UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State men’s basketball finished the 2017-18 season with the National Invitation Tournament championship, and with a strong showing in the month of March with a record of 7-1, earned 19 votes in the final USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll.
The Nittany Lions were fifth among the other teams receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches poll, earning votes in the final coaches poll for the first time since 2008-09.
In addition to receiving recognition in the final coaches’ poll, the Nittany Lions climbed to a No. 19 ranking in the kenpom.com ratings, the program’s highest-ever finish since the basketball analytics website debuted in 2002. In ESPN’s final College Basketball Power Index (BPI), Penn State was ranked 20th, its best ranking in the 10 years of the BPI’s existence. The final 2017-18 edition of the Jeff Sagarin’s College Basketball Ratings calculated Penn State at No. 27.
In winning five-straight games to claim the 2018 NIT title, Penn State had an average scoring margin of +10.4 points per game in its postseason contests, 75.6-65.2. The Nittany Lions finished in the top 50 nationally in scoring margin (No. 48, +8.1 ppg) and ranked 42nd in scoring defense. Fifty-one records were broken during the course of 2017-18 with 50 Penn State marks replaced and the Big Ten Conference single-season mark for 3-point field goals set by senior guard Shep Garner (120).
Penn State returns three starters and eight of its top 11 players for the 2018-19 season, including seven players who made multiple starts this year. Among the returnees are sophomore forward Lamar Stevens, the 2018 NIT Most Outstanding Player, junior guard Josh Reaves and sophomore forward Mike Watkins, who were members of the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. Chambers and his staff also will welcome freshmen guards Rasir Bolton and Myles Dread for 2018-19.
For information or to make a 2018-19 Penn State men's basketball season ticket deposit, fans should go to nittanylionfeedback.com/se/3FF63F244373D7BF or call 1-800-NITTANY, weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Keep up to date with the latest information from Coach Patrick Chambers and the Nittany Lions on Twitter by following @Coach_Chambers and @PennStateMBB, liking the team's page on Facebook and following the team Instagram account at @PennStateMBB.