He got pats on the back for putting the team on his back.
After missing a last-second layup, a layup that would have forced overtime, Talor Battle put his jersey over his head and walked to the bench. Fans and coaches patted him on his back as he slowly walked over and sank into a chair. It took him a minute to rise out of the seat and shake the hands of the Virginia Tech players -- the winners of a dogfight.
"I definitely got a good look," a deflated Battle said after. "I did everything right with the play except finish the layup."
Battle had matched his career-high 32 points, but his last shot wouldn't drop as time expired and Virginia Tech escaped with a 66-64 win over Penn State on Saturday before 11,237 fans inside the Bryce Jordan Center. The game marked Penn State's biggest nonconference home crowd since it faced Pitt on Dec. 11, 2004.
There were eight ties and eight lead changes on the night. The Hokies (8-1) held a four-point lead with 17 seconds left, but Chris Babb got the ball to Battle for a 3-pointer to trim the margin to one. The Lions double-teamed Malcolm Delaney, who scored 27 points, and fouled Hokie reserve Erick Green. Green hit one of two free throws to set up the chance for Battle with seven seconds to go.
An extra five minutes wouldn't have been easy for Battle, who looked very tired in the late stages of the game. He carried the load for the Nittany Lions, as the junior usually does when the game is on the line.
"It was a very good road win against a team with a terrific player who is like a pit bull," Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said. "The guy just keeps coming at you."
Battle received sporadic help from his supporting cast. Junior forward Drew Jones hit two free throws to give the Lions (6-4) the lead with 4:20 to play, but he fouled out a minute later on a moving screen.
Penn State coach Ed DeChellis pointed to fouls and costly mistakes down the stretch as the biggest reasons for the loss. He said he has stressed how crucial each possession is to his players, but was disappointed with some of the "hiccups."
The Lions couldn't nail the necessary shot. They shot just 28.6 percent in the second half and 33.8 percent for the game.
"I thought other guys had open shots, but no one really helped us put the ball in the basket," DeChellis said. "That's just disappointing right now. We've lost three [close] games and they were all kind of the same way. We can't make a play when we need to make it."
During one timeout, DeChellis told his squad to relax and keep shooting despite the lack of success. He said Battle also told his teammates to feel loose and keep firing away.
"We get to the point when we're trying to drop the clothespin into the bottle," DeChellis said. "When you haven't made anything, then all of a sudden you're trying to guide it in there. It's like a pitcher trying to guide it in there. It's just not going to work."
Junior D.J. Jackson hit 2-of-3 from 3-point range to support Battle. He was the only other Lion in double figures with 12 points. The Farrell, Pa., native also guarded Hokie forward Jeff Allen for most of the game, forcing him into four turnovers.
Defense and rebounding were not among the Lions' concerns. Penn State outrebounded the Hokies 41-38, including 17 offensive rebounds to eight.
The Lions held the Hokies without a field goal in the final eight minutes, as well.
In the final six minutes, every point scored by each team was a result of a free throw -- except from Battle. His two buckets were the only made shots. But he couldn't hit a free throw.
Battle went 3-of-10 from the charity stripe, including two misses with 1:52 to play.
"That's the aspect where I really feel like I let my team down," he said. "I make a few more of those free throws, and we're smiling right now. ... I was thinking about it and I let it get the best of me."
After Battle hit one of his three free throws in the beginning of the second half, he exaggerated his follow through, holding his wrist in the air as he walked into the lane. He missed his second one, staying motionless at the line as the ball was knocked out of bounds.
The Albany, N.Y., native then pointed to the crowd triumphantly following a shot he made as he was fouled. The bucket brought the Lions within two with 9:12 left. Battle missed the ensuing free throw.
He wasn't short of emotion throughout the entire game.
With six minutes left in the game, Battle needed a lift. Jackson fouled Allen on a pass, a foul Jackson visibly disagreed with. Battle told his teammate to forget about the play, but he wanted a favor in return for his advice.
Jackson had to help a tired Battle make it over to the bench.
"He tried to get away, so I just said, 'Stop,' " Battle explained. "I was so tired and he was holding me up and he let me catch my breath."
Despite not getting much support throughout the game, Battle knows he needs to continue trusting his teammates to hit shots.
He also said he expected to take the final shot in the clutch once again.
"We can really take a lot out of this," Jackson said. "Just valuing each possession, because every possession counts. Especially when you're playing a very good team like Virginia Tech, or when you get into league play."
