Feb. 10, 2011
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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The #23/23 Penn State Lady Lions (20-6, 9-3) struggled from the field with a season-worst 32.7% (17-52) and turned the ball over 24 times in a 60-49 loss against #11/13 Michigan State (21-3, 9-2) at the Bryce Jordan Center Thursday night. The loss snaps a five-game winning streak for the Lady Lions, who fall a half a game behind the Spartans for first place in the Big Ten standings.
Sophomore forward Mia Nickson (Ashburn, Va.) paced Penn State with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and 10-for-11 from the free throw line. She also pulled in six rebounds and had a steal. Freshman Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) added 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals in the loss. Senior guard/forward Julia Trogele (Devon, Pa.) pulled in a game-best 14 rebounds for the Lady Lions.
The Spartans scored the first five points of the game before Nickson scored four straight to pull the Lions within a point at 5-4 with 16:15 left in the opening frame. After an exchange of scores, Lucas gave Penn State its first lead of the game at 9-7 with a three-pointer with 15 minutes to play. However, the Spartans scored eight of the next 10 points to establish a 15-11 lead with just under 10 minutes remaining.
Back-to-back scores by Lucas on a pull-up jumper and Nickson on a turnaround jumper evened the score at 15-15, but the Spartans tallied the next four scores to take a 19-15 lead with 6:38 remaining. A three-pointer by Lucas made it a one-point game, but Lykendra Johnson ended a four-minute scoreless drought for both teams with a layup and she that was followed by a three-pointer two possessions later to stretch the lead to 24-18 with 1:13 on the clock. Kalisha Keane closed out the scoring in the first half with a three-pointer with three seconds left to send the Spartans into the break with a 27-18 lead.
Nickson had eight points and three rebounds to lead the Lady Lions, while Lucas added eight points. Johnson with 11 points and six rebounds to lead the Spartans.
Much like the start of the game, Michigan State scored the first five points of the second half to take a 32-18 lead just over a minute into the closing frame. Following an old-fashioned three-point play by Nickson, the Spartans clicked off a 10-3 run to take a game-high 17-point lead (41-24) with 12:27 left.
The squads swapped scoring exchanges for the next several minutes to keep the Lady Lions at length until an 11-2 run from Penn State got the Lady Lions within seven at 50-43 with less than six minutes to play. Lucas accounted for five points and Nickson chipped in four during the run. However, the Spartans regained control and Penn State would not get any closer than six points down the stretch.
GAME NOTES: With the loss, the Lady Lions are now 24-11 all-time against the Spartans and 14-3 at home ... Sophomore Mia Nickson posted her fourth 20-point game with 22 on the night ... Nickson has now passed the 300-career point mark and currently has 316 ... Sophomore Nikki Greene grabbed seven rebounds to pass the 400-career rebound mark with 401 ... Penn State had its lowest point total of the season with 49. The previous low was 62 in a loss to Wisconsin on Jan. 2, 2011.
The Lady Lions hit the road for Big Ten Network games at Indiana on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 12:30 p.m. and Ohio State on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. Penn State is back in the Bryce Jordan Center after a bye date to face Purdue on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 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.