Aug. 7, 2008
2008-09 Lady Lion Non-Conference Schedule
Lady Lion basketball coach Coquese Washington announced the team's 2008-09 non-conference schedule today. The 10-game non-conference slate features five home games, as well as a Thanksgiving-week tournament at Pepperdine and the Maggie Dixon Classic at Madison Square Garden in December.
"Once again, we're challenging ourselves with the non-conference portion of our schedule and we have some quality opponents that will test us early," Washington said. "To be successful this season, we have to come into the season and come into practice with a strong mindset. The Big Ten is going competitive again this year and our non-conference schedule is reflective of the tough competition in our conference."
The Lady Lions, who will face California (Pa.) in an exhibition on Sun., Nov. 9, open the 2008-09 regular-season campaign against Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Bryce Jordan Center on Sun., Nov. 16. The game will cap off a busy weekend in Happy Valley as the men's squad squares off against William & Mary Friday night at the BJC, followed by Saturday's football game versus Indiana at Beaver Stadium. The Lady Lions complete a three-game homestand to open the regular-season against Stony Brook on Wed., Nov. 19 and Prairie View A&M on Fri., Nov. 21, on the eve of the football team's regular-season finale against Michigan State.
Penn State will then hit the road for a four-game swing, which includes a contest at in-state rival Pittsburgh on Mon., Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. Following the Pitt game, the Lady Lions will head to Malibu, Calif., for the Timeout 4 HIV/AIDS Tournament where they will face Texas A&M, which advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight last season, on Fri., Nov. 28. PSU will then face either the host Pepperdine Waves or Coppin State in the championship/consolation game of the tournament. The Lady Lions finish their road trip at Florida State as part of the Second Annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wed., Dec. 3.
The Blue and White return to the friendly confines of the Jordan Center to meet Dayton on Sat., Dec. 6 and Bucknell on Tues., Dec. 9 before closing out the non-conference schedule against Connecticut as part of the Third Annual Maggie Dixon Classic at Madison Square Garden on Sun., Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU.
The Lady Lions return four starters and 10 letterwinners from a year ago, including third team All-Big Ten selection Brianne O'Rourke (Pittsburgh, Pa.). The senior point guard led the Big Ten in assists for the second time in her career and finished 51st nationally with a 4.7 per game mark. She was also 39th in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.838). Junior guard Tyra Grant (Youngstown, Ohio) garnered All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades for the second time in her career after leading the team and finishing ninth in the conference in scoring (13.8).
The Big Ten Conference schedule will be announced at a later date.
A Penn State block of tickets for the Maggie Dixon Classic at Madison Square Garden, starting at $15.00, are available; please call 1-800-NITTANY to purchase tickets in the block or for more information. The Lady Lion Cager Club is planning a bus trip for the Maggie Dixon Classic, for more information visit www.LadyLionCagerClub.com.