CHICAGO — As he walked off the court Thursday, the fight song blaring triumphantly from the nearby pep band, Micah Shrewsberry stopped to reach over a row of media seats. His wife, Molly, handed over her cellphone. The Penn State coach smiled and yelled into the phone, sharing the moment with his two boys, Braeden and Nicholas, who were back home in State College, awaiting their own high school state playoff game and unable to share in the joy of the Nittany Lions’ 79-76 win over Illinois in the Big Ten tournament.
After passing the phone back to Molly, Shrewsberry tried to exit. But a handful of fans stopped him for autographs, and he hastily scribbled his name on their hats, programs and shirts. Then his athletic director, Pat Kraft, greeted Shrewsberry with a hard high five and bear hug, and the two exited the United Center court arms slung around each other’s shoulders as fans yelled, “We love you, Coach Shrews! Good luck tomorrow.’’
It has been a long time — maybe a forever time — since a Penn State basketball coach felt so much love. Nittany Lions fans have tried in the past to turn over their hearts, only to be rebuked by empty promises not fulfilled with NCAA Tournament results. Bruce Parkhill earned himself a round of love when PSU upset UCLA in the…
