Penn State Coach Micah Shrewsberry Looking Forward to Matchup With Purdue, Matt Painter
INDIANAPOLIS — After spending two seasons as the associate head coach of Purdue basketball, Micah Shrewsberry enters his first season as the coach of Big Ten foe Penn State.
On Friday, he returned home for the 2021 Big Ten Basketball media days at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He looked back on his time with the Boilermakers while answering questions from the media.
"As an Indiana kid, this is my home. Indianapolis is my home," Shrewsberry said during his opening statement. "To be able to stand here in front of you and represent Penn State University is a proud moment for me."
Shrewsberry helped lead Purdue to a fourth-place finish in the Big Ten with a 13-6 conference record during the 2019-20 season. The Boilermakers finished with an 18-9 overall mark in the regular season and earned an NCAA Tournament berth.
Before his time under Purdue coach Matt Painter, Shrewsberry was an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics. The Indianapolis native also spent four seasons at Butler under head coach Brad Stevens. He emphasized the willingness his two mentors have been during his transition to the Nittany Lions' coaching staff.
"Brad Stevens and Matt Painter are two of the best," Shrewsberry said. "I've said it before, I called coach Painter five straight days, and he picked up every single time. To have a guy like that be able to be there for you, to answer questions, to help you along the way, it's been tremendous. As good of a person as it gets, to be able to have him in your own league answer questions like that. Everything that comes at you at one time is a tough challenge, it's a tough transition. But I'm learning each and every day."
Penn State is scheduled to play Purdue at home on Saturday, Jan. 8. That matchup is still a ways away, enough that Shrewsberry doesn't have to think about the game in too much detail.
But when the two teams do clash, the Boilermakers should expect the Nittany Lions' best.
"Being on the same sideline and going against coach Painter this year, I don't know if it will be a fun experience. It will be an experience," he said. "I know I better bring my best because I've been with him. I've seen him prepare. I know how hard that team's going to play. We're going to compete with the same spirit. We're going to get after people this year. I'm looking forward to it."
Penn State will open its season on Nov. 10 against Youngstown state. It will be Shrewsberry's first contest as a Big Ten head coach.
"The best advice Brad and coach Painter has given me is just be yourself and you'll do great," he said.
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.