Nov. 24, 2012
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NORTHRIDGE, CALIF. - The #6/7 Penn State Lady Lions (5-0) rallied from a 17-point first half deficit and used a 17-3 run to end the game on the way to an 85-73 win over Cal State Northridge (3-2) to win the Radisson Chatsworth Thanksgiving Tournament. Junior Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) was selected as the Tournament MVP after averaging 25.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals in two games, while senior Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas) was named to the All-Tournament team after posting a 20-20 with 21 points and 20 rebounds in the championship game. With the win, Penn State improves to 5-0 for the second time under Coquese Washington.
Lucas earned her third 20-point game of the season and 34th of her career with 23 markers on 8-for-16 shooting. She also added three rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals against the Matadors. Greene registered her first double-double of the season and 10th of her career with 21 points, including a 13-for-14 mark from the free throw line, and a career high tying 20 rebounds. She also had 20 boards against Indiana on Jan. 23, 2011.
Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) was also solid for the Lady Lions with 19 points, including 14 tallies in the second half, eight assists and three steals. Mia Nickson (Ashburn, Va.) added eight points and three boards in the win.
CSUN took the early lead with a three-pointer by Marta Masoni, but Penn State responded with back-to-back buckets by Bentley and Greene to make it a 4-3 lead for the Lions at the 18:34 mark. However, the Matadors would go on a 30-12 run to take a 17-point lead (33-16) with less than six minutes to play in the half. Penn State would slice into the lead slightly, but still trailed 41-26 with 2:40 on the clock.
The Lady Lions found a spark at the end of the first half as Ariel Edwards (Elmont, N.Y.) started the Penn State run with a jumper, which was followed by four consecutive points by Lucas. Bentley capped the 9-0 Lady Lion run with a three-pointer at the buzzer to send Penn State into the break trailing by six (41-35).
Penn State continued their run by scoring the first eight points of the second half to take a 43-41 lead with 16:32 left in the game. The Matadors responded with an 11-2 run of their own to establish a 52-45 lead with 14:25 to play. Bentley and Lucas would combined to score eight of the game's next 11 points to close within two (55-53) with 11:20 on the clock. Bentley had six tallies during the run and Lucas accounted for one basket.
The teams exchanged scores over the next several possessions, which allowed CSUN to take a 64-61 lead with 9:18 left. Following a bench technical foul and possession after the technical stretched the Matador lead six (67-61) with 7:26 remaining. Greene laid the ball in and Bentley knocked down her second three of the game to cut the lead to one (69-68) with less than six minutes left. CSUN pushed the lead back to two (70-68) by scoring three of the game's next five points.
A bucket by Bentley and a pair of free throws by Greene gave the Lions a 72-70 lead with 3:48 remaining. Following a layup by Ashlee Guay that tied the game at 72-72, Lucas nailed her third three-pointer of the game to give Penn State a lead that it would not relinquish. Greene made 7-of-8 free throws in the final two minutes and had a rebound and putback to seal the win and cap the 17-3 run that covered the final 4:09.
GAME NOTES: The Lady Lions are 5-0 for the second time under Coquese Washington ... Senior Nikki Greene posted her first double-double of the season and 10th of her career with 21 points and 20 rebounds ... Greene's 20 rebounds tie her career, set previously against Indiana on Jan. 23, 2011 ... Greene also moved into 10th place on Penn State's career rebounding list, passing Bethany Collins (757; 1985-88), with 767 career boards ... Junior guard Maggie Lucas vaulted up four spots on the Penn State career scoring list into 18th place with 1,300 points. She passed Louise Leimkuhler, Carol Walderman, Helen Darling and Kathy Phillips in today's game ... Senior guard Alex Bentley surpassed the 1,400-point mark for her career with 19 tallies today to bring her career total to 1,401.
The Lady Lions remain on the road for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 29 when they travel to Miami (Fla.). Penn State returns to the BJC to face Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Go to www.GoPSUsports.com/promotions/wbb.html for complete promotions information.
Single game tickets for the Lady Lions are on sale now. Tickets are $15 and $12 for adults and seniors and $9 and $7 for youth (12 and younger). Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are still available by calling 1-800-NITTANY. Season tickets are $99 for adults and $50 for youth (12 and under), this includes a Nittany Lion Kids Club Membership for 2012-13. The PNC Flex Books are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game and the Lady Lions' Pink Zone game.
The 2013 Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Feb. 24 as the Lady Lions take on Michigan in the Bryce Jordan Center. Last year, the Lady Lions donated a record $203,000 to 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.pennsylvaniapinkzone.org.
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