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2020–21 Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team

2020–21 Big Ten Conference
men's basketball standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 4 Michigan 14 – 3   .824 23 – 5   .821
No. 2 Illinois † 16 – 4   .800 24 – 7   .774
No. 8 Iowa 14 – 6   .700 22 – 9   .710
No. 20 Purdue 13 – 6   .684 18 – 10   .643
No. 7 Ohio State 12 – 8   .600 21 – 10   .677
Wisconsin 10 – 10   .500 18 – 13   .581
Rutgers 10 – 10   .500 16 – 12   .571
Maryland 9 – 11   .450 17 – 14   .548
Michigan State 9 – 11   .450 15 – 13   .536
Indiana 7 – 12   .368 12 – 15   .444
Penn State 7 – 12   .368 11 – 14   .440
Northwestern 6 – 13   .316 9 – 15   .375
Minnesota 6 – 14   .300 14 – 15   .483
Nebraska 3 – 16   .158 7 – 20   .259
† Conference tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll

The 2020–21 Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team represented Pennsylvania State University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. They were led by interim head coach Jim Ferry and played their home games at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pennsylvania as members of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 11–14, 7–12 in Big Ten play to finish in a tie for 10th place. As the No. 10 seed in the Big Ten tournament, they defeated Nebraska before losing to Wisconsin in the second round.

On October 21, 2020, head coach Pat Chambers resigned after an internal investigation by the school into inappropriate conduct by Chambers.[1] It had been reported in July that former player Rasir Bolton had left the program due to inappropriate comments to him by Chambers.[2] New allegations surfaced after a later investigation by the school that led to Chambers resigning.[1][3] Assistant coach Jim Ferry was named interim coach for the season.[4]

Following the end of the season, the school hired Purdue assistant coach Micah Shrewsberry as head coach.[5]

Previous season

The Nittany Lions finished the 2019–20 season 21–10, 11–9 in Big Ten play to finish in a four-way tie for fifth place. Their season ended following the cancellation of postseason tournaments due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Offseason

Recruiting class

College recruiting information
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Dallion Johnson
SG 		Haverhill, MA Phillips Academy 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Jul 15, 2019 
Star ratings: Scout:3/5 stars   Rivals:3/5 stars   247Sports:3/5 stars    ESPN:3/5 stars
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster

2020–21 Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketball team
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Height Weight Year Previous school Hometown
G 0 Myreon Jones 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Jr Lincoln Academy (GA) Birmingham, Alabama
F 1 Seth Lundy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 219 lb (99 kg) So Roman Catholic High School Paulsboro, New Jersey
G 2 Myles Dread 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jr Gonzaga College High School Detroit, Michigan
G 3 Sam Sessoms 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 187 lb (85 kg) Jr Binghamton Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
F 4 Caleb Dorsey 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Fr The Hill School Westminster, Maryland
G 5 Jamari Wheeler 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Sr Rock School Live Oak, Florida
G 10 Kyle McCloskey 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 212 lb (96 kg) Jr Germantown Academy Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania
G 12 Izaiah Brockington 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) RS Jr Archbishop Ryan High School Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
F 14 Patrick Kelly 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) RS Fr IMG Academy Raleigh, North Carolina
F 15 Trent Buttrick 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Sr Community School of Naples Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
G 20 Taylor Nussbaum 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Sr Cheshire Academy South Salem, New York
F 21 John Harrar 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Sr Strath Haven High School Wallingford, Pennsylvania
G 22 Dallion Johnson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Fr Phillips Academy Haverhill, Massachusetts
G 23 DJ Gordon 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Fr First Love Christian Academy Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
F 30 Abdou Tsimbila 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Fr St. Maria Goretti High School Yaoundé, Cameroon
G 33 Andy Christos 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Fr Madison High School Madison, New Jersey
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: April 10, 2021

Coaching staff

Position Name Year Alma mater
Head coach Jim Ferry 2017 Keene State (1990)
Associate head coach Keith Urgo 2011 Fairfield (2002)
Assistant coach Talor Battle 2020 Penn State (2011)
Assistant coach Ross Condon 2011 Villanova (2007)
Director of Basketball Operations Nicholas Colella 2015 Penn State (2013)
Director of Recruiting Kevin Hudash 2018 Penn State (2017)
Athletic trainer Jon Salazer 2001 Penn State (1993)
Director of player development David Caporaletti 2011 Philadelphia (1993)
Strength and conditioning coach Greg Miskinis 2009 Penn State (2008)
Graduate assistant K.J. Baptiste 2019 Brandeis (2018)

Schedule and results

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Regular season
November 25, 2020*
BTN 		Drexel Cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols Bryce Jordan Center 
University Park, PA
November 28, 2020*
1:00 pm, BTN+ 		VMI W 86–65  1–0
  18 – Wheeler   9 – Harrar   3 – Sessoms  Bryce Jordan Center (248)
University Park, PA
December 2, 2020*
5:00 pm, FS1 		VCU W 72–69  2–0
  32 – Lundy   8 – Tied   6 – Jones  Bryce Jordan Center (283)
University Park, PA
December 6, 2020*
8:00 pm, BTN 		Seton Hall L 92–98 OT 2–1
  23 – Lundy   8 – Harrar   6 – Sessoms  Bryce Jordan Center (264)
University Park, PA
December 8, 2020*
9:00 pm, ESPNU 		at No. 15 Virginia Tech
ACC–Big Ten Challenge 		W 75–55  3–1
  24 – Brockington   8 – Brockington   6 – Wheeler  Cassell Coliseum (250)
Blacksburg, VA
Big Ten regular season
December 13, 2020
2:00 pm, BTN 		at Michigan L 58–62  3–2
(0–1) 		 14 – Brockington   7 – Buttrick   4 – Wheeler  Crisler Center (0)
Ann Arbor, MI
December 23, 2020
6:30 pm, BTN 		No. 18 Illinois L 81–98  3–3
(0–2) 		 21 – Tied   7 – Buttrick   5 – Wheeler  Bryce Jordan Center (158)
University Park, PA
December 30, 2020
8:30 pm, BTN 		at Indiana L 85–87 OT 3–4
(0–3) 		 20 – Jones   10 – Harrar   3 – Tied  Assembly Hall (0)
Bloomington, IN
January 17, 2021
1:00 pm, BTN 		at Purdue L 72–80  3–5
(0–4) 		 23 – Jones   14 – Harrar   3 – Tied  Mackey Arena (168)
West Lafayette, IN
January 19, 2021
8:30 pm, BTN 		at No. 22 Illinois L 65–79  3–6
(0–5) 		 20 – Jones   9 – Harrar   3 – Brockington  State Farm Center (148)
Champaign, IL
January 21, 2021
7:00 pm, BTN 		Rutgers W 75–67  4–6
(1–5) 		 17 – Tied   11 – Harrar   6 – Wheeler  Bryce Jordan Center (209)
University Park, PA
January 23, 2021
7:00 pm, BTN 		Northwestern W 81-78  5-6
(2-5) 		 21 – Brockington   10 – Harrar   4 – Wheeler  Bryce Jordan Center (273)
University Park, PA
January 27, 2021
7:00 pm, BTN 		No. 4 Michigan Postponed due to COVID-19 issues at Michigan[6] Bryce Jordan Center 
University Park, PA
January 27, 2021
7:00 pm, BTN 		at No. 13 Ohio State L 79-83  5-7
(2-6) 		 26 – Lundy   10 – Harrar   3 – Tied  Value City Arena (0)
Columbus, OH
January 30, 2021
3:00 pm, BTN 		No. 14 Wisconsin W 81-71  6-7
(3-6) 		 20 – Jones   9 – Brockington   5 – Wheeler  Bryce Jordan Center (260)
University Park, PA
February 2, 2021
8:30 pm, BTN 		at No. 19 Wisconsin L 56–72  6–8
(3–7) 		 14 – Jones   5 – Harrar   2 – Tied  Kohl Center (0)
Madison, WI
February 5, 2021
7:00 pm, FS1 		Maryland W 55–50  7–8
(4–7) 		 13 – Brockington   12 – Harrar   2 – Tied  Bryce Jordan Center (279)
University Park, PA
February 9, 2021
7:00 pm, ESPN2 		at Michigan State L 58–60  7–9
(4–8) 		 17 – Harrar   14 – Harrar   4 – Harrar  Breslin Center (0)
East Lansing, MI
February 14, 2021
3:00 pm, BTN 		Nebraska L 61-62  7-10
(4-9) 		 18 – Jones   11 – Harrar   3 – Sessoms  Bryce Jordan Center (245)
University Park, PA
February 18, 2021
8:00 pm, BTN 		No. 4 Ohio State L 82–92  7–11
(4–10) 		 18 – Jones   7 – Wheeler   7 – Brockington  Bryce Jordan Center (244)
University Park, PA
February 21, 2021
5:00 pm, FS1 		at No. 11 Iowa L 68–74  7–12
(4–11) 		 11 – Tied   7 – Brockington   6 – Sessoms  Carver–Hawkeye Arena (566)
Iowa City, IA
February 23, 2021
8:00 pm, BTN 		at Nebraska W 86–83  8–12
(5–11) 		 29 – Jones   14 – Harrar   4 – Tied  Pinnacle Bank Arena (0)
Lincoln, NE
February 26, 2021
7:00 pm, FS1 		Purdue L 52–73  8–13
(5–12) 		 11 – Jones   6 – Wheeler   6 – Wheeler  Bryce Jordan Center (261)
University Park, PA
March 3, 2021
7:00 pm, BTN 		Minnesota W 84–65  9–13
(6–12) 		 17 – Jones   11 – Harrar   5 – Tied  Bryce Jordan Center (258)
University Park, PA
March 7, 2021
7:00 pm, BTN 		at Maryland W 66–61  10–13
(7–12) 		 31 – Lundy   8 – Lundy   3 – Wheeler  Xfinity Center (0)
College Park, MD
Big Ten tournament
March 10, 2021
9:00 pm, BTN 		(11) vs. (14) Nebraska
First round 		W 72–66  11–13
  19 – Wheeler   14 – Harrar   4 – Harrar  Lucas Oil Stadium (5,909)
Indianapolis, IN
March 11, 2021
9:00 pm, BTN 		(11) vs. (6) Wisconsin
Second round 		L 74–75  11–14
  18 – Sessoms   10 – Harrar   4 – Jones  Lucas Oil Stadium (6,769)
Indianapolis, IN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time.

References

  1. ^ a b "PSU's Chambers resigns after probe into conduct". ESPN.com. October 21, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  2. ^ Washington, Jesse (July 6, 2020). "Noose comment by Penn State basketball coach points to larger NCAA problem". Andscape. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  3. ^ "Penn State coach Pat Chambers resigns from position following internal investigation into conduct". CBSSports.com. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Leah Asmelash. "A remark about a noose around a player's neck led to Penn State basketball coach's resignation". CNN. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  5. ^ "PSU hoops hires Shrewsberry as head coach". ESPN.com. March 15, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  6. ^ Svoboda, Kurt (January 23, 2021). "University of Michigan Athletics Enters Department-Wide Activity Pause". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 23, 2021.