Nov. 29, 2013
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FREEPORT, Bahamas - The #14/13 Penn State Lady Lions (4-1, 0-0 Big Ten) used a 22-3 run at the end of the first half and beginning of the second half to erase a nine-point deficit and post a 61-56 win over Oregon State (4-1) in the opening round of the Junkanoo Jam's Freeport Division. Penn State will now face Illinois State (1-3) in the championship game tomorrow at 11:30 a.m.
Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) celebrated her 22nd birthday with a game-high 17 points to go along with five rebounds and a steal. She was a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line to improve to 34-for-35 from the charity stripe this season. Fellow senior Dara Taylor (Wilmington, Del.) added 10 points, six assists and three steals, while Ariel Edwards (Elmont, N.Y.) had a near double-double with 10 points, eight rebounds and two assists.
Talia East (Philadelphia, Pa.) was solid in her second start of the season, going 4-for-6 from the field on the way to nine points and six rebounds. Freshmen Kaliyah Mitchell (Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Alex Harris (Lorain, Ohio) each added six rebounds off of the bench.
The squads exchanged scores to open the game to lead to a 5-5 tie with 16:30 left, but Oregon State scored the contest's next eight points to establish a 13-5 lead with 13:46 on the clock. Candice Agee (Victorville, Calif.) scored the next four points via two free throws and a rebound and putback to close within four (13-9) with 12 minutes left in the first. The Beavers went on an 8-3 run to extend their lead to 21-12 with eight minutes left.
The Oregon State lead remained nine points after several of exchanges, until Penn State clicked off a 10-0 run to take a 26-25 lead with 11 seconds left in the half. Lucas scored the first five points of the run with a three-point play and two free throws. East had a rebound and putback and Edwards made one of two free throw attempts to make it a 25-24 Oregon State lead. Lucas closed the run with two more makes from the free throw line to give the Lions their first lead of the game at 26-25. However, the Beavers would connect on a long two-point bucket as time expired to go into the break with a 27-26 lead.
The Lady Lions sustained their momentum from the end of the first half as they opened the second frame on a 12-1 run to take a 38-28 lead less than three minutes into the half. Tori Waldner (Milton, Ga.) opened the scoring for Penn State and Taylor scored the next four points on a pair of layups. After a Beaver free throw, Edwards scored for Penn State, East completed the run with two-straight scores to make it 38-28.
The Beavers fought back with five consecutive points to slice the Lion lead in half (38-33) with just under 15 minutes to play. After an Agee score, OSU went on a 10-5 run to close within two at 45-43 with 8:52 on the clock. Mitchell hit four consecutive free throws to extend the Lady Lion lead back to six (49-43), but the Beavers would not go away with a 5-2 run to close within three (51-48) with six minutes to play.
Taylor scored the game's next four points on two free throws and a layup off of a great fastbreak pass from Lucas. Edwards made one of two free throw attempts to extend the Penn State lead to 56-48 with 4:28 remaining. Oregon State closed the gap with the next five points to make it a three-point margin (56-53) with 3:38 left.
Lucas connected on a three-pointer for her first points of the second half and Edwards scored to extend the lead to 61-53 with 2:15 left. The Beavers would hit a three-pointer to close out the scoring for the 61-56 final.
The Lady Lions return to the Bryce Jordan Center for Big Ten/ACC Challenge where they will face Coquese Washington's alma mater Notre Dame on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7:30. It's Dollar Dog Night and a Subway Full Court 4 Pack game. Additionally, there will be a mini magnetic court giveaway as part of a series of six giveaways this season sponsored by Highmark.
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.