Micah Shrewsberry Shouldered the Blame for Penn State’s Blowout Loss to Nebraska

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For the first time since he got the job at Penn State, Micah Shrewsberry didn’t have much to say in a press conference. And who can blame him?

The Nittany Lions’ first-year head coach delivered short, sharp answers to questions thrown his way after Penn State was mauled 93-70 by Nebraska on Sunday night. It was a stark contrast to the energetic and incisive Shrewsberry we’ve gotten accustomed to speaking with all season, win or lose.

Shrewsberry took full blame for this blowout loss, which was different than every other loss this season for Penn State, in that the Nittany Lions’ effort was lacking for all 40 minutes.

The defeat now sees Penn State in danger of missing out on a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament next week.

“I don’t really have much of an opening statement, besides the fact that I didn’t do a good job of getting our team ready to play tonight,” Shrewsberry said. “It was a high factor. You prepare for what someone is capable of doing and if you’re not ready to go, this is what they’re capable of doing. Anyone that looks at Nebraska, they haven’t laid down, died , or quit at any point in time, they play really hard. We didn’t have it tonight and that’s on me, I did a terrible job of getting these guys prepared tonight.”

When asked about his emotions on the sideline — he went from screaming instructions to his players to shaking his head silently as bucket after bucket went in for the Huskers — Shrewsberry summed up his thoughts bluntly.

“At some point in time, what is there to say? I mean, we’re getting our ass kicked if I was yelling or if I was quiet,” he said. “We also have leaders on the team that sometimes they have to say something for you. I did a poor job tonight. We got our ass kicked because of me.”

Senior guard Myles Dread, who possibly played his final game at the Bryce Jordan Center said the players shoulder the blame for not matching Nebraska’s intensity.

For a team that has prided itself on being competitive and winning games on the defensive end, Penn State allowed the Cornhuskers to do whatever they wanted offensively.

The Big Ten’s last-place team shot 60.6 percent from the floor, out-rebounded Penn State 34-22 and scored 14 second-chance points. From the jump, Nebraska had the edge in intensity, winning the opening tipoff and immediately forcing a foul on Dallion Johnson.

“Nebraska played harder than we did,” Dread said. “Coach was trying to get the best five out there that he could, use a lot of rotations and substitutions. He was trying to get people that could give us a spark and we didn’t have it.”

The loss means Penn State remains just one game ahead of Maryland and Northwestern in 10th place in the conference standings.

While the Nittany Lions hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Wildcats after completing the season-sweep this past Friday, Penn State’s loss to the Terrapins last Monday means Maryland would move into 10th results should go their way in the final two games of the season.

Penn State has to win one of its final two games to hold onto the first-round bye. That won’t be easy with both games coming on the road at No. 15 Illinois and Rutgers. The Nittany Lions are just 1-8 in true road games this season.

Maryland hosts Minnesota and travels to Michigan State for its final two games. Two Terrapins wins in the final week of the season paired with one Penn State loss, and the blue and white will have to play a Wednesday game in Indianapolis.

On top of what it means for Penn State’s Big Ten Tournament path, the loss also brought a tough conclusion to the home career of John Harrar, who was moved to tears a few different times during the game as things spiraled wayward for his team.

.@Coach_Shrews put John Harrar back in the game to get him his curtain call.

It was an emotional moment for the @PennStateMBB senior leader. pic.twitter.com/ZnQWyoxhzR

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 28, 2022

One of the many reasons so many people love John Harrar: pic.twitter.com/cSmaU0YUwK

— Penn State On BTN (@PennStateOnBTN) February 28, 2022

“I’m just disappointed that we didn’t play the right way for him. It’s his last opportunity to play here and that hurts worse than the loss and the way that we lost,” Shrewsberry said.

“For a guy that puts everything he has into it and cares so much and for this to be his last game here, that’s why I’m hurting. That’s what is sad, he’s given his all for five years and this is how he got rewarded.”

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