Centre Daily Times | 01/19/2006 | Extending the Lions:
“UNIVERSITY PARK — The suddenly swarming Penn State pressure was getting to Purdue. Steals turned to easy points, and the Nittany Lions’ lead swelled from 10 to 15 to 20.
“The Boilermakers got it back to 10, but Penn State just … kept … coming. And its starters wouldn’t come off the floor, not until they had collected their biggest conference win in five years, 74-54, Wednesday at the Bryce Jordan Center.
“We didn’t want to give up anything easy tonight, said Penn State forward Geary Claxton. Against an extended full-court defense, nothing was easy for the Boilermakers (7-9, 1-4 Big Ten).
“The Nittany Lions (10-5, 2-2), who won for the second time in three games and the sixth time in eight, looked very much at ease playing the defense-to-offense, up-tempo style Ed DeChellis has been working to build.
” ‘It’s a statement game for our players,’ a relaxed DeChellis said afterward. ‘I think our players really understood the importance of playing well tonight and getting a win.’ …”