Nov. 29, 2007
NORFOLK, VA. - The Lady Lions (5-2) were plagued by turnovers and Old Dominion had more offensive rebounds (20) than defensive boards (19) en route to a 77-49 loss to the Monarchs (5-2) in Norfolk, Va., Thursday night. Penn State turned the ball over a season-high 30 times in the loss.
Tyra Grant (Youngstown, Ohio) led the Lady Lions with 12 points, two assists and three rebounds, while Mashea Williams (Erie, Pa.) added nine points.
The two teams exchanged baskets early and were tied at 4-4 two minutes into the game before the Lady Lions went on an 8-0 to jump out to a 12-4 lead with just under 16 minutes remaining. Williams had a field goal and Brianne O'Rourke (Pittsburgh, Pa.) converted on a three-point play during the run, which was capped by a three-pointer by Grant.
After a Megan Pym lay-up made it a 12-6 Penn State lead, the Lady Lions got a free throw from Williams, followed by baskets by Kam Gissendanner (Clairton, Pa.) and Williams to push the lead to 17-6. However, with O'Rourke on the bench with two early fouls, the Lady Monarchs would score the game's next nine points to cut the deficit to two tallies at 17-15.
The teams swapped baskets until Pym's put-back with just over four minutes left in the half gave the Lady Monarchs their first lead of the game. Janessa Wolff (Park Rapids, Minn.) tied the game and gave the Lady Lions a one-point lead (22-21) with a pair of free throws with 3:50 remaining. Grant added an old-fashioned three-point play to move the Penn State lead to 25-21 with three minutes to play in the opening period, but it would be the last point the Blue & White would score in the opening period. Old Dominion ended the half with an 8-0 run to send the teams to the locker room with 29-25 Lady Monarch lead.
The Lady Monarchs kept the momentum that it established at the end of the first half with a 10-4 run to start the second period, which stretched the ODU lead to 11 points (40-29) with just over 16 minutes remaining. Following a Wolff lay-up, T.J. Jordan, who had been held scoreless in the first half, knocked down a three-pointer to give ODU a 12-point lead before baskets by Julia Trogele (Devon, Pa.) and Grant sliced the lead back to eight (43-35). However, ODU scored the next 10 points, including eight tallies by Jordan to extend the lead to 18 points (53-35). Grant's three-pointer stopped a nearly five-minute scoring drought for the Lady Lions, but would be answered by ODU's Jen Nuzzo to keep it at an 18-point lead with just under six minutes left.
Plagued by turnovers, the Lady Lions could not move any closer than 20 points in the final eight minutes of the game.
The Lady Lions return to the Bryce Jordan Center Sunday to host #11/10 Duke in the inaugural Big Ten/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge at 5 p.m., a game that can be seen on ESPN2. The game is a 4 for $40 night in which fans will receive four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for $40. Sunday's game will also feature a reversible Lady Lion winter hat giveaway while supplies last.
This season, Penn State introduces a new seven-game Lady Lion Flex Plan package where fans will receive a ticket to the Duke (Sun., Dec. 2) and Georgetown (Sun., Dec. 9) games and the second annual THINK PINK Day versus Iowa (Sun., Feb. 10), as well as four flex vouchers to redeem in any ticket combination for Big Ten games. Fans can purchase single-game tickets or flex plan packages by visiting the Bryce Jordan Center box office, calling 814-865-5555 or 800-863-3336 or by clicking on the ticket link on www.GoPSUsports.com.
GAME NOTES: Sophomore Tyra Grant surpassed the 100-rebound plateau for her career with three boards against ODU...Meggan Quinn tied her career high with four points.