Penn State F Claxton has torn ACL

Jan 16, 2008 - 10:47 PM STATE COLLEGE, Pennsylvania (Ticker) -- The collegiate career of Penn State's top player is over.

An MRI taken Wednesday on the left knee of forward Geary Claxton confirmed the senior has a torn ACL after suffering the injury during Tuesday's 80-55 loss against No. 17 Wisconsin.

Claxton, who also suffered a bone bruise on the knee, will undergo surgery at a later date and begin rehabilitation sometime at the end of January or early February.

Penn State director of athletic medicine Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli anticipated Claxton could get back to training in six months followed by 3-6 months of game preparation if the senior wanted to pursue a basketball career after college.

The 6-5, 215-pounder, who was the Nittany Lions' leading scorer, ranked second in the Big 10 in scoring at 18.7 points and led Penn State in rebounding at 8.9 per game.

Claxton was attempting to grab an offensive rebound his own shot when he got tangled with Badger center Brian Butch and landed awkwardly on the knee. The injury ended a string of four straight double-doubles and marked the first scoreless game of his Nittany Lion career.

At the time of the injury the West Haven, Connecticut native was tied for the Big Ten lead with nine double-doubles on the year and ranked second with eight 20-point games in 2007-08.

"I just feel horrible for him," said Penn State coach Ed DeChellis, whose Nittany Lions got off to a 2-0 start in the Big Ten for the first time since 2004 behind Claxton. "He has been a great kid for us for the three-and-a-half years he has been with us."

Claxton led Penn State in scoring in each of his first three seasons with the Nittany Lions and ranks fifth all-time on the school scoring list (1,542 points) and fourth all-time in rebounding (755).

"I just took time to tell him I loved him and hugged him," DeChellis said. "You know he has been a great kid for us for the 3 1/2 years he has been with us. He was a great ballplayer, great student, a great person for our program. I just feel horrible for him. I really can't put it in words."