Dec. 3, 2010
Texas Tech Game Notes (12/5/10)
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; After facing South Carolina and Boston College, the Penn State Lady Lions (6-2) continue their tour of BCS opponents with a Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge game against Texas Tech (8-0) on Sunday at 2 p.m., at the Bryce Jordan Center. It is autograph day at the BJC and fans can participate in a postgame autograph session with the Lady Lions.
PROMOTION/GIVEAWAY: Sunday is Youth Day where any youth in a jersey will get in for free. It's autograph day at the BJC and fans will receive Lady Lion trading cards while supplies last for the postgame autograph session. The Texas Tech game is also one of the Lady Lions' Subway Full Court 4-Pack game where fans can get four reserved game tickets, one voucher good for four soft drinks at the BJC, and one voucher good for four 6-inch subs at any of seven State College Subway locations for just $40.
WEBSTREAM/TELEVISION: The game will be available live via webstream on www.BigTenNetwork.com. The game will also be taped-delayed as a "Student U" broadcast on Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. on the Big Ten Network
RADIO/GAMETRACKER: The game is on the Penn State Sports Network and on ESPN 1450 locally with Jerry Fisher calling the action. The audio feed and Gametracker are available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH: The Red Raiders are a perfect 8-0 on the season after a 40-point win over Texas-San Antonio Wednesday night. Kierra Mallard paces three TTU players in double figures with a 14.8 scoring average. She also pulled in 6.5 rebounds and blocks 2.3 shots per outing. Teena Wickett accounts for 10.6 points and team bests of 7.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Casey Morris is the is also averaging double-digits with an 11.9 scoring mark.
ALL-TIME VS. THE RED RAIDERS: The Lady Lions are 2-2 all-time against Texas Tech, but are a perfect 2-0 in home games against the Red Raiders. The squads last met in the 2005-06 season with Penn State picking up a thrilling 78-72 double overtime win over Texas Tech on Dec. 4, 2005. The Lady Lions also picked up an 85-80 win over TTU in Happy Valley in the inaugural meeting on Dec. 19, 1987.
LAST TIME VS. TTU: Kam Gissendanner scored 14 points in two overtime periods and the Lady Lions won a thrilling 78-72 game vs. No. 24/24 Texas Tech on Dec. 4, 2005. Gissendanner finished the game with 34 points, while Adrienne Squire tallied a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Brianne O'Rourke scored nine points and handed out seven assists, while playing a turnover-free game.
LAST TIME OUT: The Lady Lions erased an 11-point second-half deficit to force overtime, but could not come away with the win in a tough 113-104 loss at Boston College Thursday in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Sophomore Alex Bentley was 12-for-22 from the field, including the game-tying shot with 0.5 seconds left in regulation, on the way to a career-high 31 points. She also accounted for eight assists and three rebounds against the Eagles. Freshman guard Maggie Lucas also tallied a personal best with 28 points, including six three-pointers. She was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line on the night.
BIG TEN-BIG 12 CHALLENGE: Sunday's game is part of the inaugural Big Ten-Big 12 Women's Basketball Challenge. The Challenge will span at least two years, featuring a home-and-home format over the initial two-year agreement, and each of the Big 12's teams will play in each Challenge, while one Big Ten team (Wisconsin) will play two Challenge games each of the first two years.
HITTING THE CENTURY MARK: With a 114-103 overtime loss at Boston College Dec. 2, the Lady Lions reached the 100-point mark for the third time this season, which is tied for the fourth-most 100-point games in a season in school history. The record for 100-point contests is six by the 1984-85 squad. The 1989-90 and 1990-91 teams each reached the century mark four times in their respective seasons.
BENTLEY & LUCAS WITH CAREER NIGHTS: Sophomore guard Alex Bentley and freshman guard Maggie Lucas each tallies personal marks with 28 points apiece in the overtime loss to Boston College Dec. 2. Bentley was 11-for-21 from the field on the way to the career high 28 points, surpassing her previous personal best of 27 points set against Purdue on Jan. 28, 2010. Lucas let her previous career high of 27 points against Hartford on Nov. 27 last just one game with the 28 tallies against the Eagles. She knocked down six three-pointers and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
NICKSON RETURNS TO BC: Redshirt sophomore Mia Nickson returned to Boston College to face her former teammates on Dec. 2 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The post player who transferred from BC following the 2008-09 season was impressive with nine points, six rebounds and three steals against her former mates.
ROAD = EXTRA TIME: The Lady Lions have played three true road games this season and each of those games have gone to overtime. Penn State is 2-1 in those games with wins over Dayton and Oakland and a loss at Boston College.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR NG: Center Nikki Greene posted her third double-double of the season and the fourth of her career with 14 points and 13 rebounds at Boston College Dec. 2. Also added two blocks and two steals in the loss.
DOUBLE IDENTITY: The discrepancy in the Lady Lions' stats between home games and road contests is staggering. Penn State scores 104.0 points per game on the road and 86.5 tallies at home. Defensively, the Lady Lions give up a paltry 34.5 points per game at home, but allow 103.0 tallies on the road.
TRIPLE THREAT: The Lady Lions have been on target from long range this season. Through eight games this year, Penn State has made 71 three-pointers. At this time last season, the Lions had connected on just 28 shots from beyond the arc. It took PSU 19 games to get to 71 treys a year ago en route to making just 118 shots from three-point range all of last season. Individually, junior Zhaque Gray is on fire from deep, canning 27 shots. Gray made 23 three-pointers in her entire sophomore season.
The Lady Lions continue their seven-game homestand against Army on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at a special 6:30 p.m. start. Any military members can present their ID to get a free ticket to the game. The first 200 fans will receive a camouflage Coquese's Corps t-shirt. 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.