March 4, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
By Mike Esse, GoPSUSports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State (6-23, 3-15) and Indiana (14-15, 4-15) have played once already this season. If that game was any indication of how Wednesday's Big Ten Tournament first round contest is going to play out, both teams are in for a tight 40-minute (or more) contest.
The Lady Lions topped Indiana 79-75 at home at the Bryce Jordan Center back on Jan. 22, in a game that saw seven lead changes, including Penn State by 11 with 6:22 left and Penn State by 3 with 37 seconds left.
"It gives us some confidence that we beat them before and we know that we have a lot of things to improve on since we played them so that just gives us a lot of confidence going into the game," guard Sierra Moore said of the win.
Indiana features guards Larryn Brooks and Tyra Buss, who lead the Hoosier scoring attack with 11.9 and 11.4 points per game. Brooks, a dynamic guard has been a major focus for the Lady Lions in their preparation for Wednesday's contest.
In January's contest, Penn State held Brooks to just eight points. Moore said that the match up will be difficult, but Penn State will be prepared for Brooks to have a performance more consistent with her season averages.
"Larryn Brooks is a really good point guard and I think Keke (Sevillian) on the defensive end does a really good job containing so just her spark out there and having a good one-on-one matchup is good and I'm really excited," Moore said.
In the home stretch of the season, both teams have become relatively balanced in the scoring category. Using the previous matchup as an example, Penn State had five players in double figures and Indiana had four. The Lady Lions saw Kaliyah Mitchell put on a masterful scoring performance with 20 points, besting Indiana's Alexis Gassion who tallied 18.
Both teams are also similar in that they have improved in certain categories since the beginning of the season. Penn State has seen better play in the post, specifically from center Candice Agee as the season has progressed.
"I think we're going to be a more improved team all together than we were at the beginning of the year," Moore said of her team's progression. "I know that I've talked about it at every media press conference but I really believe that we are going to play our best basketball yet."
Indiana has been able to score better as a team to the point where when one player is down scoring or rebounding, another takes over.
The matchup will be especially intriguing when you look at the inside post matchup between Indiana's Amanda Cahill and Agee. Perhaps with the similarities at guard between Brooks and Buss and Moore, Sevillian and Spann, the post presence for either team will be the difference.
With a win over Indiana, Penn State will move on to the next round to take on Rutgers. Here is what you need to know about Penn State's potential opponents at the Big Ten Tournament this week.
T-No. 4 Seed - Rutgers 21-8 (12-6 Big Ten)
RPI - 41
Top Scorer: Kahleah Copper, 16.4 ppg
Top Rebounder: Betnijah Laney, 10.8 rpg
The Scarlet Knights enter the 2015 Big Ten Tournament for the first time as the No. 4 seed (tied with Northwestern). Fresh off a 71-60 win over Indiana, the Scarlet Knights concluded conference play with a 12-6 record. Third in Big Ten rankings, Laney averages 10.8 rpg in Big Ten play to contribute to the team's 38.5 average. Kahleah Copper leads the Scarlet Knights in scoring and at the charity line with an average of 17.4 points per game and an average 6.9 at the line per game.
Rutgers will play the winner of Penn State vs. Indiana on Thursday.
T-No. 4 Seed - Northwestern 22-7 (12-6 Big Ten)
RPI - 35
Top Scorer, Nia Coffey, 15.8 ppg
Top Rebounder, Nia Coffey, 8.9 rpg
Head coach Joe McKeown's squad finished 12-6 in Big Ten play, tying with Rutgers. The most valuable player for the Wildcats, Nia Coffey leads the team in scoring (15.9 ppg), rebounding (8.9 rpg) and blocks (8.9 bpg). Averaging 73 points per game as a team, the Wildcats won eight straight games prior to a season-finale loss to Maryland on Sunday, March 1.
Earning a double-bye, the No. 4 Wildcats will first see action on Friday in the quarterfinal round against Penn State, Indiana or Rutgers.
The No. 8 Seed - Michigan 16-13 (8-10 Big Ten)
RPI - 57
Top Scorer: Katelynn Flaherty, 14.4 ppg
Top Rebounder: Cyesha Goree, 10.8 rpg
The Wolverines finished the season 8-10 in Big Ten play after falling to Illinois on Saturday. Big Ten's Sixth Player of the Year, Katelyn Flaherty leads the team in scoring (14.4 ppg) and has sunk 71 shots from the 3-point range this season. Close behind, senior Shannon Smith averages 14.2 ppg and has made 90 from the charity stripe in conference play.
Michigan will tip with No. 9 Michigan State in Thursday's first contest at 11:30 a.m. CT. The winner will advance on to the quarterfinals to face Maryland on Friday.
The No. 1 Seed - Maryland 27-2 (18-0 Big Ten)
RPI - 6
Top Scorer: Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, 13.9 ppg
Top Rebounder: Brionna Jones, 9.0 rpg
Head coach and Big Ten Coach of the Year Brenda Frese lead her squad to its first Big Ten regular season title. The duo of Shatori Walker-Kimbrough (14.9 ppg) and Lauren Mincy (13.6 ppg) lead the Terps in scoring to contribute to the No. 1 scoring offense with an average 80.9 points per game in Big Ten play.
Winning 21 straight games, Maryland enters the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 1 seed after a perfect 18-0 conference play. Earning a double-bye, the Terrapins will first play on Friday in the quarterfinal round.