Nov. 17, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The Penn State Lady Lions (2-0) look to continue their early-season offensive success when they travel to Oakland (1-1) to face the Golden Grizzlies on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The Lions are 1-0 all-time against OU with a 69-64 come-from-behind win last season.
RADIO/STATS: The game is on WRSC locally with Jerry Fisher calling the action. The audio feed and live stats are available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
SCOUTING OAKLAND: The Golden Grizzlies have split their first two games of the season with a win over Illinois-Chicago and a loss to Detroit. Bethany Watterworth leads Oakland, averaging 21.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Sharise Calhoun also accounts for double-digits at an 11.5 per game clip.
ALL-TIME VS. THE GRIZZLIES: The Lady Lions were victorious in their only previous meeting with Oakland after a 69-64 decision over the Grizzlies on Dec. 21, 2009. Tyra Grant scored 21 points via a 6-for-10 shooting performance, while Julia Trogele added 13 points to go along with a team-best eight rebounds. The Lions are 2-0 all-time against Summit League teams.
LAST TIME VS. OU: Tyra Grant scored 13 of Penn State's points during a 26-3 run in the second half as the Lady Lions rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit for a 69-64 victory over Oakland on Dec. 21, 2009. Grant finished the game with 21 points via a 6-for-10 shooting performance. She also added five rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals. The Lady Lions finished the non-conference season 8-2. Julia Trogele also reached double figures with 13 points to go along with a team-best eight rebounds. Renee Womack added six points, five rebounds and two steals.
LAST TIME OUT: The Lady Lions continued their offensive dominance in the 2010-11 season with a stellar 95-21 victory over Rider (0-1) Sunday. The 21 tallies allowed are the fewest allowed in Jordan Center history. Both junior guard Zhaque Gray (22 pts.) and freshman guard Maggie Lucas (22 pts.) single-handedly outscored Rider (21 pts.). Gray continued her solid start to her junior year with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including a 6-for-9 effort from three-point range. Lucas came off of the bench for her first career 20-point game with 22 tallies on 9-of-13 shooting. She also added three rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals.
SUFFOCATING DEFENSE: The 21 points allowed by the Lady Lions in their 95-21 win over Rider Nov. 14 are the third fewest in program history in the shot clock era and the seventh lowest total in school history. The 21 tallies are also the fewest given up by a Penn State team since a 57-16 win at Dickinson on March 16, 1971. Additionally, the 21 points are the fewest points scored in a game in Bryce Jordan Center history (men or women).
2ND LARGEST MARGIN: The 74-point differential in Penn State's 95-21 win over Rider Nov. 14 stands as the second highest margin of victory in program history. The largest margin of victory is 87 points in a 118-31 victory over Morgan St. (12/29/93). The 74-point win is the largest margin of victory in Jordan Center history, besting the previous mark of 65 set on Jan. 2, 2000 vs. Northwestern (114-49).
LUCAS LOCKED IN FOR 22: Freshman Maggie Lucas notched the first 20-point game of her career with 22 tallies in the win over Rider Nov. 14. The guard was 3-for-5 from three-point range and 9-for-13 on the day in 24 minutes off of the bench. She also had three assists and two steals in the win.
SCORING FRENZY: The Lady Lions scored 207 points in their first two games of the season with 112 tallies at Dayton and 95 points versus Rider. It is the highest scoring two-game span since 1991 when Penn State netted 208 points in back-to-back wins over Niagara (116 pts.) and Ohio State (92 pts.). The two-game total of 207 points ranks third all-time for most points in a two-game span.
TO WINDFALL: The Lady Lions forced Rider into 37 turnovers in a 95-21 victory on Nov. 14. It is the most forced turnovers since Jan. 29, 1999 when Wisconsin committed 37 turnovers against the Lions. Penn State registered 18 steals off of the Bronc turnovers with every Lady Lion recording at least one steal and seven players tallying two or more steals.
ZHA ZHA ZEROS IN: For the second straight game, junior guard Zhaque Gray surpassed the 20-point mark. Gray was 8-for-11 from the field en route to 22 points in PSU's win over Rider Nov. 14. She connected on six shots from beyond the arc to give her 13 makes from three-point range in the first two games of the year. Gray had not had a 20-point game entering her junior season.
The Lady Lions return 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.