Nov. 13, 2011
Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery
Like us on Facebook | Buy Tickets!| LadyLions.com
"Ask Coach Quese" your questions (askcoachquese@gmail.com) on LadyLions.com
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - For the second consecutive game, the #12/14 Penn State Lady Lions (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) needed a late rally to earn the win. The Lady Lions used a 30-6 run, including a 19-0 spurt in the final seven minutes, to post a 65-49 come-from-behind win over Middle Tennessee (1-1) to win the Lady Lion Classic Sunday.
Sophomore guard Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) was selected as the Lady Lion Classic Tournament MVP after averaging 18.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in two games. Additionally senior guard Zhaque Gray (Chicago, Ill.) and junior guard Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) were named to the Lady Lion Classic All-Tournament team.
Gray scored 10 of her game-high 15 points after the break, including eight in the game-clinching run. Gray also tied her career high with six rebounds to go along with a pair of assists. Lucas added 14 points, 11 of which came after the break, a career-best five assists and two steals.
Sophomore guard/forward Ariel Edwards (Elmont, N.Y.) also reached double figures with 10 points and two steals, while junior center Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas) narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Blue Raiders came out strong in front of the pro-Penn State crowd, establishing a 12-2 lead just three minutes into the game. Penn State bounced back with a 6-0 run that featured three points each from Lucas and Gray to make it a four-point lead (12-8) with 13:18 remaining.
Middle Tennessee pushed the lead back to nine points before the Lady Lions went on an 11-2 run to even the game at 21-21 with 6:27 left in the half. Bentley and Greene led the Penn State run with four points each, while Edwards added an old-fashioned three-point play. After the squads swapped buckets, the Blue Raiders closed the half with a 9-3 run to take a 32-26 lead at the break.
The Lady Lions struggled from the field in the opening half, shooting just 27.3% with an 0-for-10 effort from three-point range. Greene had a team-high seven points and six rebounds in the opening frame, while Bentley added six tallies.
Lucas sparked the Lady Lions to start the half with a three-pointer 11 seconds into the frame and then found Gray for a 15-footer two possessions later to close to a single point (32-31) with 18:28 on the clock. Following a 9-0 MTSU run, Edwards banked in six-footer to jump-start a 15-4 run over the next six minutes. Lucas capped the run with a three-pointer to give the Lady Lions their first lead of the game at 46-45 with 8:50 left. Edwards accounted for five of the 15 points during the run, while Gizelle Studevent (La Jolla, Calif.) added a pair of jumpers.
After four consecutive tallies by the Blue Raiders, the Lady Lions surged ahead for good with a 19-0 run in the final seven minutes to secure the win. The run started as Gray tied the game at 49-49 on a three-pointer with 6:45 remaining and Mia Nickson (Ashburn, Va.) put the Lions ahead for good with a rebound and layup to make it 51-49. A three-pointer by Lucas and five consecutive tallies by Gray sealed the Blue Raiders' fate.
GAME NOTES: The Lady Lion Classic All-Tournament team consists of Penn State's Maggie Lucas (MVP), Alex Bentley and Zhaque Gray, Middle Tennessee's Kortni Jones and Ebony Rowe and Washington State's Carly Noyes ... The Lady Lions win their 27th regular-season tournament title and are now 125-49 in regular-season tournament play ... The tournament title marks the third title acquired under Coquese Washington (WBCA Classic, Dead River Company Classic and Lady Lion Classic) ... This game marks the second meeting of Penn State and Middle Tennessee. The series is now tied at 1-1. (12/18/05 MT, 79-65, 11/13/11 PSU, 65-49 ... Bentley surpasses the 900-point mark for her career with eight points ... Mia Nickson grabbed 10 rebounds to mark a season high and exceed a career total of 300 (308) and a PSU total of 250 (251) ... Gray tied her career high in rebounds, pulling in six ... Lucas captured a career high in assists with five ... Lucas climbs into a tie for eight place on the Lady Lion career three-point field goals made list with Tanya Garner (1988-91) with 118 triples.
The Lady Lions begin a four-game road swing at Delaware on Thursday, before visiting South Carolina (Nov. 20). Penn State topped the Blue Hens last season, 64-55 in the Bryce Jordan Center, led by 16 points from Maggie Lucas off of the bench. 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. Single game tickets go on sale Tuesday, Oct. 11. 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 2012 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Feb. 26 as the Lady Lions take on Minnesota in the Bryce Jordan Center. Last year, the Lady Lions donated nearly $200,000 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, J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital and Lewistown 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.