Carlton kick spurs Lions

By ROB AMEN
Collegian Sports Writer

Unbelievable. That's the word Lion Basketball Coach Bruce Parkhill used to describe Penn State's 67-64 heart-stopping victory over Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena Thursday night.

It seems fitting that Parkhill's word can also be used to describe the Lions' rise to the National Invitation Tournament semifinals and a match up with Marquette (20-11) at 9 p.m. today at Madison Square Garden.

Penn State (20-10) has used a flurry of comebacks to advance to the semifinals, including a 20-point reversal against Miami (Fla.) at Rec Hall on March 15. The Lions rallied from 12 down against Nebraska on the road on March 21 and from 13 down against Iowa, only to ultimately seal the victory with a Pete Lisicky trey with 2.1 seconds remaining.

"It's really a great boost to a team's confidence when they come from behind," Parkhill said. "It provides a great deal of confidence, especially for the young guys."

But perhaps the biggest factor that could play into the Lions' fortunes is the resurgence of junior forward Rahsaan Carlton.

With just two minutes expired in the second half of Penn State's victory over Iowa, Carlton made a connection that, at times, eluded him this season.

Carlton established eye contact with guard Dan Earl, and with the help of a precise pass from the sophomore floor leader, completed an alley-oop that gave the Lions only their second lead of the evening at 37-36 -- one they would not relinquish.

"It was a great pass," Carlton said, crediting Earl's ability to get his teammates the ball. "It really sparked me."

But the play's value could prove to be more than just the two points that registered on the scoreboard.

Unnecessary pressure seemed to follow Carlton last year, as he stepped into the starting lineup and the shadow of former Lion forward DeRon Hayes. Carlton proved capable at times, but inconsistent shooting followed him.

This season, Carlton again looked like a possible scoring threat after several 20 point games last year. But again, inconsistency and a lack of opportunities plagued him, causing Carlton to slip into a slump.

However, since the Nebraska game, it seems as if Carlton has found a groove on the court, confidence with his jumper and comfort on the floor. After scoring two team-high point totals with 19 against Nebraska and 13 against Iowa, Carlton appears to be back. But he is quick to say offense wasn't his top priority.

"Coming into the season, I wanted to improve on my defense," he said. "We have some new scorers coming into the system. I just wanted to concentrate on defense."

Although Carlton said defense was on his mind, his persistence in his overall game has impressed Parkhill.

The Lion coach said he attributes Carlton's resurgence to his character and to the fact that the Harrisburg native hasn't packed things in when others might have.

"He refused to do that," Parkhill said, adding Carlton has kept his spirits and intensity up. "That's one thing I respect about Rahsaan -- how he's stuck with it."

Carlton, Parkhill and the rest of the Lions will attempt to stick to their ways for just two more games as the team continues its improbable quest for Penn State's first NIT championship.