Nov. 25, 2010
Photo Gallery from the Caribbean Challenge
RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO - The Penn State Lady Lions (5-0) used a 5-0 run in the early part of the second half to overcome a four-point halftime deficit to defeat Utah (2-2), 70-58, in the first game of the Caribbean Challenge on Thursday. The Lady Lions move to 5-0 for the first time since the 1996-97 campaign when they started 7-0. Penn State faces RV/#23 Wisconsin-Green Bay (4-0) tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. (Eastern).
Sophomore center Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas) was 9-for-10 from the field en route to her third career double-double with a personal-best 24 points and 13 rebounds. She also rejected two Utes shots. Senior Julia Trogele (Devon, Pa.) scored all 11 of her points in the second half and pulled in eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) chipped in nine points and team-high four assists, while freshman Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) came off of the bench to record eight points, four rebounds and a career-best four steals.
The Lady Lions started off strong by scoring six of the game's first eight points in the first two and a half minutes of the game with buckets by Greene, Marisa Wolfe (Ford City, Pa.) and Bentley. However, after an exchange of scores, the Utes clicked off an 18-3 run to take a 22-11 lead with 11:45 remaining. The lone Penn State score during the Utah run was a three-pointer by Lucas.
Penn State responded as Greene registered back-to-back layups to cut the deficit to seven (22-15). Following a bucket by Brittany Knighton, Bentley stole the ball and took it the length of a jumper and Zhaque Gray (Chicago, Ill.) drained a three-pointer in transition to slice the Utah lead to four points (24-20) with eight minutes left in the half.
The Utes stayed on fire from deep with a pair of three-pointers sandwiched around one Greene free throw to push the lead back to 30-21 with 6:36 remaining. Penn State continued to fight and scored eight-straight points to make it a single point at 30-29. The teams exchanged scores the rest of the way until a three-pointer by Rachel Messer with five seconds remaining sent the Utes into the locker room with a 37-33 lead.
Greene led all scorers with 13 points and four rebounds, while Bentley had six tallies. The Utes shot a fiery 68.2% (15-22) from the field, including 62.5% (5-8).
After an exchange of scoring opportunities to open the second half, Trogele converted on a layup and Bentley netted a jumper to even the game at 39-39 at the 17:44 mark. The squads swapped points for the next two minutes until Ariel Edwards (Elmont, N.Y.) connected on a 15-footer and Lucas converted on an old-fashioned three-point play in consecutive possessions to give the Lions a 47-42 lead with 15:31 left on the clock.
Despite going nearly six minutes without a basket from the field, the Lady Lions ratcheted up their defense and held the lead at five points (51-46) until Trogele had a steal and a layup to push the lead to 53-46 with 9:40 left in the game. The Utes cut the Penn State lead to three points, but Greene and Trogele combined to score the game's next six points to push the lead back to nine points (59-50) with 7:37 left. Utah made one final push, going on an 8-0 run to make it a one-possession game at 59-56 with five minutes left, but the Lady Lions closed out the game with an 11-2 run for the 70-57 win.
GAME NOTES: The Lady Lions move to 5-0 for the first time since the 1996-97 campaign when they started 7-0 ... Sophomore Nikki Greene posted her second double-double of the season and the third of her career with a personal-best 24 points and 13 rebounds ... Freshman Maggie Lucas notched a career-high four steals ... Freshman Ariel Edwards had a career-high six rebounds ... Penn State is now 6-1 against Mountain West teams ... The Lady Lions are now 122-48 in regular-season tournament play.
Upon returning from Mexico, the Lady Lions will travel to Boston College of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Thurs., Dec. 2 before returning home to meet Texas Tech in the inaugural Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. 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.