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Penn State Univ. travels to Marquette for NIT Quarters

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State men’s basketball team travels to Milwaukee, Wis., for its quarterfinal National Invitation Tournament game on Tuesday, March 20, vs. No. 2 seed Marquette in the Al McGuire Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.

WATCH: ESPN, ESPN International and WatchESPN

Eric Frede (pxp) and Dino Gaudio (analyst)

LISTEN: Penn State Sports Network, Steve Jones (pxp) and Dick Jerardi (analyst)

DIGITAL PROGRAM: NIT Digital Program

PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS

RECORD: 23-13, 9-9 Big Ten

Coach: Patrick Chambers (7th year at Penn State)

2017-18 Leading Scorer:

No. 10 Tony Carr, So., G – 19.5 ppg

2017-18 Leading Active Rebounder:

No. 11 Lamar Stevens, So. F – 6.1 rpg

2017-18 Assists Leader:

No. 10 Tony Carr, So., G – 4.7 apg

MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES

RECORD: 21-13, 9-9 Big East

Coach: Steve Wojciechowski (4th year at Marquette)

2017-18 Leading Scorers:

No. 00 Markus Howard, So., G – 20.4 ppg

No. 30 Andrew Rowsey, RSr., G – 20.2

2017-18 Leading Rebounder:

No. 10 Sam Hauser, So., G/F – 5.8 rpg

2017-18 Assists Leader:

No. 30 Andrew Rowsey, RSr., G – 4.3 apg

OPENING TIP

Penn State is participating in its 11th National Invitation Tournament and is 24-9 overall with a 5-0 record in quarterfinal games. Its last appearance was in 2009 when Penn State defeated Baylor 69-63 at Madison Square Garden for the championship.

The Nittany Lions’ complete NIT history is on page 98 of the 2017-18 media guide.

SERIES RECORD VS. MARQUETTE

It’s been more than two decades since these two teams faced each other and the last meeting came in the semifinals of the 1995 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) at Madison Square Garden. Marquette came away with the 87-79 win before losing to eventual NIT champion Virginia Tech in the finals.

The first of Penn State’s two wins in the series came in the first round of the 1990 NIT. The Nittany Lions advanced to the semifinals, but lost to Vanderbilt before taking the third-place game vs. New Mexico in overtime.

Streak: Marquette, W1

Overall series: Marquette leads 3-2

at Marquette: Tied 1-1

QUICK HITS

-Following all games completed March 18, Penn State is one of only six NCAA Division I teams that hasn’t lost a game by more than 12 points in 2017-18. Other teams in its company include Duke, Purdue and Villanova.

-Total number of wins over the last five years (2013-2018), most of any five-year span since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1992-93. As a fourth-year senior, Shep Garner has been a part of 72 wins in his career, tied for tops with the seniors who played from 1997-2001 and 2007-2011.

-Senior guard Shep Garner, with 107 3-point field goals in 2017-18, is one shy of tying Penn State’s single-season record, held by Joe Crispin (108, 2001).

-Even with Penn State’s top rim protector Mike Watkins out since the Feb. 21 game vs. Michigan, the Nittany Lions have broken the team single-season record for blocked shots with 185.

-Graduate student Julian Moore now owns the Penn State record for most games played in a career with 138. He ranks 21st among all active NCAA Division I players.

-Tony Carr, recently honored as USBWA All-District and NABC District 7 first team, broke Talor Battle’s sophomore scoring record (2009, 635 points) and has 664 to date. The total ranks fourth on Penn State’s top 10 for single-season scoring.

DOUBLE TRIPLE THREAT

Penn State’s duo of senior Shep Garner and sophomore Tony Carr ranks eighth nationally with a combined 190 3-point baskets made in 2017-18.

Here’s how they compare to other top duos, including the three combinations of Golden Eagles.

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