Nov. 25, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State Lady Lion senior guard Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) completed the preseason watch list trifecta after being named to the Naismith Trophy Early Season Watch List. The list, which consists of 50 of the top players in the country, is the latest preseason watch list honor for Lucas, who was also named to the Wade Watch and the Wooden Top 30 chart. Lucas is one of four Big Ten players on the list, joining Minnesota's Rachel Banham, Nebraska's Jordan Hooper and Purdue's Courtney Moses.
The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year and the Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, Lucas loaded up her trophy case as a junior, earning All-America honors from the Associated Press (second team), USBWA (first team), Full Court (second team) and WBCA (honorable mention). Lucas is the third Lady Lion to win Big Ten Player of the Year accolades, joining Helen Darling (2000) and Kelly Mazzante (2003, 2004). She was also voted by the fans as the PremierPlayers.com Player of the Year.
Lucas currently leads the Big Ten and is 21st nationally in scoring average at a 22.8 per game clip. She also ranks second in the league in steals per outing (3.0). In terms of active NCAA career leaders (all divisions), Lucas is fourth in points (1,929), third in three-point field goals (302) and three-point field goal percentage (.431), first in free throw percentage (.892) and 11th in field goals made (619).
The Lady Lions head to the Bahamas for Thanksgiving where they will face Oregon State in the opening round of the Junkanoo Jam on Friday at 3:15 p.m. Penn State will then face either Florida or Illinois State in the champions/consolation game. PSU returns to the BJC to meet Notre Dame on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.
Lady Lion Basketball single-game and season tickets are available by calling 1-800-NITTANY. Single-game tickets are $15 and $12 for adults and seniors and $9 and $7 for youth (12 and younger). Season tickets are $99 for adults and $50 for youth (12 and under), this includes a Nittany Lion Kids Club Membership for 2013-14. New this year, the Lady Lions have introduced a Family Season Ticket package. For $200, fans will get two adult tickets and two youth tickets for the 2013-14 campaign. 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 2014 Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Feb. 16 as the Lady Lions take on Wisconsin in the Bryce Jordan Center at 1 p.m. Last year, the Lady Lions donated a record $260,000 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.