Thursday, March 12, 2009

MOMENT OF TRUTH

I mentioned yesterday in a post that this has been a year of stepping stones for the PSU program. Along with breaking the 20-win mark (a huge feat), the Nittany Lions have cleared a lot of hurdles that were deemed impassable in the past. The Lions have finally won in Assembly Hall, finally finished in the top half of the Big Ten, and finally removed the dusty black curtains from the upper deck of the BJC.

Beginning this evening, the Lions will try to hurdle yet another obstacle. The Big Ten Tournament has been a frustrating stick in the spokes of the Penn State basketball program since its commencement - 12 years ago. With just one tournament win in the past seven years, the Lions season has often come to an end with the first round of tournament play. Penn State has only twice reached the semifinals (2000 and 2001), and will hope to add to that number tonight when they face Indiana.

Entering the tournament with their highest seed ever (6), the Lions are playing a team they've only seen once in Big Ten post-season play. In the first round of the 2003 Big Ten Tournament, the Lions were handed their worst tourney loss ever, 77-49. Hopefully using that as motivation, the Lions will try to clear one more hurdle this season as their hopes of an NCAA tournament berth live and die with this evening's contest. Unfortunately, they're playing a team that has nothing to lose only 30-miles from their campus.

Talor Battle has told the Centre Daily Times, "we’re going to go out and really try to throw the knockout punch early. They’re a feel-good team; they start hitting some shots, they start to believe they can beat you.”

I hope Battle proves to be true to his word, because tonight's contest is clearly the Lions moment of truth.

DVR - Don't fail me now.

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