If a certain trio scores, the Penn State men's basketball team tends to win. If it doesn't, then chances are, the Nittany Lions fall short.

Sounds plain and simple, right?

Making the scenario more complicated is how unfair it is putting the pressure on three freshmen.

"I hate to put the burden on the young guys," Penn State coach Ed DeChellis said yesterday at his weekly press conference. "There was a sense of urgency about [the Northwestern game]. [I told them], 'You freshmen need to step up and do some more.' "

It only comes with the territory, though, considering forward Geary Claxton and guards Mike Walker and Danny Morrissey average 28.6 minutes per game in the Big Ten. As two perimeter players and a No. 3, it makes sense they are mostly responsible for scoring.

"Our freshmen have to play very important roles on our team," DeChellis said. "Our freshmen have to perform well for us ... We don't have enough guys in other spots."

In Penn State's 65-62 win against Northwestern, Claxton, Walker and Morrissey scored all but 21 points, recording 13, 15 and 16, respectively. In the Lions' upset over Rutgers on Dec. 1, Claxton, Walker and Morrissey scored 17, 15 and 12 points, respectively.

"Having the pressure on us doesn't really affect us," Walker said. "It shows that coach has confidence in us."

Penn State doesn't have one go-to guy. Forward Aaron Johnson can dominate the boards. Claxton can penetrate. Morrissey and Walker can hit clutch 3-point shots. Forward Travis Parker can produce double figures.

But there's not one guy who can do it all.The Lions have had a player score more than 20 points in just three games this season. In the seven games Johnson wasn't the leading scorer, Parker, Claxton, Morrissey and guard Marlon Smith split the high-scorer accolades.

"You look at the makeup of our team and who has to do what and someone has to have a breakout game for the other guys not to really get what they need to give us," DeChellis said. "That's just who we are. I can't change that."

Coming from afar

Landing big-name recruits hasn't been an easy task for DeChellis. Although he is trying to recruit in Pennsylvania, the Lions received two verbal commitments from foreign players. According to The Patriot-News, one is 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward Joonas Suotamo of Finland and the other is a 6-foot-11 forward/center from Serbia & Montenegro, who was not named.

"Until we can get [to where we get Pennsylvania recruits], we have to try and piece this thing together and mix and match," DeChellis said. "The foreign thing is something I don't want to be a steady guide on."

Coaches aren't always right...

Johnson brought a little something extra for his coaches to practice yesterday. He pulled a copy of The Daily Collegian, with "E-A-G-L-E-S" printed on the front page, out of his shorts.

"I carry this thing with me all over the place because all my coaches are haters," said Johnson, who is from Exton. "They are Steelers fans, but I am gonna keep reminding them the whole practice that the Eagles are going to the Super Bowl."