Dec. 8, 2015
By Mike Gilbert, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Things started to fall into place Tuesday night for the Lady Lions in the first half against Youngstown State, when they were up 19-11 with the ball with just over eight minutes remaining in the second quarter. Then, Kaliyah Mitchell took control. A corner three by Penn State was off the mark, but Mitchell corralled the rebound, pivoted towards the basket and put it in off the glass, drawing a foul and giving her team an 11-point lead. The Blue and White would never look back in a 68-51 win.
In the third quarter with 6:37 left, Mitchell showed the first play down in the paint was not a fluke. Mitchell reeled in a bounce pass from Candace Agee, who was posted up on the opposite block, and laid it in, absorbing contact and the foul. She would go on to make the free throw that would give Penn State a 16-point lead.
Mitchell finished with her first double-double of the campaign, and the fifth of her career, contributing 16 points along with 12 rebounds. It seemed like it was a game that could really get the power forward going, which is exactly what her team needs her to do.
"It feels good just to get back in the swing of things. I know I've been off [during] the beginning of the season, but now it seems like I've really got in tune with the game and focused so I was pretty excited," said Mitchell.
Penn State's victory over previously undefeated Youngstown State was important because it stopped a four-game losing skid and allowed the Lady Lions to get back to paying winning basketball. Head coach Coquese Washington was especially happy with the way her team came out early on in the first quarter, firing on all cylinders.
""We took care of the ball. I don't know how many turnovers we had in the first quarter but we were able to get good shots early in the game."
Washington always stresses the importance of having what she calls a "high-activity level," and she thought Kaliyah Mitchell had that going Tuesday night.
"I think her activity level, you know, we talked about after the last game how she wasn't really aggressive and asserting attacking the backboard and tonight she was really aggressive and active going after rebounds."
After falling down early 7-0, Penn State came roaring back, pulling out to a 19-9 lead in the first half. The Penguins were able to get it back to a seven-point deficit in the second half, but Penn State ended up pulling away late and overpowering Youngstown State physically in the paint to come away with the easy win.
Guard Lindsey Spann appeared to go down with an ankle injury in the first half, but she was able to walk it off and had a big impact on the game, totaling 13 points and two assists in 28 minutes. A lot of expectations were put on Spann, and Washington is adamant that she is more than handling the pressure.
"You guys were asking questions about Lindsey and I told you then I wasn't worried about Lindsey, that she would find her way and she'd start making shots and she has," Washington said. "She puts a lot of work in, she's a really good shooter and she opens up things for our post players and she opens up the floor for our drivers."
The Lady Lions will hit the road to face St. Bonaventure Saturday at 1:30 p.m., looking to go back to the .500 mark on the young season.