Sept. 7, 2011
2011-12 Lady Lion Basketball Schedule
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The Penn State women's basketball team revealed its 2011-12 Big Ten Conference schedule today. The Lady Lions kick off their 16-game Big Ten slate at the Bryce Jordan Center against Big Ten newcomer Nebraska on Fri., Dec. 30. Penn State will appear on national television at least eight times during the regular season, including three appearances on ESPN2 and one game on CBS. The Lady Lions will also host the Sixth Annual WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State on Sun., Feb. 26 against Minnesota. The Lady Lions have raised more than $362,000 in the fight against breast cancer through its first five Pink Zone events.
The Lady Lions will once again play their traditional Thursday-Sunday conference schedule with the exception of their first three conference games, which will be played on Fri., Dec. 30, Mon., Jan. 2 and Sat., Jan. 7. Penn State will face five Big Ten foes twice and will only square off once each against Indiana, Iowa and Ohio State (home only) and Illinois, Northwestern and Purdue (away only).
Penn State opens the Big Ten schedule in the friendly confines of the Bryce Jordan Center with the first game of Nebraska's Big Ten tenure on Fri., Dec. 30 before traveling to Wisconsin on Mon., Jan. 2. The game against the Badgers is a Big Ten Network wildcard game with the time and television arrangements will be determined in early December.
Following a bye date, the Lady Lions will host Michigan State on Sat., Jan. 7 in a nationally televised game on CBS at 2 p.m. This will be Penn State's first appearance on CBS since a 69-57 win at MSU on Jan. 5, 2008. The Lady Lions continue their homestand with a Big Ten Network contest against Michigan on Thurs., Jan. 12 at 6 p.m.
The Lady Lions hit the road for a pair of games as they travel to Nebraska on Sun., Jan. 15 at 3:05 p.m. and Illinois on Thurs., Jan. 19 before hosting Iowa in an ESPN2 matchup on Sun., Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. Penn State is on the road again at Michigan (Thurs., Jan. 26; 7 p.m.) and Michigan State (Sun., Jan. 29; 3 p.m.). The game at MSU will be televised live on ESPN2. The Lions return to the BJC against Indiana on Thurs., Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. before traveling to Minnesota on Sun., Feb. 5 at 3 p.m.
Penn State hosts Wisconsin in the Bryce Jordan Center on Thurs., Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. before opening a two-game road swing at Northwestern (Sun., Feb. 12; 1 p.m.) and Purdue (Thurs., Feb. 16; 6 p.m.). The games against the Wildcats and Boilermakers will both be televised on the Big Ten Network. The Lady Lions return to the BJC on Mon., Feb. 20 to face Ohio State in a "Big Monday" game on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.
Penn State closes the regular season with the Sixth Annual WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State on Sun., Feb. 26 against Minnesota. The game has the potential to be a Big Ten Network wildcard game when the schedule is finalized in late January/early February.
The Big Ten also announced that the Lady Lions will appear on the Big Ten Network in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge game against North Carolina on Wed., Nov. 30 at 6:30 p.m. BigTenNetwork.com games will be announced at a later date.
The Big Ten Tournament will be played March 1-4 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
The Lady Lions previously announced their non-conference schedule, which begins with an exhibition game against Bloomsburg on Sat., Nov. 5 at 2 p.m., followed by the men's basketball exhibition game against East Stroudsburg. Penn State opens its season with a home tournament sandwiched around the Nebraska football game. Penn State will meet Washington State in the opening round on Fri., Nov. 11 at 6 p.m., followed by the Middle Tennessee/UNC-Wilmington game at 8 p.m. Penn State will face off against either Middle Tennessee or UNC-Wilmington in the championship/consolation game on Sun., Nov. 13 at either noon or 2 p.m.
Following the season-opening tournament, the Lady Lions embark on a four-game road trip with contests at Delaware (Thurs., Nov. 17; 7 p.m.) and South Carolina (Sun., Nov. 20), before heading to Reno, Nev. for the Nugget Classic over Thanksgiving weekend. Penn State will face perennial Top 25 team Iowa State in the opening round of the Nugget Classic on Fri., Nov. 25 at 6 p.m. and then face either Butler or the host Nevada Wolfpack in the championship/consolation game on Sat., Nov. 26.
Penn State returns to the friendly confines of the Bryce Jordan Center to meet perennial national contender North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Wed., Nov. 30. The Lady Lions then travel to Lubbock, Texas to face Texas Tech in the Big 12/Big Ten Challenge on Sat., Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. Washington and her squad begin a three-game homestand against Virginia Tech (Tues., Dec. 6; 7 p.m.) before facing Maryland-Eastern Shore (Sun., Dec. 11; 2 p.m.) and Wagner (Sun., Dec. 18; 1 p.m.). The Wagner game will be part of a women's and men's basketball doubleheader with the men playing Mount St. Mary's at 4 p.m. Penn State closes out its non-conference slate at Bucknell on Wed., Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.
The Lady Lions return a solid base from last year's NCAA Tournament team with 10 letterwinners back in the fold. Among the four returning starters are junior All-Big Ten selections Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas). Bentley became the 11th different Lady Lion to take home first team All-Big Ten honors after a solid sophomore campaign. She finished in the Top 15 in the Big Ten in scoring (12th/14.4), assists (2nd/5.0), field goal percentage (14th/.446), free throw percentage (11th/.798) and assist-to-turnover ratio (4th/1.7). Greene became one of the top shot-blocking forces in the conference en route to Big Ten All-Defensive Team honors. She tallied a career-best 75 rejections, which is sixth on the Penn State single-season list, and is the seventh player in school history with 100 blocks. The All-Big Ten honorable mention choice also accounted for 7.8 rebounds per game to rank sixth in the Big Ten.
Additionally, Penn State returns 2011 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and 2011 Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.). She etched her name into the Penn State and Big Ten record books in her outstanding rookie campaign as she broke the Big Ten and Penn State single-season record for three-pointers (112). Additionally, Lucas broke Kelly Mazzante's Penn State freshman season scoring record with 552 tallies.
The Lady Lions also return starters Mia Nickson (Ashburn, Va.) and Zhaque Gray (Chicago, Ill.). Nickson tallied 10.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 27 starts for the Lions. She was ninth in the Big Ten in rebounding and 14th in free throw percentage (.795). Gray made a marked improvement between her sophomore and junior years as she improved on her three-point shooting by 11% (.303 to .414) and her field goal shooting by 8.5% (.338 to .423). With a 9.5 scoring average, the Chicago native also nearly doubled her scoring output to finish fourth on the team.
Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are available by calling 814-867-2557. Season tickets are $117 for adults, $52 for youth and $91 for seniors. The PNC Flex Books are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 10 vouchers that can be redeemed for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets in any combination.
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.