Gophers Waste Little Effort while Rolling over Penn State
March 4, 2013

The word surrounding Penn State’s men’s basketball team was that the Nittany Lions were better than the team’s 1-14 conference record, especially after a 84-78 win over Michigan. Penn State arrived at Williams Arena on March 2 and performed like a 1-15 team while being blown out of the Barn, 73-44, by Minnesota.

From the start, Penn State played like a Division II team. After Maverick Ahanmisi scored a three-point basket to make the score 16-0 with 8:52 to play, a shutout seemed possible, but a successful jump shot by the Lions’ D.J. Newbill broke the spell. The Gophers went on to lead by 34 to 12 at halftime.

Before the game, coach Tubby Smith and his team decided to simplify the offense. Maybe not as simple as see-the-ball, shoot-the-ball, be-the-ball, but whatever they did worked, and Penn State could not stop it.

It didn’t hurt that it was Senior Day, and the sentimental Smith started Julian Welch and Andre Ingram. Welch scored the game’s first five points. Perhaps more significant was that starting the bulky 6-7 Ingram at power forward allowed Rodney Williams to free-lance at the more natural (for him) small forward position. Williams had three baskets in the paint before halftime.

In the second half, Penn State was able to put up more respectable numbers, as Smith substituted liberally. Six bench players scored, led by Joe Coleman with 12 points. Starter Trevor Mbakwe had 13 points and a like number of rebounds.

Newbill had 15 points to lead the Nittany Lions, who were outrebounded 46-30. Minnesota scored a dozen points off offensive rebounds to Penn State’s zero. The closest the Lions came was 50-27 after a three-point basket by Newbill at 9:17.

“After our Indiana win, I was concerned about how we would respond,” Smith admitted after the game, “but we were focused and committed to win this one. Our seniors stepped up. Our starting lineup [four seniors plus Austin Hollins] looked good. Trevor Mbakwe set the tone, forcing his way. I loved his energy.”

As for the rest of the season, the coach said: “We have recommitted ourselves.”

Penn State coach Pat Chambers declined the opportunity to speak before reporters in the Williams Arena media room.