Feb. 25, 2014
By Tyler Feldman, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Maintaining a perfect road record in the Big Ten is no easy feat. Penn State found out just how hard it is last night inside a raucous Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb.
The No. 11/8 Penn State Lady Lions (21-6, 12-3 Big Ten) registered its first conference road loss, 94-74, against the No. 17/16 Nebraska Cornhuskers (21-5, 11-3) and now sit in a three-way tie atop the Big Ten standings.
Ariel Edwards led Penn State by tying a career-high with 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting. She also tied a career-high by converting four three-pointers.
At the half the Lady Lions found themselves trailing, 52-30, but head coach Coquese Washington remained determined when she talked to her team inside the locker room.
"The halftime message was to play better," said Washington. "We needed to do a better job of contesting shots. I thought in the first half they got way to many open looks and uncontested shots. We had a few miscues defensively, and if we can sure those up it would have been a little bit of a different story."
Despite Penn State's efforts, the Cornhuskers were just too hot from the field, especially from beyond the arc. Led by Tear'a Laudermill, who scored 27 points on 7-of-10 shooting from three-point range, Nebraska as a team combined to shot 72.7 percent (16-for-22) from behind the 3-point line.
"I think [this game] is one you have to flush out," said Washington. "It's easily our worst defensive performance of the year. I thought Nebraska played extremely well. I thought they capitalized on opportunities that they had and when they had open shots they made them. They were just clicking on all cylinders tonight."
Maggie Lucas was held scoreless in the first half, but she connected on three three-pointers in the second half to finish with 17 points and move within two made three-point shots of Kelly Mazzante's Big Ten and Penn State's career three-pointers record.
Nebraska was just too quick in transition and too strong shooting from the floor for Penn State to mount a comeback on the road. Even the energy inside Pinnacle Bank Arena made it easy for the Cornhuskers to score and difficult for Penn State to get anything going offensively.
After the game Washington was asked if this is a loss that her team can overcome.
"Absolutely," said Washington. "I just think it's one of those things where you go on the road and you play in a tough environment. We have some really good venues in the Big Ten where people come out to support their teams. Nebraska is one of those venues.
"We've been on the road and we've competed and we've handled our own business on the road. Tonight was a night where Nebraska played an outstanding game. As a coach, when you're on the other side, you're feeling pretty good about all your kids coming through and being focused and executing. You know, it's fun to be on that side."
With the loss the Lady Lions fall into a three-way tie for first place in the Big Ten standings, but with a win in their final home game against Michigan on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in the BJC, the Blue and White can earn a share of their third straight Big Ten regular season championship.