PSU Softball Earns 2011 NCAA Tourney Berth

What a way to celebrate the inaugural season at Nittany Lion Softball Park. Penn State softball will return to the postseason for the first time in four years:

The Nittany Lions (29-22-1) will serve as hosts in the University Park Regional during the opening round of the tournament and will open against Fordham on Friday. Albany and No. 13 seed Oregon will travel to State College as the regional’s other two squads.

The 64-team tournament field is divided into 16, four-team double-elimination regionals, beginning Friday. The 16 regional winners advance to super regionals, where eight will emerge as Women’s College World Series participants.

The University Park Regional will be this weekend, May 20-22. Penn State will face Fordham, while No. 13 Oregon will take on Albany. If you're in the area, it would be really great to get out on hopefully a nice weekend to support the team and enjoy a really, really nice new ball park.

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LBU Bracket Challenge 2011: The WINNERS!

Tonight is the title game in Houston, but as is probably the case with 99 percent of the brackets out there this year, it's game over. For our 2011 LBU Bracket Challenge--yes, we will surely have another next year--prizes were to be awarded to the top three brackets in our challenge. And this morning, we're happy to announce our winners!

LBU Bracket Challenge 2011: Elite Eight Update

Image: Copyright NCAA

After three full rounds (no, we're not including the play-in round) complete in the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, we're already looking at some pretty rough brackets in our LBU Bracket Challenge. But a few have really broken away from the pack, while others can still make up ground and push to place after all is said and done.

The Elite Eight games start today and finish tomorrow. Here's the schedule:

26 March
(8)Butler vs (2)Florida - 4:30 p.m. on CBS
(5)Arizona vs (3)UConn - 7:05 p.m. on CBS
27 March
(11)Virginia Commonwealth vs. (1)Kansas - 2:20 p.m. on CBS
(4)Kentucky vs. (2)North Carolina - 5:05 p.m. on CBS

Lastly, here are the updated LBU Bracket Challenge standings, heading into the Elite Eight:

Lady Lions fall to DePaul in soul-crushing collapse, 75-73

Penn State's season will end at home. The season finale location may not have come as a surprise to many. But the situation of that final home game would. The Lady Lions fell to DePaul, 75-73 tonight, in the 2nd Round of the Women's NCAA Tournament at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Was it bad enough that Penn State was eliminated from advancing to the Sweet 16? Yes. Was it bad enough that the loss came at home? Definitely. But it was worse, much worse, as the Lady Lions held as much as a 14-point lead in the early 2nd half of the game, only to see it evaporate into the night.

Lady Lions vs DePaul in Round of 32 tonight at the Bryce Jordan Center

TIME/VENUE: 7 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center, so there's no excuse to not attend.
TV: The game will be televised on ESPNU and ESPN2, based on a coverage map, or on ESPN3.com.
LAST MTG: Regular Season: Dec. 30, 1992 - PSU W, 85-78; NCAA Tournament: 1992 - PSU W, 77-54.

It was a slow start for Penn State, but the Lady Lions fought off a 16-8 deficit against Dayton to win the first round NCAA tournament game Saturday at home, 75-66 over the Flyers. But as in any tournament play, it sure doesn't get any easier. Tonight at 7 p.m., the Lady Lions take on the 3-seed DePaul Blue Demons (28-6, 13-3 Big East) in the Bryce Jordan Center.

On To The Next One...Lady Lions Win 75-66

Sprinting out of the locker room, the Lady Lions and Dayton Flyers continued the pace the rest of the way to tip off the 2011 Women’s NCAA Tournament in the 75-66 victory over the Dayton Flyers.

Pacing the offense for the Lady Lions was not “Machine Gun Maggie Lucas” as we’ve come to expect from the freshman phenom, but rather sophomore Alex Bentley.

The first team All Big Ten guard has shown inconsistency this season, but really came to play in this first round game. Bentley shot 7 of 15 from the field for 14 points and four assists in the first half, including a Talor Battle-esque shot to close out the half just before the buzzer sounded.

In the second half, it was the same story. Bentley finished with TWENTY EIGHT shots in the contest, connecting on twelve shots and accumulating 25 points.

Lady Lions take on Dayton in NCAA 1st Round

TIME/VENUE: 11 a.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center, so there's no excuse to not attend.
TV: The game will air on ESPN2 with Justin Kutcher and Brenda VanLengen calling the action.
RADIO: Our boy Ryan will be calling the game today on ComRadio, and online at PSUComRadio.com.
LAST MTG: Nov. 12, 2010 / Recap

Unlike the Nittany Lions, the Lady Lions head into their opening NCAA tournament game having a long layoff, not unlike the layoff in between football's regular season and most bowl games. And just as with those football teams who are sitting around at home getting fat and lazy, Coquese Washington had to answer questions about the 13-day break between the Big Ten title game and today's game.

Annnd...It's Gone - Penn State Loses a Heartbreaker To Temple, 66-64

Margaritaville
Tags: SOUTH
PARKmore...

You know, for all the celebrating, hootin', and hollerin' we had been doing since the Fighting DeChellises beat Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals last weekend to seal an NCAA bid, it sure felt like this magical ride was over before it even had a chance to really get going. I guess this is what feels like to be the fan of a Louisville, Kansas, or any other school that is a yearly fixture in the NCAA Tournament, and seeing your team get knocked out after just one game...

Penn St vs Temple: Survive & Advance, or Go Home

So after a roller coaster season with a buzzer beater against Mt. St. Mary's, a loss to Maine, two big wins over Wisconsin, and two tough losses to Michigan, Battle and the Lions are a #10 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Now the 1st round test comes against old foe Temple. But this time, rather than the usual 200-mile trip to one arena or the other, it's a 2500-mile ride to Tuscon. Well Ed DeChellis have his team ready to go? Let's take a look.

For those who know nothing about Temple:

Joe Lunardi Likes Penn State...As a One-And-Done

I realize Joe Lunardi does not own a monopoly on the title of 'bracketologist', which is a moniker more fitting for a Daily Show correspondent as opposed to an ESPN writer, but we figured you may be interested to hear what his thoughts are on the Fighting DeChellises' chances of winning a game or two in the NCAA Tournament. According to Lunardi, Temple's "smothering defense" and PSU having tired legs from playing four straight days in the Big Ten Tournament will be a lethal combination, sinking PSU's dreams of avoiding "one-and-done" status.

It's hard to have any qualms with Lunardi's observations, though I can't help but get the feeling he's slightly overlooking the newfound scoring ability of Tim Frazier and for DJ Jackson and Jeff Brooks to step up and carry some of the load off Talor Battle's shoulders as well. Not to mention the fact that Temple's key starter Scootie Randall will be seeing his first dose of game action since fracturing his foot a month ago, presuming that he actually does play. In essence, we might see a full-strength PSU take on a 3/4-strength Temple squad, and given how full-strength PSU has fared against some of the tougher competition in the Big Ten, it's hard not to like PSU's chances a little more.

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2011 Linebacker-U.com Tournament Challenge - Now With Working Brackets! And Free Stuff!

PHOTO: Copyright NCAA

With all apologies over the CBS bracket mix-up (I blame them, somehow, but since I created the group, feel free to make fun of me in the comments as the only person to fail at making a tournament challenge), we have created a new ESPN group. This group is public, does not require a password, and is on ESPN. If this doesn't work, I give up.

The rules remain the same: no profane/vulgar names, free stuff to the winner, play-in games are meaningless (entries due by Thursday, noonish) and Sheenisms at your own risk. Follow the URL and get started today!

URL - http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/group?groupID=135268
And if, for some reason, that doesn't work, search ESPN for group name "LBU".

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Lady Lions earn a 6-Seed in NCAA Tournament, will host Dayton in the BJC

Penn State (24-9, 11-5 Big Ten) will return to the NCAA tournament for the first time in six seasons, as the Lady Lions earned a No. 6 seed from the selection committee, announced tonight on ESPN.

Penn State will host 11-seed Dayton at the Bryce Jordan Center, in the Philadelphia Region of the bracket. Tip off is 11 a.m. Saturday. The Flyers lost to the Lady Lions in double overtime in the season opener.

The Jordan Center will host the first two rounds of the tournament, meaning if the Lady Lions beat Dayton, they will stay in the friendly confines of Happy Valley to host the winner of the Navy-DePaul 1st round game.

The four No. 1 seeds are Connecticut, Baylor, Tennessee and Stanford.

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The Past 80 hours in Penn State Basketball

Ten steps forward, one step back, another five forward. That pretty much sums up the past four days in Penn State men's basketball. In case you missed any of it, here's the rundown of what happened since Thursday night's win over Indiana in the Big Ten first round.

It's "Just Win the Big Ten Tourney Time... or Is It?" (Eric)

Big Ten Tournament Bracket

Penn State downs Wisconsin, Battle sets Career Record (Ryan)

Poll: MSU(-1) vs PSU

This Week is Actually a Repeat of 2001 (Tim)

Penn State vs Michigan State In-Game Blog (Ryan)

March is a Beautiful Thing (Eric)

Live Blog: Big Ten Tourney Final, OSU vs PSU

THEY'RE IN: Penn State a 10-Seed in the NCAA Tournament, will face Temple

Stay tuned for more this week as Penn State gears up for Thursday!

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THEY'RE IN: Penn State a 10-Seed in the NCAA Tournament, will face 7-Seed Temple

CBS announced tonight Penn State will play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. The Nittany Lions earned a somewhat surprising No. 10 seed in the West Region, and will face No. 7 seed Temple on Thursday in Tuscon, AZ.



The Nittany Lions and Owls are familiar dance partners, as Temple ousted Penn State in the 2001 Sweet 16.

More, much more, to come this week!

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Lady Lions fall to Ohio State, await NCAA fate

Ohio State center Jantel Lavender, right,
dominated the second half against Penn State.
(Photo: AP/Michael Conroy)

Ohio State kept Penn State at arms length most of the game, eventually sinking the Lady Lions 84-70 to capture the Big Ten tournament championship and the conference's automatic NCAA bid. Not that the Buckeyes needed the automatic bid. Ohio State has been on fire the past few weeks, finishing today on a nine-game winning streak that featured wins over four ranked opponents, including two wins over top-11 ranked Michigan State and two over Penn State.

For the Lady Lions, Sophomore Alex Bentley and freshman Maggie Lucas were both named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team following the title game. Sophomore Mia Nickson scored 13 of her 17 points in the second half to lead the Lady Lions. Bentley added 16 points, three assists and three steals, while Zhaque Gray chipped in 13 points and a pair of assists. Lucas scored only eight points in the loss, but broke Kelly Mazzante's Penn State freshman scoring record with 533 points.

Penn State is likely to earn a No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the Philadelphia region. The Bryce Jordan Center will host the first and second round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament on Saturday, March 19 and Monday, March 21.

Stay tuned for more news about Penn State's NCAA seeding and opponent.

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Poll: Penn State's final four games

With what could end up being a key game in Penn State's NCAA tournament resume, the Nittany Lions knocked off Minnesota last night at the BJC. But their work is hardly complete. Any hope for a post-season bid hinges on the final regular season strech, four games starting this Sunday at Wisconsin. Trips to Northwestern and Minnesota sandwitch the home finale against Ohio State in Happy Valley.

So, we'll throw this one out to all of you.

Penn State men's hoops will finish the regular season...

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Lady Lions avoid meltdown against Indiana, hopefully sparking some urgency

Julia Trogele (Photo: PSU)

Penn State nearly face-planted into the hardwood of Assembly Hall, as the Lady Lions trailed the Hoosiers by as many as 16 points. Penn State (21-6,10-3) trailed for 39 minutes and 20 seconds. But taking a one-point lead--their first of the night--with 40 seconds left was all the Lady Lions needed to avoid a huge upset and what could have been an even bigger let-down after failing to rise to the occasion Thursday night in a loss to Michigan State.

With just three regular season games left on the schedule, Penn State is in a position to win or tie for a Big Ten title, or at least hold on for a second-place finish heading into the conference tournament. Of course, the Michigan State game was supposed to be the moment when this team put everything together and prove it's ready for prime-time.

Penn State Suffers Third Straight Loss, Deja Vu of Last Year

Talor Battle had what felt like the weakest 19-point game
of his career. (Photo: GoPSUsports.com/AP)

Even though Penn State defeated the Spartans earlier this season but Coach Tom Izzo was not going to lose another to the Lions. The Lions had a terrible start, losing 21-6, and never recovered from the deficit.

Penn State only turned the ball over 6 times, but fouls sent the Spartans to the charity stripe 35 times which is 35 too many in Big Ten play.
Besides the fouls, Penn State looked much like the Nittany Lions of last year. Battle led with 19 points but he shot terribly from the field, 7-20, 3-11 from the arc.

Lady Lions' split of the Hoosier State won't help break into the polls

Nikki Greene (Photo: PSU)

It was an up-down end of the week for Penn State, but it's always better to finish strong. That's just what the Lady Lions did against Indiana in the BJC on Sunday, pulling away from the Hoosiers for an 82-69 win. The W came after a rather deflating performance in West Lafayette on Thursday, as the Boilermakers downed PSU 79-69.

Before this weekend, I started hearing grumbles--fully justified, I might add--about Penn State's lack of recognition in the major polls. Coming into the Purdue game, Penn State had a nice 31 spot in the RPI, with the 65th toughest schedule in women's hoops. That included a victory over a Texas Tech team that started the season 16-1 before dropping the past two to No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 2 Baylor.

Of course, losing to a mediocre Purdue team by 10 doesn't exactly do much to get you into the polls. The Boilermakers are a traditional power in the Big Ten, but now sitting at 13-7 with a loss Sunday to Michigan, there was really no excuse for Penn State to drop the game to Purdue. It's that kind of loss that prevents a team like Penn State from breaking away from the conference pack--something that was totally doable this week.

Penn State is now eligible for the Tournament, but with another bad loss like the one at Purdue, the Lady Lions can kiss goodbye what should be a locked up spot in the NCAAs.