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| Senior post player Amanda Brown earned All-Tournament team accolades at the Paradise Jam after averaging 14.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. The Lady Lions dropped a 74-64 decision to Western Kentucky Saturday in the tournament's consolation game. |
ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS; November 25, 2006 ?? The Lady Lions (4-3) finished in fourth place at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands after a 74-64 loss to Western Kentucky in the consolation game Saturday night. Amanda Brown (Kennett Square, Pa.) was selected to the All-Tournament team after averaging 14.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in two tourney contests.
After two WKU baskets in the first minute of the second half extended the Western Kentucky lead to 43-32, Penn State turned up the defensive pressure, forcing nine turnovers and using a 17-4 run to take the lead at 49-47 with 10:12 remaining. Tyra Grant (Youngstown, Ohio) was a key to the Lady Lions?? run as she connected with Brown on a pair of breakaway lay-ups.
The Lady Toppers then used a quick 7-0 run to claim the lead for the final time at 54-49. The Lady Lions continued to fight back, cutting the deficit to three points with 3:48 left in the contest after Kam Gissendanner (Clairton, Pa.) recorded five makes from the free throw line, but Western Kentucky connected on several key free throws and lay-ups to post the final margin of victory.
In the first half, the squads started the game evenly matched as Penn State found itself with a 13-11 lead after nine minutes thanks to five points by Brown and four tallies by Adrienne Squire (Indianapolis, Ind.). The Lady Toppers, led by Crystal Kelly, surged to an 18-13 lead with nine minutes remaining in the half and extended the lead to 11 points (30-19) with 4:30 left. The Lady Lions utilized Brown??s size advantage to cut the Lady Topper lead to 39-32 at the half. Brown guided the PSU offensive effort, scoring 13 of the team??s 31 points in the half.
Brown finished the game with a season-best 24 points to go along with nine rebounds and a steal. Squire also reached double figures with 16 points, in addition to two assists and two steals, while Gissendanner registered all 11 of her points from the free throw line, going 11-for-12 on the night.
Kelly, who was also selected to the All-Tournament team, had a game-high 29 points on 10-for-14 shooting to lead the Western Kentucky effort. The Paradise Jam Championship Game between #18 Rutgers and #13 Arizona State was cancelled after a family member of Arizona State senior forward Aubree Johnson died while in St. Thomas to watch her play.
The Lady Lions will travel to St. Francis (Pa.) for a 7 p.m. tip-off on Tuesday, before heading to Pittsburgh on Dec. 1. PSU returns home to play Old Dominion on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m., where the Lady Lions will honor their 1,000,000th fan in the Bryce Jordan Center.
Single-game tickets and ??Sunday FunDay?? mini-plan packages for the Lady Lions may be purchased by visiting the ticket section of GoPSUsports.com or by calling the ticket office at 814-865-5555. Women's single game tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students and youth (under 18). Mini ticket plans are also available.