Feb. 8, 2011
Michigan State Game Notes (2/10/11)
Charity Buzz Pink Zone Online Auction
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Fresh off of their first appearance in the Top 25 this season, the #23/23 Penn State Lady Lions (20-5, 9-2) return to the Bryce Jordan Center when they face #11/13 Michigan State (20-3, 8-2) Thursday at 7 p.m. with first place in the Big Ten standings on the line. The Lady Lions are currently a half game up on the Spartans in the standings after a pair of road wins last week. The last time that the BJC hosted a pair of Top 25 teams was when the 22nd-ranked Lions upset #10 Minnesota Jan. 30, 2005, 81-68. The first 500 Penn State students will get in for free and will receive a Code Blue t-shirt.
PROMOTIONS: The first 500 Penn State students to show their ID at the gate will get in for free and will receive a Code Blue t-shirt. Additionally, PNC Bank customers can purchase tickets for just $5.
GIVEAWAY: Free Penn State Koozie for the first 500 fans.
WEBCAST/TELEVISION: The game will be streamed live on BigTenNetwork.com. It will also be shown taped-delayed on Big Ten Network as a "Student U" broadcast on Fri., Feb. 11 at 4 p.m.
RADIO/GAMETRACKER: The game is on WRSC locally with Jerry Fisher and Brian Tripp calling the action. The audio feed and link to GameTracker are available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans are 20-3 overall with an 8-2 record in Big Ten play and sit in second place, a half game behind the Lady Lions. Kalisha Keane leads MSU with a 16.1 scoring mark to go along with 5.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Lykendra Johnson has been a dominating force for the Spartans, accounting for 10.8 points and a team-best 8.8 rebounds per game, while Brittney Thomas averages 9.1 points and 3.0 assists per outing.
ALL-TIME VS. THE SPARTANS: The Lady Lions are 24-10 all-time against Michigan State, including a 14-2 mark in home games. Last season, the squads split the regular-season series with each team defending their home court. Penn State picked up a 68-60 win on Jan. 17 in the BJC, while the Spartans earned a 65-44 win in East Lansing on Feb. 4. Michigan State has won four of the last five games in the series.
LAST TIME VS. MSU: The Lady Lions shot just 26.2% (16-61) from the field and scored their fewest points since the 2006-07 season in a 65-44 loss at Michigan State on Feb. 4, 2010. Penn State's 44 tallies were the fewest since a 55-41 loss to Michigan on Jan. 7, 2007. Tyra Grant led the Lady Lions with 13 points and three steals, while Alex Bentley added 11 tallies, all in the first half, to go along with two assists and three steals. Julia Trogele accounted for five points and a game-high 12 rebounds and three steals.
LAST TIME OUT: Penn State saw all nine players in the game score as the Lady Lions topped #20/22 Iowa, 82-75, in front of a raucous crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena Sunday. The win gives Penn State its first 20-win season since the 2003-04 campaign. Sophomore Alex Bentley was stellar, going 11-for-17 from the field en route to a game-high 25 points. She also accounted for five assists and three rebounds. Freshman Maggie Lucas connected on four three-pointers and finished with 18 points and three rebounds. Sophomore Mia Nickson earned her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
LADY LIONS JUMP INTO POLLS: The Lady Lions are ranked 23rd in both major women's basketball polls. It is the first appearance for Penn State in the Associated Press Top 25 since claiming the 23rd spot in the Jan. 25, 2010 poll. Additionally, the Lady Lions return to the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll for the first time since the March 14, 2005 poll that placed them 25th.
TOP 25 BOUT AT THE BJC: The #23/23 Lady Lions will be part of a Top 25 battle for the first time since the 2005 Big Ten Tournament when the #11/13 Michigan State Spartans visit the Bryce Jordan Center Thursday. The last time PSU was part of a game that featured two Top 25 teams was when #7 Michigan State defeated #22 Penn State in the 2005 Big Ten Tournament, 83-76. The last time that the BJC hosted a Top 25 contest was when the 22nd-ranked Lions upset #10 Minnesota Jan. 30, 2005, 81-68.
LUCKY #7: Guard Maggie Lucas claimed her seventh Big Ten Freshman of the Week award after averaging 20.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in a pair of road wins to propel the Lady Lions into sole possession of first place for the week-ending Feb. 6. In the Feb. 3 win at Michigan, Lucas was 9-for-16 from the field, including 6-for-6 from inside the arc, en route to 23 points. She also pulled in four rebounds and notched a steal against the Wolverines. Lucas continued her strong play with 18 points, including four three-pointers, in the upset win at #20/22 Iowa Feb. 6. She also snatched three rebounds to go with an assist and a steal.
13TH TO 800 WINS: The Lady Lions' 82-75 upset win at #20/22 Iowa Feb. 6 marked the 800th win in program history. Penn State is one of 13 teams in NCAA Division I to accomplish the feat. The Lady Lions join the likes of Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, Stephen F. Austin, James Madison, Texas, Ohio State, Tennessee Tech, Stanford, Long Beach State, Georgia and Kansas State.
80-POINT GAMES: The Lady Lions posted their 13th game with 80 or more in an 82-75 victory over #20/22 Iowa Feb. 6. The 13 80-point games are the most by a Penn State team since the 2002-03 squad surpassed the 80-point plateau 16 times.
RANKED WIN #3: Penn State picked up its third ranked win of the season with an 82-75 victory at #20/22 Iowa Feb. 6. The Lady Lions have defeated Iowa (twice) and #23/24 Ohio State this year. This is the first time since the 2004-05 that the Lady Lions have picked up three ranked wins in a season. The 2004-05 squad defeated six ranked teams - North Carolina (#2), Ohio State (#7), Iowa (#18), Purdue (#23), Michigan State (#8) and Minnesota (#10).
MIA'S MASTERPIECE: Sophomore post player Mia Nickson collected her fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 15 rebounds in the upset win at #20/22 Iowa Feb. 6. Nickson pulled in seven caroms off of the offensive glass and was instrumental in sealing the win as she knocked down all six of her free throw attempts in the final 45 seconds.
20-WIN MARK: The Lady Lions recorded their first 20-win season since 2003-04 and its 23rd overall with an 82-75 win at #20/22 Iowa Feb. 6. The win was also Penn State's ninth Big Ten win of the year, which gives the Lions the most wins in conference play since the 2004-05 squad won 13 contests. The Lions are ensured to finish the season with a winning record for the second-straight season.
The Lady Lions hit the road for a 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.