Jan. 30, 2014
By Tyler Feldman, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Usually after a stinging loss, protocol says to look forward to revenge in the next encounter.
However, that is not how No. 13/12 Penn State (15-4, 6-1) is approaching their rematch against Big Ten opponent No. 16/19 Purdue (15-5, 5-3) on the road at Mackey Arena tonight.
"Revenge isn't a factor," said Penn State head coach Coquese Washington. "We are a forward-looking team. This game certainly has implications in the conference [title] race, so the focus is on doing what we have to do to put ourselves in position to win the Big Ten."
Last time around, the Lady Lions fell at home to the Boilermakers, 84-74. Despite the loss, the team managed to tie a school record with 14 blocks thanks to a career-high seven swats from Talia East.
"We certainly learned some lessons from it [loss to Purdue]," said Washington. "We definitely learned and understood how much we have to focus on being better defensively."
After the loss to Purdue, Washington said she would like to have sacrificed some of those blocks if it meant her team was containing the ball better. Purdue is a difficult matchup for Penn State, thus making them tough to contain, and Washington acknowledged that.
"They're tough to contain," said Washington. "They have three guards who are speedy, athletic and quick. We have to guard them sooner. We can't start guard them after they're already in the paint. We have to do a better job of team defense...and the first time we played them we didn't do that If our layers of defense are there, then we don't necessarily get those blocks, we make them take tough shots."
It seems as if the loss to Purdue jumpstarted the Blue and White's extra emphasis on defense. Since allowing a season-high 84 points on Jan. 12, scoring against Penn State has been hard to come by for opponents.
Going into tonight's game the players focused for the most part on the defensive mindset that they have been developing in practice all week.
"We need to make it difficult for them," said senior guard Dara Taylor. "No open shots; no easy shots. Really contest and make them work for everything. If they're going to beat us, they have to beat us with every shot contested; really working hard for it."
One way in which the Lady Lions prepared for their rematch this evening is by being able to make constant defensive adjustments.
"They're [Purdue] shooting the ball pretty well from behind the arc," said Washington. "I don't know that you can sit in zone all game, but we'll see how it looks, how we're moving, how active we are and how they're shooting. Every game we play a little bit of man-to-man and we play a little bit of zone. Just depending on what feel is working the best is kind of what we will stick with."
Even though Washington alluded to the fact that a number of defensive looks could be used versus Purdue's offense, transition defense sticks out as vital to victory tonight.
"I thought they got a lot of baskets in transition, but we didn't do a good job with our transition defense," said Washington. "We just definitely have to play better on the defensive end in all phases."
As it stands now, Washington is "happy" with how her team has grown and feels as if the squad is on the "upswing." With a victory in a tough road environment tonight, the Lady Lions can take one step closer to winning the conference for a third straight year.
--LADY LIONS--