Micah Shrewsberry projecting 'poise and confidence' ahead of must-win matchup

Micah Shrewsberry didn’t like the in-game coach he was becoming in January. Restless and frustrated by the natural ebb and flow of Penn State’s season, the wins and losses that delivered both good and bad to the program admittedly wore on him.

Troublingly to him, he also acknowledged that the on-edge persona prowling the sidelines and the halls of the Nittany Lions’ basketball offices at the Bryce Jordan Center wasn’t isolated. Instead, the vibe was trickling into the consciousness of the players on the team.

“I’m still learning as a coach. And I’m still young in my career,” Shrewsberry said on Jan. 11. “I’ve been living and dying on every single thing that’s happened. Every single loss, win, whatever, it’s just been eating at me, it’s just been stressing me out. And I’m giving that to those guys for no reason at all. 

“First, I apologized to them, tell them I’m gonna be better. But also, play free. Play loose. We’re prepared for what we need to do. Now just go out and do it. Go out and have fun doing it and enjoy the process of it. Not a moment, not a win, not a loss, not a game. The process.”

Micah Shrewsberry pivots

Seven weeks have transpired in the time since for Shrewsberry and the Nittany Lions, producing mixed results to his desired coaching pivot.

Penn State is 5-7 in its 12 games since topping Indiana at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Lions seesawed through away losses and home wins until a four-game slide preceded a three-game winning streak. 

Capped by a 59-56 loss to Rutgers on Sunday night at the BJC, a different Shrewsberry has emerged in the process. And, while disappointed by the result and what transpired therein, the Nittany Lions unable to hang onto a 19-point second-half lead, the encouragement and positivity emanating from the Penn State sideline were very much intentional.

Meeting with the media on Monday afternoon, Shrewsberry explained the learning curve that has gone into understanding what motivates and propels this specific group of Nittany Lions. 

“Poise and confidence is a big thing for this group,” he said. “If I get frazzled, I think they can get frazzled. If I start worrying about other things, I think they start worrying about other things. 

“So, I’m trying to just be as focused as possible on what’s next, the next possession, how do we get stops, how do we score? And just trying to help them as much as possible so we’re all staying in the moment. I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Next steps for Penn State

Wednesday night in Evanston, Ill., Penn State will count on that poise and confidence in its latest “most important game of the season.”

Set to face Northwestern at 9 p.m., the Nittany Lions (17-12 overall, 8-10 Big Ten) are fighting for their NCAA Tournament lives. Currently owning a NET Ranking of 60, they’ll take on a Wildcats team at No. 41, with a 20-9 overall record, an 11-7 mark in conference play, and a virtually assured at-large berth for this year’s March Madness. 

In a crowded Big Ten with wild variances still to play out in the final two games of the season, the outcome can still shake up seeding in the conference tournament next week in Chicago. But, in Shrewsberry, Penn State has a leader determined to inspire confidence for a group that has played as a reflection of it throughout the season.

“I’m ready for what’s next. I’m gonna get past yesterday. And I’m gonna portray that confidence for our group so we go out there ready to play on Wednesday,” Shrewsberry said. “The people that are gonna be with us, and the people that are gonna have our backs, I’m gonna give them that same confidence so they feel good about Wednesday too, and we’re all gonna ride in there together.”