Talor Battle is really, really good. Penn State is not. The Sports Bank’s 99 team college basketball preview in 99 days ranks the power conference schools and top 27 mid-majors in reverse power ranking order. Click here if you missed teams #87-#99.
By: David Kay
Penn State Nittany Lions (11th, 3-15 in Big Ten, 11-20 overall)
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Andruw Jones III (Sr)/Jonathan Graham (Fr)
PF: Jeff Brooks (Sr)/Sasa Boronjvak (So)/Billy Oliver (Fr)
G/F: David Jackson (Sr)/Jermaine Marshall (Fr)
SG: Tim Frazier (So)/Cammeron Woodyard (Jr)/Tre Bowman (Fr)
PG: Talor Battle (Sr)/Taran Buie (Fr)
Gone: SG-Chris Babb (transfer-Iowa State), SF-Bill Edwards (transfer-Miami, OH), C-Andrew Ott
2010-2011 Outlook:
A year after being one of the sleeper teams in the Big Ten and winning the NIT, Penn State came back to reality last season and proved why they are indeed a football school.
The Talor Battles… er, I mean Nittany Lions were a one man machine. Point guard Talor Battle was the heart and soul of the team as he led PSU in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. He had very little help last season and more of the same can be expected this year even though Ed DeChellis returns four of his five starters. The problem is those three other starters coming back are just out-matched by their conference opponents.
Redshirt freshmen Jermaine Marshall and Billy Oliver will try to help Battle out this season as will Talor’s half-brother, freshman point guard Taran Buie. But with the Big Ten incredibly top-heavy this season, Penn State figures to battle with Iowa, Michigan, and Indiana in avoiding the last place spot.
Player to Watch: Talor Battle, PG
Yes it is the obvious choice but who else does Penn State have? There is a reason they are referred to as the “Talor Battles” by my colleagues and I. DeChellis should just be dropping to knees and praying to the heavens that Battle decided to pull his name out of the NBA Draft this summer and return to school. Penn State would have been AWFUL if he stayed in the draft.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/16 vs. St. Joseph’s
11/26 at Mississippi
12/1 vs. Maryland (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
12/12 at Virginia Tech
Other 99 in 99’s:
#87 South Florida
#88 Arkansas
#89 Boston College
#90 LSU
#91 Providence
#92 Michigan
#93 Oregon State
#94. Nebraska
#95. Auburn
#96. DePaul
#97. Iowa State
#98. Rutgers
#99. Iowa