Micah Shrewsberry addresses coaching carousel buzz
Penn State head coach Micah Shrewsberry was reported on Saturday morning as “one of the leading candidates” for the vacancy at Georgetown by Stadium’s Jeff Goodman. The national college basketball reporter added that Rick Pitino was not under consideration for the job.
Saturday afternoon in Chicago, Shrewsberry’s Nittany Lions knocked off 3-seed Indiana in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament, 77-73. A win that advanced Penn State to the conference tournament final for just the second time in program history, and the first time since 2011, it also continued to draw attention to the second-year head coach.
Saturday night in the bowels of the United Center, then, Shrewsberry was asked about it all. A subject broached by reporter Jon Sauber of the Centre Daily Times, he was asked to address the reports and building buzz that he’s being pursued both by Georgetown and Notre Dame for their head coach openings.
“When the basketball season is going on, I am completely tunnel vision on our team and State High basketball,” Shrewsberry said. “I missed my kids game today. They won by 40. Shout out to State High. Moving on. Little Lions moving on in the state tournament. But, that’s all I’m focused on.
“I’m happy to be here. Nobody wanted me a few years ago. I’m happy to be here. I love our guys. We’re gonna prepare and play for a championship tomorrow.”
Next steps for Micah Shrewsberry
Penn State continued its remarkable flourish to finish the season with its 77-73 decision over the Hoosiers. A stretch in the Big Ten Tournament that began with an upset of 7-seed Illinois, 79-76, then over 2-seed Northwestern in overtime, 67-65, and finally the Hoosiers, it built on a run that is now among the best in program history.
Coming out of a four-game slide to open the month of February, the once 5-9 conference record of the Nittany Lions has since transformed to 13-10 with its Big Ten Tournament wins. In all, Penn State is 22-12 for the season and has notched wins in eight of its last nine wins.
The result is an assured at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, or an automatic bid with a win, to advance to March Madness for the first time since 2011. Penn State will face No. 1-seed Purdue at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, the final game of the college basketball tournament slate before Selection Sunday reveals the program’s seeding.
“Just happy for these guys, proud of these guys,” Shrewsberry said. “We get a chance to play again tomorrow.”
