Feb. 25, 2011
Northwestern Game Notes (2/27/11)
Charity Buzz Pink Zone Online Auction
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The Penn State Lady Lions (21-8, 10-5) will trade in their usual home white uniforms for a special pink uniform on Sunday as the Lady Lions face Northwestern (17-11, 6-9) in the Fifth Annual WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State game at noon at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Lady Lions will also honor their lone senior, Julia Trogele (Devon, Pa.) in a Senior Day ceremony before the game. The game will be tape-delayed on the Big Ten Network at 4 p.m.
PROMOTION: $3 from every single-game ticket sold to Sunday's game will be donated to the Pink Zone fundraising efforts.
TELEVISION: The game will be tape-delayed on the Big Ten Network at 4 p.m. with Leah Secondo and Theresa Grentz describing play.
RADIO: 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 link to GameTracker are available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
WBCA PINK ZONE AT PENN STATE: Sunday is the 2011 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State as the Lady Lions take on Northwestern in the Bryce Jordan Center. 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.
OFFICIAL PINK ZONE T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE: The Official 2011 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State t-shirt is available at all Penn State Bookstore locations and on www.goPSUsports.com. This year, there is an official adult shirt that is $15 with $5 of every shirt going to the Pink Zone fundraising efforts, as well as an official youth shirt that is $10 with $2 of every shirt going to Pink Zone.
SILENT & INTERNET AUCTIONS: The Lady Lions will hold a silent auction on the concourse with several items available, including Penn State sports memorabilia, professional sports memorabilia and other items. From Feb. 2-Mar. 2, the Lady Lions will hold online auctions on www.charitybuzz.com and www.GoPSUsports.com.
JERSEY CHANCE DRAWING: The Lady Lions are also holding a chance drawing for their 11 game-used jerseys from the Pink Zone at Penn State. Chances are available at the Pink Zone table on men's and women's basketball game days at Portal 20 in the Bryce Jordan Center. Chances are one for $2 and three for $5. The drawing will take place on Monday, Feb. 28.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN: The Wildcats, who are 17-11 overall and 6-9 in Big Ten play, are coming off of a bye date Thursday. Senior Amy Jaeschke continues to be solid for Northwestern, averaging 22.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game.  Kendall Hackney chips in 11.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per outing, while Brittany Orban (10.3 ppg) and Beth Marshall (10.8 ppg) also contribute double figures for the Wildcats.
ALL-TIME VS. THE WILDCATS: The Lady Lions are 28-7 all-time against Northwestern, including an 80-68 win in Evanston in January. Penn State has won eight of the last 10 games against the Wildcats and holds a 15-1 record in home games against NU. The last time these teams met at the BJC, the Lady Lions posted a 65-50 win over Northwestern on Feb. 26, 2009.
LAST TIME VS. NU: The Lady Lions shot a sizzling 63.6% (7-11) from three-point range on the way to a 80-68 win at Northwestern on Jan. 6. Sophomore guard Alex Bentley and freshman guard Maggie Lucas both reached the 20-point mark for the night with 24 and 20 tallies, respectively. Bentley sealed the win with nine free throws in the final 1:39 en route to 24 markers. She also dished out six assists and notched four steals in the win. Lucas was a sizzling 5-for-6 from three-point range and 5-for-6 from the free throw line and finished with 20 tallies. Chicago native Zhaque Gray accounted for 12 points and two assists.
LAST TIME OUT: The Lady Lions held Purdue without a field goal for the final six minutes of the game and had six opportunities to take the lead or tie the game in the final 3:48, but were unsuccessful as the Lady Lions dropped a 51-49 game to the Boilermakers at the Bryce Jordan Center. With Penn State trailing by two points, sophomore guard Alex Bentley's jumper fell short as time expired to give the Boilermakers the win. Sophomore forward Mia Nickson earned her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 38 minutes of action. Freshman guard Maggie Lucas also reached double figures for Penn State with 10 points to go along with four rebounds, a career-best two blocks and two steals.
FIRST ROUND BYE: Despite the loss to Purdue, the Lady Lions clinched a first round bye in the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2006-07 when the Lady Lions were the #5 seed and faced Illinois in the quarterfinals.
MAMA MIA: Sophomore forward Mia Nickson tallied her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds, including seven caroms on the offensive glass, against Purdue Feb. 24. She was 5-for-10 from the field in 38 minutes of action.
The Lady Lions head to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Tournament from March 3-6. Penn State has clinched a first round bye for the first time since 2007. The Lady Lions are 21-14 all-time in Big Ten Tournament games and has won two titles (1995, 1996).
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.