DeChellis questioning self as frustrating losses pile up:
“Prior to Saturday, he’d done a nice job of tucking away the emotions and shedding as much light as possible on a team that has snagged just one conference win.
“But it was only a matter of time — or losses — until the frustration, disappointment and impatience started to seep through the usually upbeat and well-composed Ed DeChellis.
“And for the Penn State men’s basketball coach, the most recent loss might have been his breaking point. After his team turned in another superbly subpar performance in a 78-56 beating from Iowa, DeChellis addressed the media just as he did after the 19 previous losses. But this postgame press conference was different. Even DeChellis was questioning himself and his underachieving team.
” ‘You can only preach and preach and preach about what we have to win games … and sometimes guys have to step up and be able to do it,’ DeChellis said. ‘We haven’t gotten that done, and that’s my responsibility.’
“It’s obvious Penn State’s 7-20 season has taken its toll on DeChellis. On Saturday, his expressions suggested that he’s drained from trying to figure out how his Nittany Lions have gotten themselves into this mess. It seems he’s even more frustrated by trying to figure out if and how the Lions can wiggle their way out of this slump before the season’s end. …”