Jan. 14, 2011
The Penn State Lady Lions (14-4, 3-1) look for their third consecutive win when they welcome Illinois to the Bryce Jordan Sunday for a special 4 p.m. tip. The game will air live on ESPN2 with Bob Picozzi (play-by-play) and LaChina Robinson (color) describing play. This is the Lady Lions' first appearance on ESPN2 since posting a thrilling 86-84 win over #10 Duke on Dec. 2, 2007. Also on Sunday, members of the women's volleyball team will be on the concourse pregame to sign autographs and will be honored for their fourth-straight national championship at halftime.
PROMOTION: Sunday is SAAB THON Day where all $5 from student tickets will go to 2011 THON. Additionally, the Illinois game is a 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. Penn State Alumni Association members are also eligible to purchase tickets for just $5 by presenting their membership card at the ticket office.
GIVEAWAY: Fans will receive a "We Are Penn State" t-shirt while supplies last.
VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONS TO BE HONORED: The Penn State women's volleyball claimed their fourth-straight NCAA Division I National Championship in December and the Lady Lions will honor the members of the squad Sunday at halftime. Additionally, members of the women's volleyball team will be on the concourse pregame to sign autographs.
TELEVISION: The game will air live on ESPN2 with Bob Picozzi (play-by-play) and LaChina Robinson (color) describing play. This is the Lady Lions' first appearance on ESPN2 since posting a thrilling 86-84 win over #10 Duke on Dec. 2, 2007.
RADIO/GAMETRACKER: The game is on the Penn State Sports Network and on ESPN 1450 locally with Jerry Fisher and Brian Tripp calling the action. The audio feed and a link to GameTracker are available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
SCOUTING ILLINOIS: The Fighting Illini, which are 7-10 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten, are coming off of a 74-67 road win at Indiana Thursday. Karisma Penn averages a double-double for Illinois with a 16.7 scoring average and a 10.4 rebounding mark. Penn also leads the squad with 46 blocks and 38 steals in 17 starts. Amber Moore contributes 8.5 points per game, while Lydia McCully adds 8.1 markers per outing.
ALL-TIME VS. THE ILLINI: The Lady Lions are 24-14 all-time against the Illini, including a 14-2 mark in games in Happy Valley. Penn State has won nine consecutive home games over the Illini, dating back to the 1999-00 season. The two teams split the series last season with each squad defending their home court. Penn State earned a 70-66 win at the BJC, while Illinois notched a 69-60 decision in Champaign.
LAST TIME VS. ILLINOIS: The Lady Lions used the emotion of the 8,471 fans and 285 breast cancer survivors in the crowd to hold off a late Illinois charge for a 70-66 win in the Fourth Annual WBCA Pink Zone on Jan. 24, 2010. The Lady Lions moved the ball well against the Illini, tallying 19 assists on 23 baskets. Freshman Alex Bentley had a career-high 19 points to go along with five rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals in the best all-around performance of her career. Senior Tyra Grant also reached double figures for Penn State with 15 tallies, a career-best nine assists, five rebounds and a steal, while freshman Nikki Greene narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.
LAST TIME OUT: The Lady Lions used a 22-7 run to erase an 11-point second-half deficit on the way to a 58-54 win over Minnesota at the Bryce Jordan Center Thursday. Despite 20 points from freshman guard Maggie Lucas, the Lady Lions were held to their lowest scoring output of the season, which is 25 points below their season average. Lucas was 4-for-5 from three-point range in the second half on the way to her contest-best 20 points, three rebounds and three assists. Redshirt sophomore Mia Nickson posted her second career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, including five caroms on the offensive glass.
LUCAS FROM DEEP: With five three-pointers, freshman guard Maggie Lucas is now tied for sixth on Penn State's single-season three-pointers list with 60 treys this season. She is also five three-pointers away from tying Kelly Mazzante's Penn State freshman three-pointers record. Lucas is currently second on Penn State's career three-point field goal percentage chart with a 44.1% effort from deep. Additionally, Lucas is two points away from reaching the 300-point plateau for her career.
LUCAS FOR 20 TALLIES: Freshman guard Maggie Lucas reached the 20-point plateau for the second-straight game and ninth time in her young career with 20 tallies against Minnesota on Jan. 13. Lucas is the first Penn State freshman with nine 20-point games since Kelly Mazzante, who holds the Penn State freshman season scoring record (529 pts.), had 10 20-point efforts in her rookie season.
The Lady Lions travel to Purdue on Thursday, Jan. 20, before returning to the Jordan Center to host Indiana on Sunday, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m., for a Subway Full Court 4-Pack game. 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.