Jan. 2, 2011
MADISON, WIS. - The Penn State Lady Lions (12-4, 1-1) fell victim to a hot-shooting Wisconsin (7-7, 2-0) team, 77-62, at the Kohl Center Sunday. The Badger shot 51.9% (27-52) from the field, including a blistering 57.1% (8-14) from three-point range. Sophomore center Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas) and junior Zhaque Gray (Chicago, Ill.) led the Lady Lions with 12 points each.
Greene filled the stat sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. With the four rejections, Greene moved into 10th place on Penn State's career blocks list 88 rejections in two seasons. Gray was 5-for-10 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range en route to her 12 tallies. Renee Womack (Lansdale, Pa.) was 4-for-5 from the field en route to a career-high 10 points to go along with four rebounds and two steals. Senior Julia Trogele (Devon, Pa.) had a solid outing with eight points, four rebounds and three assists.
Bentley put the Lady Lions on the board with a jumper as the shot clock was running down on the opening possession, but the Badgers got a three-pointer from Alyssa Karel to take the lead at 3-2 with 18:37 left. The Lady Lions used an 8-1 run to take a 10-4 lead with 14:29 on the clock. Womack accounted for four points during the run, while Trogele and Mia Nickson (Ashburn, Va.) added two points each.
The Badgers fought back with an 11-0 run to establish 15-10 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the opening half. Bentley, Nickson and Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) combined for a 6-2 run to pull within two points (18-16) with nine minutes to play. After the squads exchanged several scores, Wisconsin clicked off a 12-2 run to take a 34-22 lead with 2:37 on the clock. Greene scored the game's next five points on a three-point play and a hook shot before Karel drained a floater to push the lead back to nine points. Bentley capped the scoring in the first half with a pair of free throws with 1:01 remaining to send the teams into the half with Wisconsin leading 36-29.
Greene had a team-high seven points to go with four rebounds and two blocks, while Bentley added six points. The Lady Lions shot 50% (12-24) from the field in the opening frame. Karel led all scorers with 14 points.
Penn State started strong in the second half with a layup from Nickson and a three-pointer from Gray to cut the Wisconsin deficit to two points (36-34) just one minute into the second half. However, the Badgers responded with a 14-2 run to take a 14-point lead at 50-36 with 14:38 remaining. Womack drained a three-pointer and Greene converted on an old-fashioned three-point play in a 6-2 spurt for Penn State to cut the deficit to 10 points, but Karel immediately responded with a three-pointer of her own to push the Badger lead back to 55-42 with less than 13 minutes left.
Greene and Lucas scored back-to-back baskets to slice the Wisconsin lead to 55-46 with 11:37 remaining, but the Badgers scored the game's next seven points to push the lead up to 14 (62-48) with 9:25 left. Gray tried to get the Lady Lions back in the game with five consecutive points, but Wisconsin would score the game's next three-points to push the lead back to 65-51 with six minutes left to play.
Consecutive scores by Trogele and Gray would get the Lady Lions within 10 points, but Wisconsin responded with the game's next four points to push the lead back to 69-55 with two minutes left. A three-point play by Womack would bring the Lions within 11 points (69-58), but that as close as they would get for the remainder of the game as the scored eight of the game's final 12 points
GAME NOTES: Sophomore center Nikki Greene moved into 10th place on Penn State's career blocked shots chart, passing Reicina Russell and Vicki Link, with 88 career rejections ... Sophomore guard Alex Bentley became the 49th player in school history to reach the 600-point plateau ... Junior guard Zhaque Gray surpassed the 400-point mark for her career ... Gray also reached the 100-rebound mark for her career ... Junior guard Renee Womack had a career-high 10 points, passing her previous high of eight points that she has reached twice.
The Lady Lions continue their road trip at Northwestern on Thurs., Jan. 6, a game that will be televised live on the Big Ten Network. Penn State returns to the Bryce Jordan Center for their only meeting of the season against Minnesota on Thurs., Jan. 13. 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.