Aug 27, 2013
2013-14 Lady Lion Basketball Schedule
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UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The two-time defending Big Ten Champion Penn State Lady Lion basketball team announced its 2013-14 Big Ten Conference schedule today. The Lady Lions will begin their Big Ten title defense at Iowa on Sun., Jan. 5. Additionally, the Lady Lions will host the Eighth Annual Pink Zone at Penn State on Sun., Feb. 16 against Wisconsin. Penn State has raised more than $825,000 in the fight against breast cancer through their first seven Pink Zone events. The Big Ten will announce television arrangements at a later date.
As part of the 16-game Big Ten slate, Penn State will face five Big Ten foes twice and will only have one meeting with Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin (home only) and Illinois, Michigan State, Nebraska (away only) this season.
The Lady Lions open their Big Ten schedule with a pair of road games at Iowa (Sun., Jan. 5; TBA) and Illinois (Thurs., Jan. 9; 9 p.m.). Penn State returns to the Bryce Jordan Center to meet Purdue on Sun., Jan. 12 at 2 p.m. and continues the homestand against Ohio State on Thurs., Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.
Penn State returns to the road to visit Michigan State on Sun., Jan. 19 at 5 p.m., before coming back to the BJC for a pair of games against Indiana (Wed., Jan. 22; 7 p.m.) and Minnesota (Sun. Jan. 26; 1 p.m.). The Lady Lions are back on the road for a set at Purdue (Thurs., Jan. 30; 6 p.m.) and Northwestern (Sun. Feb. 2; TBA).
Iowa comes to face Penn State in the Bryce Jordan Center on Thurs., Feb. 6 at 6 p.m., followed by a trip to Ohio State on Sun., Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. for the Lady Lions. Penn State continues its road swing at Indiana on Thurs., Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
The Eighth Annual Pink Zone at Penn State will take place against Wisconsin on Sun., Feb. 16 at either 1 or 3:30 p.m. The Badgers were the opponent in the inaugural Pink Zone event during the 2006-07 campaign. After the Pink Zone game, the Lady Lions will face Northwestern in the BJC on Thurs., Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
Once again, the Lady Lions will be a part of ESPN2's Big Monday presented by Bud Light when they travel to Nebraska on Mon., Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. After its second bye date, Penn State closes out the regular-season with Senior Day against Michigan on Sat., March 1 at 3:30 p.m.
The Lady Lions previously announced their non-conference slate that features nine teams (4 NCAA, 4 WNIT, 1 WCBI) that participated in postseason play last year. Penn State will face Lock Haven in an exhibition game on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.
The Lady Lions, who are currently riding a 20-game home court winning streak, will open the schedule with a four-game home stand beginning against St. Francis (Pa.) on Fri., Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. and Fordham on Sun., Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. Penn State will raise its 2013 Big Ten Championship banner to the rafters against the Red Flash.
Penn State continues in the friendly confines of the Bryce Jordan Center when the Lady Lions host eight-time National Champion Connecticut on Sun., Nov. 17 at noon, followed by a home contest against Bucknell on Wed., Nov. 20 at 7 p.m., before traveling to Grand Bahama Island to play in the Junkanoo Jam. Penn State faces Oregon State on Fri., Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. and will face either Illinois State or Florida on Sat., Nov. 30.
The Big Ten/ACC Challenge will await the Lady Lions when they return from the Bahamas. As previously announced, Penn State will face Washington's alma mater Notre Dame on Wed., Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Penn State hits the road for a pair of games at Georgetown (Sun., Dec. 8) and at South Dakota State on (Wed., Dec. 11), before coming back to the BJC to top off the non-conference schedule with a three-game home string. The home stand begins when 2011 NCAA Champion Texas A&M visits on Sun., Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. The non-conference slate concludes as Alcorn State comes to the Bryce Jordan Center on Sun., Dec. 22 at 11 a.m., followed by a visit from Hartford on Sun., Dec. 29 at 2 p.m.
Lady Lion Basketball season tickets can be reserved by calling 1-800-NITTANY.
The Lady Lions won their second-straight Big Ten regular season title with a 26-6 overall record and 14-2 mark in conference play last season. Guided by the two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year in Washington, Penn State will return the 2013 Big Ten Player of the Year Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) and Big Ten All-Defensive team choice Dara Taylor (Wilmington, Del.). The Lady Lions will also add an eight-player recruiting class that ranks in the Top 10 in the country.
Lucas is coming off of an outstanding junior campaign that saw her take home top conference honors, as well as All-America accolades from the WBCA, Associated Press, USBWA and Full Court. The Narberth, Pa. native averaged 20.1 points per game to finish third in the Big Ten and 16th nationally. Lucas also finished in the Top 10 in the country in three-point field goal percentage (4th- .462) and free throw percentage (9th - 90.0) and was 11th in three-point field goals made (3.06).
Taylor made an immediate impact for the Lady Lions, finishing second on the team and fifth in the Big Ten in steals with a 2.4 per game average. She also finished in the Top 10 in the league in assists (10th - 3.4) and assist-to-turnover ratio (9th - 1.2). She also contributed 7.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.
The Lady Lions will add eight new faces on the roster next season in guards Lindsey Spann (Laurel, Md.) and Keke Sevillian (Goodrich, Mich.), swing players Jenny DeGraaf (Springboro, Ohio), Kaliyah Mitchell (Stone Mountain, Ga.), Peyton Whitted (Suwanee, Ga.), forward Alex Harris (Lorain, Ohio) and center Infiniti Alston (Baltimore, Md.), who signed National Letters of Intent in November, as well as Sierra Moore (York, Pa.), who will sit out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
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.