Nov. 20, 2016
By: Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- The Penn State Lady Lions started off hot and didn't slow down, as an 11-4 early lead just was a sign of things to come in a 70-56 win over the 13th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols, Sunday night inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
Penn State had three big runs throughout the game, each at key moments to help secure the victory.
Sophomore guard Teniya Page got the Lady Lions off to a quick start, hitting five of her game-high 29 points on a layup and transition 3-pointer in the first three minutes of play. Page's points were bookended by triples from Amari Carter and Kaliyah Mitchell to get Penn State off and running.
While Tennessee bounced back to take a 16-15 lead early in the second quarter, a second Lady Lion charge changed the game once again. A jump shot by Carter gave Penn State a 17-16 lead they would not return the rest of the night. Five different Lady Lions scored over the final seven minutes to spark a 16-0 run and 18-4 stretch to end the half.
"The game is a game of runs," Penn State head coach Coquese Washington said on her team's first half bursts. "We took advantage of what was there during those times. We were able to get to the free-throw line or get out in transition and hit some 3's."
"I think the biggest thing for us was rebounding and then running in transition and then keep running regardless of what happens," Page said, echoing her coach on the transition effort leading to success. "The thing that we talked about the most in almost every timeout felt like rebound the ball and run in transition on a make and a miss. I think that was a key to making our runs."
Coming out of halftime with a 33-20 lead, the Lady Lions looked to keep the momentum going. While Penn State had the lead, it was Tennessee that chipped away, cutting the deficit to 44-40 at the end of the third.
For Washington, responding at the start of the fourth quarter to that Tennessee comeback was all about the defensive end.
"I thought we got some stops. I thought Kaliyah Mitchell came down with some big rebounds. We were tougher inside in terms of contesting shots. But I thought the rebounding during that stretch was big for us. We were able to rebound and get going."
When the Lady Lions get going it is often Page leading the way, and the fourth quarter was no different.
The sophomore, who heading into the fourth led the Lions with 16 points, was not ready to go home on the losing end. The guard scored Penn State's first six points of the quarter to respond to that Lady Vol attack.
"I would just read the defense to see what they would give me," Page said on what led to her success all night long. "I just had to pay attention to how they were guarding me and my teammates. A lot of times I had to create off the dribble, but I also created enough space to at least shoot my pull-up."
As well as Page played, it was a team effort to close out this win. The start of the fourth quarter provided Penn State's third and final big run of the game. A 3-pointer by Carter capped off a 13-2 run in the first 4:17 of the fourth to push the lead once again to double-digits, 57-42, and help seal the victory.
Carter's big late bucket wasn't the only key play by the rest of that Lady Lion group, as Page's high-scoring effort was complimented by three others in scoring in double-figures. Mitchell filled in with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Carter and Sierra Moore added 11 and 10 points respectively in the victory.
Penn State will look to keep a three game win streak rolling this week, as they head south to Florida for the San Juan Shootout Thursday and Friday.