March 3, 2016
| GAME 31 | |
| Thursday, March 3 - 9 p.m. ET (approx) | |
| Bankers Life Fieldhouse | Indianapolis, Ind. | |
| Game Day Information: | |
| GAME DAY LINKS | |
| TV: Big Ten Network (Live) Kevin Kugler, Christy Winters Scott & Shelley Till | |
| BTN2go Video | |
| Women's Basketball Blog | |
| Follow Us: @PennStateWBB | Facebook | Instagram | |
| Game Notes: Penn State | Purdue | |
| Statistics: Penn State | Purdue | |
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The 11th-seeded Penn State women's basketball team opened the Big Ten Tournament with a 75-66 win to set up a showdown at Bankers Life Fieldhouse with sixth-seeded Purdue at approximately 9 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
The Lady Lions will be looking to revenge a 78-88 double-overtime loss to the Boilermakers on Jan. 30, 2016 at home. Penn State led by 17 at halftime, but Purdue equaled that margin in the second half to send the game into extra basketball tied at 65. The two teams each netted eight points in the first overtime, before Purdue was able to break the game open with 11 straight points to start the second overtime to earn the road win.
On Wednesday, freshman Teniya Page (Chicago, Ill.) moved into No. 4 on the Penn State freshman points list after scoring 18 points vs. Illinois. She passed Tyra Grant (452, 2006-07) and moved her total to 455 career tallies through 30 games. She connected on 6-of-7 shots from the free throw line to push her season total to 105 made free throws, which makes her just the fourth freshman in program history to eclipse the 100 made free throws mark.
Page also handed out a career-high nine assists against Illinois, pushing her season total to 127 helpers. Her nine assists helped her move up two spots to No. 5 on the freshman charts, passing Helen Darling (119, 1996-97) and Alex Bentley (125, 2009-10).
With her three made three-pointers, sophomore Lindsey Spann (Laurel, Md.)becomes the 14th Lady Lion to reach the 100 career made three-pointers mark. Spann pushed her season total to 63 made shots from distance, moving her into a tie with Zhaque Gray (2010-11) for No. 12 on the single season charts.
Junior Peyton Whitted (Suwanee, Ga.) pulled down nine rebounds to move her season total to 243 boards, which is now tied with Rashana Barnes (2001-02) for No. 24 on the single season rebound charts. Junior Kaliyah Mitchell (Stone Mountain, Ga.) becomes the 32nd player to eclipse the 500-rebound mark in a career after grabbing five rebounds vs. Illinois to move her career total to 504 boards.
With the win over Illinois in the opening round, Penn State improved its record to 26-19 all-time, including 15-13 inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse.