Dec. 31, 2016
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PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- After its lowest scoring quarter of the season in the opening frame, it was an uphill battle for the Penn State women's basketball program on Saturday (Dec. 31) at Rutgers, as the Lady Lions dropped a 61-45 decision to the Scarlet Knights inside the Rutgers Athletic Center.
Rutgers (4-11, 1-1 B1G) opened the game on a 9-0 run and built a 14-point lead by the end of the first half, 18-4, holding Penn State (11-4, 0-2 B1G) to a season-low output for points over the first 10 minutes.
The Lady Lions pulled their way back into the game with an 18-12 edge in second quarter scoring and cut the Scarlet Knights lead to five points, 37-32, with 3:09 to play in the third quarter. Ultimately, Rutgers had an answer for each scoring run by the Blue and White and outscored Penn State 20-13 in the fourth quarter to hold on for the win.
Redshirt freshman Amari Carter (Washington D.C.) led the Lady Lion offense with a career-high 17 points, including the first 11 points of the game for Penn State. She connected on a career-high four 3-pointers, adding four assist and three steals.
In the second half, it was senior Peyton Whitted (Suwanee, Ga.) that made an impact for Penn State, scoring eight of her 10 points in the final 20 minutes. She pulled down six first half rebounds and added one in the second half to finish with a game-high-tying seven boards.
Redshirt senior Sierra Moore (Hanover, Pa.) found herself in the starting lineup for the first time since March 4, 2015 and contributed 14 points, five rebounds, two steals and one assist.
Turning Point
3:09 remaining in the third quarter
After a pair of Sierra Moore free throws cut the Rutgers lead to five points, 37-32, the Scarlet Knights scored the next six points to push the lead back to double figures and Penn State was unable to get any closer than nine points the rest of way.
Difference Makers
Penn State
- G Amari Carter -- Scored a team- and career-high 17 points for her fourth career double-figure scoring game. She hit a career-best four shots from 3-point range and led the team with four assists and three steals.
- G Sierra Moore -- Made her first start since March 4, 2015 and scored 14 points. She added five rebounds, two steals and one assist in the game. The double-digit effort marks her 29th career game with 10-plus points and her seven such effort of the season.
- F Peyton Whitted -- Contributed 10 points and a game-high-tying seven rebounds off the bench. She added two assists, which ties the most for her in a Big Ten game.
- B1G on the Boards -- Penn State dominated the glass with a 45-30 edge on the boards. The 45 total rebounds included 23 offensive boards, the most since pulling down 24 offensive boards vs. Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec. 2, 2012.
Rutgers
- G Sharita Parker -- Notched a team- and game-high-tying 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Added three rebounds and three assists.
- F Kandiss Barber -- Tied for team and game high with 18 points.
- F Aliyah Jeune -- Scord nine points -- all coming on 3-pointers -- and handed four five assists with three steals.
- F Khadaizha Sanders -- Tallied nine points and handed out seven assists. Added five steals in the game.
- Scoring Off Turnovers -- Rutgers scored 22 points off of 19 Penn State turnovers, with 14 of those points coming on the fast break.
By Quarter
First Quarter
Rutgers opened the game hitting 4-of-5 shots from the field and took a 9-0 led before Penn State was able to find the scoring column with an Amari Carter free throw with 5:17 to play. A Carter 3-pointer with 3:35 to play in the game was the only other basket that Penn State could muster in the frame, as the Scarlet Knights built an 18-4 to end the first stanza.
Rutgers 18, Penn State 4
Second Quarter
A 13-6 run opened the quarter for Penn State and pulled the Lady Lions within nine points, 26-17, with 3:48 to play. A Parker layup pushed the lead back to 11 points for the Scarlet Knights, but Penn State scored five of the final seven points in the quarter to head to the locker room trailing by only eight.
Rutgers 30, Penn State 22
Third Quarter
Penn State used a 6-0 burst midway through the third quarter to pull within five points, 37-32, with 3:09 to play. A layup and a pair of free throws from Sierra Moore were sandwiched between a Peyton Whitted jumper, but the Scarlet Knights scored the final four points of the quarter to take a nine-point edge into the final quarter.
Rutgers 41, Penn State 32
Fourth Quarter
Rutgers hit the first basket of the fourth quarter, but Penn State answered with a Whitted jumper on the other end to keep it a nine-point game43-34, with 9:21 to play. However, over the next 5:30 of game action, the Scarlet Knights put together a 15-3 run to push the lead to a game-high 21 points.
Rutgers 61, Penn State 45
Up Next
Penn State will return home for a 7 p.m. tipoff on Jan. 3, 2017 vs. Iowa on the Big Ten Network at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Lady Lions and Hawkeyes will also be carried on the Penn State Radio Network and at BTN2go.com.