TRAP GAME

Main Entry: trap game

Pronunciation:ˈtrapˈgām

Function: noun

Etymology: New English, stems from sporting events

1) A trap game is a sports term used to describe a forthcoming hazardous game. A trap game often occurs when a good team beats another good team and then subsequently has to play a mediocre team. The good team is often emotionally spent and overlooks the mediocre team, hence the trap. A trap game can also occur when a good team has to play a bad team one week and a good team the week after. The good team overlooks their next opponent and concentrates their efforts on the better team. This could lead to a trap loss. (Thanks Wikipedia).

Example: Penn State vs. Indiana - Big Ten Tournament Opening Round

____________

Thursday's first round match up with the Indiana Hoosiers is exactly the type of game that fans dread. The Lions, who realistically are not sure what they'll gain from a win, but have everything to lose, will face 6-win Indiana in what will basically be a home-game for the Hoosiers.

Penn State has beaten the Hoosiers twice already this season, but neither game was necessarily comfortable for PSU fans to watch. A 10-point win in January on the road was back and forth until late in the second half, and the Hoosiers played PSU tough until the final buzzer at home, when the Lions squeaked out a 3-point victory on senior night. Anyone who follows college basketball knows it's very difficult to beat a team three times in a season - especially in a low scoring league like the Big Ten.

This years tournament is very reminiscent of last year's when the Lions were paired up with Illinois in the opening round. The Lions had swept the season series against the Illini, however were defeated by a last second in-bounds play to see their season come to an abrupt end. Fans are hoping this year is different as Penn State has different goals in mind. A win or two in the tournament can save the Lions some stress on selection Sunday when the final at-large bids are announced.

Indiana, fresh off their worst regular season in school history, will come into this game flying high. As they are a young team with nothing to lose, they'll be playing fast-paced and reckless with juvenile thoughts of that automatic bid granted to the winners Big Ten Tournament. You can be sure Indiana coach Tom Crean will fill his pregame speech with fluff about the program's winning tradition, legends and how "anything is possible... starting with this game."

The Lions will need to stick to their game, stay hungry and make good decisions. Last year's opening round contest was littered with poor shot selection and turnovers by the Lions, and even though their playing a team with one conference win, this cannot be repeated. If the Lions stay true to their identity, make good shots and protect the ball - a 15 point win is very possible.

Unfortunately, Penn State fans aren't the only ones considering this a trap game. ESPN's Pat Forde called for the upset today in an article.

"Team that could bust the bracket: No. 11 seed Indiana. Call The Minutes crazy, but the endlessly plucky Hoosiers will upset Penn State in the opening round and then take on arch rival Purdue in a quarterfinal that will get Conseco rocking."

Thanks for the bulletin board material Forde. If the Lions come out of the tunnel as the best-team they possible can be on Thursday night, there's no way Indiana can beat them. So let's hope they realize that...or else it's very possible that this blog will come to an abrupt halt...much like the Lions NCAA hopes.

By the way, as I'm writing this post I'm watching a current trap game in progress. Number 17 Butler, a shoe-in for the tournament is losing by 4 to Cleveland State in the Horizon League Championship. Makes me sick.

(Trap game update...Butler lost to Cleveland State, which means an at-large bid must now go to ranked Butler. Not good for Penn State.)