Nov. 25, 2011
RENO, NEV. - The #17/16 Penn State Lady Lions (4-1, 0-0 Big Ten) fended off foul trouble throughout the game to earn a 66-59 win over Iowa State (3-1, 0-0 Big 12) in the opening round of the Nugget Classic. The Lady Lions will meet the host Nevada Wolfpack in the Championship game tomorrow at 10 p.m. (Eastern). Penn State's 32 fouls on the game were the most since the Lady Lions had 30 fouls against UC-Santa Barbara on Nov. 20, 2001.
Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) led all scorers with 18 points to go along with six rebounds, an assists and two steals. Zhaque Gray (Chicago, Ill.) was 5-for-7 from the field, including makes on both of her three-point attempts, en route to 14 points, while Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) added 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals. In her first game since Nov. 13, Mia Nickson (Ashburn, Va.) grabbed a team-best 13 rebounds with five points and two assists in 26 minutes.
Gray got the Lady Lions on the board in the opening possession with a three-pointer off of a pass from Nickson. The teams exchanged scores over the next five-plus minutes until a pair of Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas) free throws started a 6-0 run for the Lady Lions that included a steal and layup by Lucas and a layup by Marisa Wolfe (Ford City, Pa.) to establish a 16-9 lead with 12:37 left.
After the Cyclones scored five of the game's next eight points, the Lady Lions clicked off a 6-0 spurt that included the first collegiate points for Tori Waldner (Milton, Ga.) to take a 25-14 lead with 10:26 remaining in the period. Penn State struggled with foul trouble over the next three minutes as Iowa State closed within five points (27-22) with seven minutes left.
Bentley sandwiched a steal and layup and a three-pointer around a Kileah Mays basket to stretch the Lady Lion lead to 32-24. Following four straight Iowa State free throws, Waldner made a beautiful catch on a pass from Wolfe for the layup and Bentley closed the half with a three-pointer to send the Lady Lions into the break with a 37-28 lead.
Bentley led all scorers with 10 points to go along with two assists and two steals. Gray was 3-for-3 from the field for eight points, while Nickson tallied four points and nine rebounds. The Lady Lions shot 50% (5-10) from three-point range in the opening frame.
Greene put the Lady Lions on the board with a rebound and layup to open the second half, but the Cyclones scored the next four points to cut the Penn State lead to six (40-33) with 12:43 remaining. The Lady Lions responded by scoring the game's next five points, including a deep jumper by Lucas, to make it 44-33 with 14 minutes left.
The lead held steady until the Cyclone went on a 16-6 run to close within two points (57-55) with 4:30 on the clock, but Lucas converted on a pair of free throws with 3:44 left to push the lead to four. After a defensive stop, Nickson was fouled on a field goal attempt and Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly was issued a technical foul. Lucas converted on the two free throws from the technical foul and Nickson made one of her two attempts to push the lead to seven points (62-55) with 3:09 left. Gray extended the lead to nine with a jumper and the Cyclones scored four of the final six points for the final margin (66-59).
GAME NOTES: Junior Nikki Greene became the 27h member of the 500-rebound club with 501 career boards ... Freshman Tori Waldner scored her first collegiate points on a jumper with 10:50 remaining in the first half ... Waldner also registered her first collegiate block in the game ... The Lady Lions' 32 fouls are the most since Penn State committed 30 fouls against UCSB Nov. 20, 2001 ... The win was the 70th of head coach Coquese Washington's career ... The Lady Lions are now 2-0 all-time against Iowa State ... Saturday will be the first-ever meeting with Nevada.
The Lady Lions return to the Bryce Jordan Center for the first time in 17 days when they face #16 North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Penn State is 2-2 all-time against the Tarheels, including a 3-1 record at home. The last meeting between the teams saw PSU upset the #2 Tarheels, 77-71, in December 2004. 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.