By Scott Brown

Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2012, 4:59 p.m.
Updated: Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Everything needed to break right for Penn State's men's basketball team to compete in the Big Ten and for postseason play this season.

The one thing that couldn't go wrong did.

All-Big Ten senior guard Tim Frazier has been lost for the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon Sunday in an 85-60 loss to Akron in Puerto Rico. Frazier, who had surgery Tuesday, is eligible for a medical redshirt.

“I have no doubt he will meet this challenge and will again be one of the top players in the nation,” Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said in a statement.

Frazier's loss is devastating to a young team that will have trouble meeting the challenges awaiting it in the Big Ten, arguably the toughest conference in the country.

Frazier accounted for 58 percent of Penn State's offense last season, leading the nation in that category, and the Houston native topped the Big Ten in assists (6.2 per game) while averaging 18.8 points per game.

Southern Miss transfer D.J. Newbill is expected to move over from shooting guard to fill Frazier's spot, with small forward Jermaine Marshall likely moving into the backcourt.

Frazier, a first-team All-Big Ten selection last season, went down early in Penn State's loss to Akron. The Nittany Lions (1-2) play Bucknell Friday at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Chambers, who is in his second year at Penn State, will be hard-pressed to improve on the 12-20 record the Nittany Lions posted last season.

Scott Brown is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com.

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