Nov. 13, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - After a double overtime thriller to open the 2010-11 season, the Penn State Lady Lions (1-0) return to the Bryce Jordan Center for its home opener against Rider (0-1) at 2 p.m. All Penn State freshmen will get in for free with a valid ID. Fans will receive schedule magnets at the door while supplies last.
PROMOTIONS: It's Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Day where season ticket holders will receive a free t-shirt and can bring a friend for $1. Additionally, all Penn State freshmen will get in for free with a valid ID. Fans will receive schedule magnets at the door while supplies last.
RADIO: The game is on the Penn State Sports Network and on ESPN 1450 locally with Jerry Fisher calling the action. The audio feed is available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
SCOUTING RIDER: Rider opened its season Friday night with a 53-48 loss at Bucknell. Ali Heller had 14 points off the bench and Caitlin Bopp pulled in 12 rebounds. The Broncs were 4-26 overall and 2-16 in MAAC play a year ago. Rider won its exhibition game over Division II West Chester, 78-71 in overtime on Nov. 7. Sarah Homan paced the Broncs with 20 points and eight rebounds.
ALL-TIME VS. THE BRONCS: This is the first-ever meeting between the Lady Lions and the Broncs. Penn State is 7-0 all-time against MAAC teams with four wins over Fairfield, two victories over Niagara and a win against Siena.
LAST TIME OUT: Junior Zhaque Gray knocked down a pair of three-pointers inside of the final 1:19 of regulation to force overtime and the Lady Lions scored 14 points in the second overtime to post a 112-107 double overtime win at Dayton to open the season Friday. It is the most combined points scored in school history and PSU's 112 tallies are the sixth-best total in program archives. The Lions had five players reach double figures, including three players with 20 or more tallies.
HOME OPENERS: The Lady Lions are 38-8 all-time in home openers, including an 11-3 mark in premiere games at the Bryce Jordan Center (since 1997).
SCORING BONANZA: The season opened with a scoring windfall for the Lady Lions as Penn State scored 112 points in a double overtime win over Dayton on Nov. 12. It is the first time the Lady Lions have surpassed the 100-point mark since the 2002-03 season in a 101-74 win over Maryland and are the most points scored by a Penn State squad since registering 114 tallies against Northwestern in a 114-49 win on Jan. 2, 2000. The 112 tallies are also the sixth highest single-game total in school history. Additionally, the teams broke the program record for combined points (219), besting the mark of 196 set by Penn State (94) and Valdosta State (102) on Feb. 2, 1980. Dayton's 107 points scored is also the most points allowed in program history, breaking the previous mark of 103 set by USC in 1980 and Maryland in 1978.
LONG RANGE RECORD: The Lady Lions made 13 shots from beyond the arc in a 112-107 double overtime win over Dayton on Nov. 12, tying the single-game school record for three-pointers made. Penn State also made 13 shots from long range on Dec. 2, 1999 against St. Francis (Pa.).
GRAY THE GREAT: Junior Zhaque Gray opened her 2010-11 season in style with a career-high 27 points in a double overtime win at Dayton on Nov. 12. Gray was 7-for-11 from three-point range, including two triples in the final 1:19 of regulation to erase a six-point Dayton lead and force extra time. The junior's seven makes from behind the line are the most since Adrienne Squire made seven three-pointers against Illinois on Feb. 12, 2006. Gray's seven treys also rank third on Penn State's single-game list.
SEASON OPENING WIN: The Lady Lions picked up their fifth consecutive season opening win with a thrilling 112-107 victory at Dayton on Nov. 12. Penn State has started the last four years with at least a 3-0 record.
GREENE'S DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Sophomore Nikki Greene notched her second career double-double with career highs of 20 points and 16 rebounds. She also rejected a pair of shots on the night. Greene's previous career scoring mark was 12 points, which she accomplished seven times as a rookie, while her previous rebounding record was 14 against Monmouth on Dec. 9, 2009.
THREE WITH 20+: Penn State had three players with 20 points or more in the double OT win at Dayton to open the season. Junior Zhaque Gray (27) and sophomores Alex Bentley (26) and Nikki Greene (20) each surpassed the 20-point mark. This feat has not been accomplished in the last 11 seasons according to Penn State records.
The Lady Lions travel to Oakland on Thursday for a 7 p.m. start before returning home to face South Carolina on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 3:30 p.m. The Gamecocks game will be Penn State Faculty/Staff Day and Facebook "Like It" Day. Any Penn State faculty or staff member will receive $5 tickets for their families, while fans who "like" the official Lady Lion Basketball Facebook page can print off a ticket voucher for one FREE ticket and present it at the ticket office. 2010-11 Lady Lion Basketball Single-game tickets are available by calling 814-863-1000 or 800-NITTANY. The PNC Flex Books are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, including one for the Coaches vs. Cancer game and one for the Pink Zone game, that can be redeemed for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets in any combination.
The 2011 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Feb. 27 at noon as the Lady Lions take on Northwestern in the Bryce Jordan Center. The game can be seen on the Big Ten Network. Last year, the Lady Lions donated more than $80,000 for breast cancer causes. This year's fundraising efforts will benefit the Mount Nittany Medical Center, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital. For more information on the Pink Zone at Penn State, visit the official Pink Zone website at www.gopsusports.com/pinkzone. The WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pinkzoneatpennstate.
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstateladylions.