Danny Morrissey. They combined for six threes and played 40 and 37 minutes, respectively.

The reasons both will have to play a lot again tonight at Georgetown (7:30, MCI Center, no TV) are the same as they were Wednesday.

Starting point Ben Luber will not play after asking to become inactive Nov. 18 due to a stress-related problem.

Luber appears to be on the road back, however. He attended the Rutgers game and sat on the PSU bench in street clothes. And he practiced with the team Saturday for the first time since his inactive status began and by all accounts had a very good practice.

If Luber's progress continues, he will be available for the Pittsburgh game on Saturday at the Jordan Center.

Starting off-guard Marlon Smith is day-to-day after wrenching his left ankle in the fourth minute at Rutgers. He is listed as questionable for tonight.

The Lions (5-2) will face a Georgetown side that demolished a competitive Davidson team 76-51 on the Wildcats' home court Tuesday. That means the Hoyas (2-1) are improving because they were whipped by Temple 75-57 in their opener in D.C.

The big news in the Capital is new Hoya leader John Thompson III, fresh off a successful stint at Princeton, taking the reins of the program his father made famous.

On the floor the clear leaders are juniors Brandan Bowman and Ashanti Cook, the high scorers in last year's 79-78 win over the Lions at the Jordan Center. It was Cook who made two free throws with two seconds left to win it.

Both Cook and Bowman can shoot it and should be able to get clear looks over the top of the smallish Nits as Rutgers did Wednesday.

Bowman, a 6-8 forward, has been burning it up with his 3-ball. He has hit at least three treys in every Hoya contest and is 11-of-26 overall.

Cook, the 6-2 point, and backcourt mate Jonathan Wallace also are hitting from range. Rookie Wallace hit six triples at Davidson in a bust-out, 20-point performance. Cook is 9-of-19 from the arc.

As a team, Georgetown has hit 35 threes in just three games, shooting a scorching .448 from 3-point range.

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Monday, December 06, 2004
Collegian: Penn State turns to freshmen
Penn State turns to freshmen:

"It would be hard to imagine the Penn State men's basketball team without its freshmen.

"During the Nittany Lions' 94-46 win over Lock Haven on Friday night at the Bryce Jordan Center, freshmen Geary Claxton, Danny Morrissey and Mike Walker started the game, with fellow freshmen Brandon Hassell and John Kelly came in as substitutions and all made big contributions.

"Due to the recent loss of sophomore guards Ben Luber and Marlon Smith, the Lions have been forced to rely heavily on their freshmen to pick up the slack. Luber has asked to be an inactive member of the team and Smith turned his ankle early in the Penn State victory over Rutgers on Dec. 1. With Luber and Smith unavailable, coach Ed DeChellis has used Morrissey and Walker as his primary guards over the last two games with Walker taking over point guard duties.

"DeChellis said after the game that he was pleased with being able to use many of his players in the game, but that he is looking forward to taking some of the weight off Morrissey and Walker's shoulders.

"'I think it is a good time for us to get everybody to play,' Dechellis said. 'I wish we had some more guys in the back court to replace Walker and Morrissey.'"