Dec. 2, 2011
Texas Tech Game Notes (12/3/11)
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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The #16/15 Penn State Lady Lions (6-1, 0-0 Big Ten) will look for their second consecutive win over a Top 25 opponent when they travel to #19/25 Texas Tech (6-0) in the Big 12/Big Ten Challenge Saturday at 3 p.m. (Eastern). The Lady Lions are 3-2 all-time against the Lady Raiders and are visiting Lubbock for the first time since Dec. 21, 2004.
RADIO/LIVE STATS: The game is on the Penn State Sports Network and ESPN 1450 locally with Jerry Fisher and calling the action. The audio feed and live stats are available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH: The Lady Raiders are a perfect 6-0 on the season and are 19th in this week's Associated Press poll and 25th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll. Kierra Mallard paces Texas Tech, averaging a double-double with 14.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. She also has a team-best 14 blocks. Chynna Brown (10.2) and Kelsi Baker (10.0) also average double figures for TTU.
ALL-TIME VS. THE LADY RAIDERS: The Lady Lions are 3-2 all-time against Texas Tech. Penn State picked up a 76-68 win over the Lady Raiders last year in the inaugural Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge. The Lady Lions have only visited Lubbock once, dropping a 79-65 decision to TTU on Dec. 21, 2004. Penn State is 14-16 all-time against Big 12 foes.
LAST TIME VS. TTU: The Lady Lions led wire-to-wire on the way to a 76-68 win over Texas Tech in the inaugural Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge on Dec. 5, 2010. Mia Nickson tallied her first career double-double with personal bests of 26 points and 14 rebounds/ Alex Bentley added 16 points, eight assists, four rebounds and three steals in the win, while Maggie Lucas accounted for 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting.
BIG 12/BIG TEN CHALLENGE: Penn State earned a win in the inaugural Big Ten/Big 12 Challenge last season against Texas Tech. The Lady Lions defeated the Lady Raiders, 76-68, at home. The Big Ten claimed the inaugural challenge, 7-5.
BENTLEY CLOSING IN ON 1,000: Junior guard Alex Bentley needs 23 points to become the 33rd player in school history with 1,000 points. She will be the 15th junior to reach the milestone and first Lady Lion to accomplish the feat since Tyra Grant reached the 1,000-point plateau in 2008.
TOPPLING TOP 15 FOE: The Lady Lions shot 48.7% from the field and 58.3% from three-point range en route to a 103-84 win over #14/13 North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Nov. 30. It was the first win over a ranked opponent for Penn State since topping No. 14/13 Iowa (68-59) on Dec. 30, 2010. The 19-point win was the biggest margin of victory over a ranked opponent since a 73-56 win over #8 Michigan State on Jan. 23, 2005.
CONSECUTIVE 100s: The Lady Lions reached 100 points for the second consecutive game with a 103-84 win over #14/13 North Carolina Nov. 30 and a 103-65 victory at Nevada Nov. 26. The last time Penn State scored 100 points in back-to-back games was in 1993 when the Lady Lions defeated Nebraska, 102-66, on Jan. 2 and Illinois, 101-71, on Jan. 7. The Lady Lions have never scored 100 points in three consecutive games.
SCHOOL RECORD FROM DEEP: The Lady Lions connected on a school record 14 three-pointers in the 103-84 win over North Carolina Nov. 30. Penn State breaks the mark of 13 makes from beyond the arc, which was accomplished twice (at Dayton, 11/21/10; vs. St. Francis (12/2/99). The 14 threes by PSU also tie for the most by a North Carolina opponent.
BENTLEY'S DOUBLE VISION: Junior Alex Bentley posted the first double-double of her career with 15 points and a personal-best 15 assists in the upset win over #14/13 North Carolina Nov. 30. Bentley's 15 assist are a career high and are tied for 11th on Penn State's single-game chart.
BACK-TO-BACK 20s FOR ZHA ZHA: Senior guard Zhaque Gray reached the 20-point for the second-straight game with 25 points on 6-of-10 shooting from long range in the win over #14/13 North Carolina Nov. 30. This is the second time in her career that she had back-to-back 20-point games with the first coming last year against Dayton (27) and Rider (22).
HIGH SCORING HALF: The Lady Lions scored 58 points in the first half of the win over #14/13 North Carolina, marking the first time the Lions have scored more than 55 points in a half since tallying 55 in the second half at Boston College on Dec. 2, 2010.
The Lady Lions begin a three-game homestand against ACC foe Virginia Tech Tuesday. It's Toys for Tots night at the BJC and fans that bring a new, unwrapped toy to the game will get a voucher to participate in a postgame autograph session with four Lady Lions. Tuesday will also be Dollar Dog Night. 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.