March 19, 2013
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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State Lady Lion guards Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) have been named to the WBCA All-Region 6 team after outstanding seasons. Bentley garners the honor for the second consecutive year and was an honorable mention WBCA All-American a year ago. The pair is among the 52 players eligible to be selected to the WBCA Division I Coaches' All-America team. The selection committee will select the 10-member team and announce the squad the Final Four in New Orleans.
Bentley is the unmistakable floor general for the Lady Lions, accounting for 14.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game en route to her third consecutive All-Big Ten first team honor. Additionally, the Indianapolis native became the third Lady Lion to win the France Pomeroy Naismith Award for the nation's outstanding female collegian 5-8 and under. She joins Suzie McConnell and Helen Darling as the award winners for Penn State. Bentley was also selected the Big Ten All-Defensive team for the second consecutive season. She has produced a stellar career in the Blue & White, becoming just the fourth player in Big Ten history and second player in Penn State history with 1,500 points, 500 assists and 300 steals. Bentley ranks in the Top 10 in school history in steals (2nd - 322), assists (7th - 563) and scoring (8th - 1,754).
One of the nation's top sharpshooters, Lucas garnered Big Ten Player of the Year honors after finishing in the Top 5 in the Big Ten in scoring, free throw percentage, three-point field goal percentage and three-point field goals made. A two-time All-Big Ten first team selection, the junior guard has etched her name into the Penn State record books in several categories, including ranking seventh in career scoring and second in career three-pointers made and career three-point field goal percentage. She also tops the Penn State charts in career free throw percentage. One of 15 finalists for the Wooden Award for National Player of the Year, Lucas garnered Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week honors in December after breaking the Bryce Jordan Center scoring record with 39 points, including seven three-pointers. She was also a three-time Big Ten Player of the Week this season.
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, please visit wbca.org.
WBCA All-Region 6 Team
Tayler Hill, Ohio State
Alex Bentley, PENN STATE
Maggie Lucas, PENN STATE
Rachel Banham, Minnesota
Jordan Hooper, Nebraska
The Lady Lions earned their third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, claiming a No. 3 seed in the 2013 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament where they will face No. 14 Cal Poly (21-10, 13-5 Big West) on Sunday at 5:15 p.m. (ET) in Baton Rouge, La. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and ESPN3. The Penn State-Cal Poly contest will be the first game of a doubleheader with No. 6 seed LSU (20-11, 10-6 SEC) facing No. 11 Green Bay (29-2, 16-0 Horizon) 25 minutes after the conclusion of the first game on ESPN2. The winner of each game will face off in a second round matchup on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m.
Tickets in the Penn State block for the Lady Lions' NCAA First Round game are available by calling 814-867-2758 beginning Tuesday, March 19 from 1-4:30 p.m. and on Wednesday, March 20 from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. or by visiting the Athletic Ticket Office at the Bryce Jordan Center between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday and 11 a.m and 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Single sessions tickets for the Baton Rouge site are $15 for adults and $10 for youth, while All-Session tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for youth.
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.