Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1462941
A P R I L 2 0 2 2 47 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Lions will play at the event. The official bracket and television information will be released this summer. Patrick Chambers Lands At Florida Gulf Coast Former Penn State coach Patrick Chambers has been hired by Florida Gulf Coast University. Chambers resigned from his post at Penn State in October 2020 following an investigation into allegations of in- appropriate conduct. He spent this past season as an assistant coach at La Salle in Philadelphia, and he will take over for Michael Fly at Florida Gulf Coast. The Eagles were 21-11 when Fly was fired. They were knocked out of the Atlantic Sun Tournament by Division I newcomer Bellarmine but received a postseason invitation to play in the 21- team Basketball Classic. Fly was per- mitted to continue coaching till the end of the tourney, which began for FGCU on March 16 against Detroit Mercy — one day after Chambers was introduced as their new coach. "The last 18 months I've been con- tinuing to grow and educate myself and self-reflect," Chambers said at his introduction in Fort Meyers, Fla. "I'm confident that you — my next team, my players, my future players — you'll be getting the best leader, best teacher and best coach because I've learned a lot from my past." Chambers went 148-150 during his nine seasons at Penn State. ■ 2 0 2 1 - 2 2 M E N ' S B A S K E T B A L L R E S U L T S Date Opponent Result Nov. 10 Youngstown State W, 75-59 Nov. 15 at Massachusetts L, 81-56 Nov. 18 St. Francis Brooklyn* W, 74-59 Nov. 22 Cornell* W, 85-74 Nov. 26 LSU** L, 68-63 OT Nov. 27 Oregon State** W, 60-45 Dec. 1 Miami (Fla.) L, 63-58 Dec. 5 Ohio State L, 76-64 Dec. 8 Wagner W, 74-54 Dec. 11 at Michigan State L, 80-64 Dec. 18 at VCU Canceled Dec. 22 Quinnipiac Canceled Dec. 29 Delaware State Canceled Jan. 2 Indiana W, 61-58 Jan. 5 at Northwestern W, 74-70 Jan. 8 Purdue L, 74-67 Jan. 11 Rutgers W, 66-49 Jan. 16 at Ohio State L, 61-56 Jan. 22 at Iowa L, 68-51 Jan. 26 at Indiana L, 74-57 Jan. 31 Iowa W, 90-86 (2OT) Feb. 5 at Wisconsin L, 51-49 Feb. 8 Michigan L, 58-57 Feb. 12 at Minnesota L, 76-70 Feb. 15 Michigan State W, 62-58 Feb. 17 Minnesota W, 67-46 Feb. 21 at Maryland L, 67-61 Feb. 25 Northwestern W, 67-60 Feb. 28 Nebraska L, 93-70 Mar. 3 at Illinois L, 60-55 Mar. 6 at Rutgers L, 59-58 Mar. 9 Minnesota^ W, 60-51 Mar. 10 Ohio State^ W, 71-68 Mar. 11 Purdue^ L, 69-61 * Emerald Coast Classic at Bryce Jordan Center ** Emerald Coast Classic at Niceville, Fla. ^Big Ten Tournament at Indianapolis, Ind. PENN STATE BASKETBALL SUPERLATIVES — 2021-22 SEASON THREE BEST PLAYERS 1. Jalen Pickett | G | Sr. Pickett spent the majority of the 2022 season as one of Penn State's key players. As the Nittany Lions closed out their campaign at the Big Ten Tournament, though, he turned into a star. Pickett posted 18 points per game to help propel the Lions into the Big Ten quarterfinals. Pickett was ef- ficient, shooting over 62 percent in those three games. More than any stat could measure, though, he just controlled games. He got into the paint at will. He connected from deep. He set up his teammates. If this is the Jalen Pickett the Nittany Lions are getting next season, they're in business. 2. John Harrar | F | Sr. Harrar finished his Penn State career with a stellar season in which he averaged 10.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He finished as a double-figure scorer in eight of his 11 contests after Feb. 12, giving the Nittany Lions reliable and efficient production in the interior. He was invaluable as a setter of screens in Micah Shrewsberry's pick-and-roll offense, and he anchored the Nittany Lion defense. Harrar didn't fulfill his dream of taking Penn State to the NCAA Tournament, but that was through no fault of his own. 3. Sam Sessoms | G | Sr. Sessoms' run to close out the season was one of his best as a Nittany Lion — and also possibly his last. He proved to be the difference-maker in an upset of Ohio State at the Big Ten Tournament, making seven of his 12 field goal attempts on his way to 18 points. That concluded a string of six games in which Sessoms averaged 12.9 points per contest, shooting 46.5 percent. Remarkably, he made 45.5 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc in that stretch, emerging as a dangerous three-point shooter to complement his ability to create off the dribble. After the season, he en- tered the transfer portal, where he's likely to receive plenty of interest. KEY PLAY Backing down Ohio State guard Jamari Wheeler on the left block, Pickett sensed the double team coming. Penn State trailed the Buckeyes 54-53, having battled back from a double-digit defi- cit, and Pickett passed to senior guard Myles Dread, who was open on the perimeter. Dread gave up a good shot to get a great one, making the extra pass to junior forward Seth Lundy near the corner. Lundy splashed in a three-pointer to give the Nittany Lions a 56-54 lead, and they never trailed again in a 71-68 upset of the Buckeyes. BEST HIGHLIGHT Holding a two-point lead with 1 minute, 30 seconds to go in the same Big Ten Tournament clash with Ohio State, Sessoms saw his short jump shot clang off the back iron and out. It looked like the Buckeyes had gotten a vital stop. But, battling through a crowd of four opposing players, Harrar ripped down the offensive rebound and put it back home. The play proved vital in the victory and gave Harrar one final signature moment in his decorated Penn State career. PREDICTION The Nittany Lions will bring in a center out of the transfer portal. Penn State is losing three schol- arship forwards this offseason in Harrar, Greg Lee and Jalanni White. Two talented replacements are coming to campus in recruits Kebba Njie and Demetrius Lilley, but Penn State won't want to rely solely on inexperienced big men in 2022-23. With at least one scholarship open, the Lions will look to target a big. — David Eckert