Nov. 27, 2012
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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The #6/7 Penn State Lady Lions (5-0) continue their road swing with the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Miami (4-1) Thursday at 7:05 p.m. The game is on the Penn State Sports Network and ESPN Radio 1450 locally with Jerry Fisher and Brian Tripp calling the action. The audio feed is available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
LAST TIME OUT: The Lady Lions 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 to win the Radisson Chatsworth Thanksgiving Tournament. Junior Maggie Lucas 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 was named to the All-Tournament team after posting a 20-20 with 21 points and 20 rebounds in the championship game.
SCOUTING MIAMI: The Hurricanes are 4-1 on the season and are among the teams receiving votes in both polls. Morgan Stroman leads Miami averaging nearly a double-double with 13.0 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Michelle Woods (12.8 ppg) and Stefanie Yderstro (11.8) are also averaging double figures for the Hurricanes. Yderstro also leads the team in assists (15) and steals (11).
ALL-TIME VS. THE CANES: The Lady Lions have never squared off on the hardwood. However, Penn State has played in four tournaments in Miami in the program's history, posting a 5-6 mark. The last time the Lady Lions played in Miami was the 1985 Orange Bowl Invitational where PSU went 1-2 with a win over West Virginia and losses to Northeast Louisiana and Rutgers. Penn State is 35-25 all-time against current ACC foes.
HEY COACH: Freshman center Candice Agee will be reunited with her USA Basketball U18 head coach Katie Meier, who is the Miami mentor. Meier and Agee picked up the gold medal in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Puerto Rico this summer. Agee averaged 5.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks in Team USA's five games. She had a team-best .619 field goal percentage.
ACC/BIG TEN CHALLENGE: The Lady Lions are 2-3 all-time in ACC/Big Ten Challenge games, including an 0-2 mark in road games. Penn State picked up Challenge wins over North Carolina (2011) and Duke (2007), but has suffered losses against Boston College (2010), Georgia Tech (2009) and Florida State (2008). ACC/Big Ten Challenge has produced several high scoring affairs with the Lady Lions averaging 82.6 points per game, including a pair of 100-point outings.
LUCAS TABBED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Junior guard Maggie Lucas was selected as the Big Ten Player of the Week for the week-ending Nov. 25. It is the second career Big Ten Player of the Week award for Lucas; she also won it on Feb. 21, 2012. Lucas was named the Radisson Hotel Chatsworth Thanksgiving Tournament MVP after averaging 25.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals in two games. The junior shot 53.3% (16-30) from the field with an amazing 75% (6-8) from long range.
GOBBLING UP TOURNEY AWARDS: Junior guard Maggie Lucas was selected as the Radisson Hotel Chatsworth Thanksgiving Tournament MVP, while senior center Nikki Greene was named to the All-Tournament team. Lucas averaged 25.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals in two games, while Greene averaged a double-double with 13.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game.
20-20 VISION: Senior center Nikki Greene posted her first double-double of the season and 10th of her career with 21 points and 20 rebounds in the win over Cal State Northridge on Nov. 24. The 20 boards tie Greene's career high, which she also set against Indiana on Jan. 23, 2011. She is just the third player in school history to have multiple 20-rebound games in her career, joining Mag Strittmatter (1975-78) and Mary Donovan (1978-81).
CAREER DAY FOR ARI: Ariel Edwards had a career day against Detroit on Nov. 23. The junior guard/forward tallied 24 points on 11-of-16 shooting in just 25 minutes of action. In fact, Edwards had 19 tallies in the first half, which eclipsed her previous career high of 17 points against Iowa on Jan. 22, 2012.
RACKING UP THE FREQUENT FLYER MILES: The Lady Lions have racked up the frequent flyer miles since August. Including the team's trip to Europe and the first four non-conference games of the season, Penn State has traveled a total of 22,023 miles. Here is a breakdown of the Lions' travel:
European Tour: 10,711 miles
Texas A&M: 2,906 miles
Cal State Northridge: 5,884 miles
Miami: 2,522 miles
Total: 22,023 miles
5-0 UNDER COQUESE: With a pair of wins out West, the Lady Lions moved to 5-0 to start the season. This is the second time that Penn State has started 5-0 under Coquese Washington. The mark equals the best start under Washington during the 2010-11 campaign.
LUCAS CLIMBS SCORING CHART: With 23 points in the win over Cal State Northridge Nov. 24, junior guard Maggie Lucas vaulted four points into 18th place on Penn State's career scoring chart (1,300) and reached the 1,300-point mark for her career. In the win over the Matadors, she passed Louise Leimkuhler (1,280), Carol Walderman (1,288), Helen Darling (1,294) and Kathy Phillips (1,295). She needs 20 points to tie Cheryl Ellison (1,320; 1980-83) for 17th place.
GREENE JUMPS BOARDS LIST: Senior center Nikki Greene moved up to 10th place on Penn State's career rebounding chart with 20 boards at Cal State Northridge Nov. 24. She now has 767 caroms, passing Bethany Collins (757; 1985-89) for 10th spot. Greene needs six rebounds to tie Mary Donovan (773; 1978-81) for the ninth position.
The Lady Lions return to the BJC to face Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. It's 4-H Day, as well as the first Dollar Dog Day. Go to www.GoPSUsports.com/promotions/wbb.html for complete promotions information. Penn State will then hit the road to face #2 UConn on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
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.
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.