{"id":184786,"date":"2015-08-03T14:59:27","date_gmt":"2015-08-03T18:59:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pennstatehoops.com\/?p=184786"},"modified":"2020-02-13T09:33:42","modified_gmt":"2020-02-13T14:33:42","slug":"is-that-a-corner-up-ahead-contd-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pennstatehoops.com\/pennstatehoops-com-has-ceased-operations\/is-that-a-corner-up-ahead-contd-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Is that a corner up ahead? cont’d"},"content":{"rendered":"

“I love what’s happening with our basketball program. We’ll be good forever now unless we get sloppy.”<\/i><\/p>\n

— Joe Paterno, 1996<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"Pete<\/p>\n

In 1996, Penn State opened 6-1 in the Big 10. The Nittany Lions were 15-1 overall, ranked No. 10 in the country.<\/p>\n

The team was crisp, well-drilled, fun to watch. The brand new Bryce Jordan Center, opened for the league season, was routinely packed.<\/p>\n

As January came to a close<\/a>, the Nittany Lions had just routed a Bob Knight Indiana team 82-68, were ranked\u00a0second in the Big 10 in scoring, first in scoring defense, first in three-point shooting offense and first in\u00a0three-point defense.<\/p>\n

Sportswriters marveling at Penn State\u2019s sudden appearance on the national scene<\/a> liked to point out that the Lions had no \u201cDickie V \u2018Diaper Dandies\u2019 \u201d on the roster.<\/p>\n

No Diaper Dandies? Maybe not. But not\u00a0the 1954 Milan Indians*, either. \u00a0The core Nittany Lions were highly regarded recruits:<\/p>\n