Penn State preps for 'monster' Purdue matchup at Palestra

Micah Shrewsberry stepped to the Bryce Jordan Center podium caught between two bummers. On one hand, his Nittany Lions had dropped a 79-69 decision at Michigan on Wednesday night. On the other, they’ll now prepare to face No. 1 Purdue at the famed Palestra in Philadelphia on Sunday evening.

Disappointed by the loss to the Wolverines, an outcome that dropped Penn State to 11-4 on the season and a 2-2 mark against Big Ten opponents, Shrewsberry took solace in one particular element of the game. 

Despite a performance he described as not being the Nittany Lions’ best, Shrewsberry said the effort and intensity were there against a good Michigan team.

“There are things that we can work on to continue to get better, and we will get better in those areas,” Shrewsberry said. “I didn’t think we played at our best and we still had opportunities. We had a three-pointer to tie it with 1:39 left on the road, when you’re not playing your best basketball, there’s something to be said there.”

Staring down a gauntlet of a run to open the Big Ten portion of the schedule, Shrewsberry acknowledged that the only path for his program is forward, one game at a time. 

“We’ll get back to the drawing board and try and get better here in the next three days. We got an unbelievable task up against us again,” he said. “I don’t know what I did to somebody in the Big Ten office, but whatever I did, I apologize, because the first seven games that they gave us were unforgiving. The whole league is, but this stretch has been pretty tough. But we’re up for it, we’re ready for it, we’re game for it. And when Sunday rolls around, we’ll be ready to play.”

Meeting with the media for his weekly press conference, Shrewsberry set the stage for the matchup with the Boilermakers, their standout center, Zach Edey, and the return of Penn State basketball to the Palestra. 

Here’s a look at some of the news and notes items to emerge from the session:

Penn State hoops news and notes

One more thing from Penn State’s loss at Michigan

Before moving on to Purdue, Shrewsberry was asked about an in-game bench warning assessed to assistant coach Mike Farrelly during the Michigan game.

Penn State’s head coach didn’t hold back.

“They have all these competition committees. I think Coach Holtmann is on the competition committee for the Big Ten,” Shrewsberry said. “He plays tonight, so I couldn’t call him, so I’ll wait, just so I can let him know at their next meeting, that that’s one of the dumbest rules that we have in basketball. 

“We got a bench warning because Coach Farrelly is standing up, trying to help our guys on the opposite end of the floor communicate what was happening on defense. So be it if it happens, it happens. But that is just dumb. I don’t know why that rule is in place. And maybe it’s a safety issue. If it’s right in front of you. I’m not sure what or why or why it’s a major point of emphasis this year. And it’s never been called either, as well.”

Standing up for Farrelly, who joined Shrewsberry’s staff after eight seasons as an assistant at Hofstra, the Nittany Lions head coach doubled down on his assessment of the incident.

“I encouraged him. He does an unbelievable job for us. He is locked in, he’s detailed, he is a great coach, and he knows exactly what the other team is doing. And he’s just doing his job, man,” Shrewsberry said. “I was an assistant coach too. I used to stand up and do the same thing. It’s tough, just for that. I don’t agree with a lot of things that go on in college basketball, I think that’s stupid.”

Penn State going back to Philadelphia

Previewing Penn State’s return to the Palestra, the famed hoops venue on Penn’s campus, Shrewsberry detailed the reasons for the Nittany Lions to get back to Philadelphia for another game. 

Having previously topped Michigan State in 2017 and Iowa in 2020 at the Palestra, Shrewsberry credited his predecessor, Pat Chambers, for pushing to have the event. 

“It’s such an unbelievable event. Hats off to Coach Chambers, I think it was his idea to start this, of him getting the chance to bring his team back to Philly,” Shrewsberry said. “He was recruiting Philly at a high level and was getting a bunch of guys there and it gives them a chance to come home.”

Citing Penn State’s four players hailing from the region including Seth Lundy, Jameel Brown, Andrew Funk, and Demetrius Lilley, plus Drexel transfer Camren Wynter, Shrewsberry said it is an important city for the basketball program currently and in the future. With an opportunity to bring Penn State to the city, for the fans and recruits, the Nittany Lions are looking forward to that chance.

“We also want to bring ourselves to our fans. Our fans in Philadelphia don’t always get a chance to get here and see the basketball team. So this gives us a chance to go there. And it gives our guys that aren’t from there a feel of what Philadelphia basketball is about. Playing in the Palestra is such a historic venue,” Shrewsberry said. “All on top of the number one team in the country is rolling in here. If I had my choice, I don’t know if I would choose them. But, I did have a choice. Golly, I’m sorry. I did choose them. And they are number one in the country. 

“But, I’m excited. It’s gonna be a great atmosphere. It’s gonna be a fun game. And I’m just looking forward to my first experience coaching at the Palestra.”

The monster

Widely regarded as the top player in the Big Ten and one of the best, if not the best, in college basketball this season, the opponent awaiting Penn State is no secret.

Zach Edey, a 7-foot-4 forward in his junior year with the Boilermakers, is averaging 21.7 points and 13.4 rebounds, atop the conference stat sheet in both categories. But, beyond just his on-floor production, Shrewsberry acknowledged the differentiators that give Edey a unique place among the players he’s been around previously.

“The one thing that makes him a little bit different than a lot of other bigs I’ve been around is he’s big, but he’s nasty. He doesn’t mind contact. He likes contact, where you find some big guys that shy away from it a little bit,” Shrewsberry said. “But, he’s a dude that constantly works. He’s a great example for a lot of people. He was never proclaimed to be a good player; he made himself a good player.”

To do so, Shrewsberry detailed a work ethic at Purdue that continues to carry on. It involved practicing, staying after practice for individual work. He followed it with dinner, and a return to watch the film, day in and day out. 

“It’s pretty rare, not for a big guy. It’s rare for guards, for anybody in college basketball,” Shrewsberry said. “This dude loves the game. He loves to get better. And that’s the biggest compliment to him. 

“I’m a big fan of him. He knows it. When I went back for the football game, I spent some time with him. I was just talking to him because I hadn’t seen him in a little bit. But like, we’re gonna go after him. I’m gonna yell at him from the sideline. We’re gonna foul him, we’re gonna get physical, we’re gonna play, and then after the game, we’ll be cool again. I just have that much respect for him.”