Jan. 4, 2011
Northwestern Game Notes (1/2/11)
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The Penn State Lady Lions (12-4, 1-1) travel to Northwestern (12-3, 1-1) on Thursday for an 8:30 p.m. tipoff. Penn State leads the all-time series with the Wildcats, 27-7, but is 10-5 in Evanston. The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network with Leah Secondo (play-by-play) and Mary Murphy (analyst) describing play.
TELEVISION: The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network with Leah Secondo (play-by-play) and Mary Murphy (analyst) describing play.
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 link are available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN: The Wildcats are 12-3 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play after a come-from-behind win over Purdue Sunday. NU posted its best non-conference season since the 1995-96 campaign. Amy Jaeschke is among the conference's top players as she averages 23.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game. Brittany Orban (12.9 ppg), Beth Marshall (12.1) and Kendall Hackney (11.9) are also averaging double figures for the Wildcats.
ALL-TIME VS. THE NORTHWESTERN: The Lady Lions are 27-7 all-time against Northwestern, including a 10-5 mark in games played in Evanston. In the only meeting between the teams last year, Penn State posted an 88-68 win at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Jan. 3, 2010. The Wildcats have won two of their last three home games against Penn State.
LAST TIME VS. NU: The Lady Lions were on fire from the field, shooting a season-best 56.4% (31-for-55) on the way to a 88-68 win over Northwestern on Jan. 3. Tyra Grant led four Lady Lions in double figures with 20 points for the 33rd career 20-point game. Alex Bentley was 6-for-9 from the field on the way to 15 points, while Meredith Monroe and Marisa Wolfe added 10 points apiece. Wolfe was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field as she set a career high in scoring. She also nabbed personal bests of three steals and four rebounds.
LAST TIME OUT: The Lady Lions fell victim to a hot-shooting Wisconsin team, 77-62, at the Kohl Center Sunday. The Badgers shot 51.9% (27-52) from the field, including 57.1% (8-14) from three-point range. Sophomore center Nikki Greene and junior Zhaque Gray led the Lady Lions with 12 points each. Greene filled the stat sheet with 12 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. Gray was 5-for-10 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range en route to her 12 tallies. Junior Renee Womack was 4-for-5 from the field en route to a career-high 10 points to go along with four rebounds and two steals.
WOMACK WHIPS UP CAREER HIGH: Junior guard Renee Womack was 4-for-5 from the field, including a three-pointer, on the way to a career-high 10 points at Wisconsin on Jan. 2. She surpasses her previous career-best of eight points, which she accomplished twice.
BENTLEY TO 600: Sophomore guard Alex Bentley became the 49th player in school history to reach the 600-point plateau with eight points at Wisconsin on Jan. 2. She is the second Lady Lion to reach 600 career points this season, joining Julia Trogele. Additionally in the Wisconsin game, junior guard Zhaque Gray surpassed the 400-point mark for her career and the 100-rebound plateau.
GREENE MOVES INTO BLOCKS TOP 10: With four rejections against Wisconsin on Jan. 2, sophomore center Nikki Greene moved into the Top 10 on Penn State's career blocked shots list. With her performance against the Badgers, Greene moved past Reicina Russell and Vicki Link with 88 career rejections.
Following a bye date, the Lady Lions return to the Bryce Jordan Center for their only meeting of the season against Minnesota on Thurs., Jan. 13. The Minnesota game is Facebook "Like It" Day where fans who "like" the official WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State Facebook page can print off a ticket voucher for one FREE ticket. 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.