Jan. 30, 2017
By Ryan Berti, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - While the Illinois Fighting Illini may have come into Happy Valley looking to play like their namesake with physical, assertive play, it ended up being their downfall as Penn State was able to combat it with an aggressive mentality all the while remaining under control. With the level-headed attack, the Lady Lions were able to open up their game and cruise to an 82-66 victory.
Penn State's gameplan was executed to perfection in many ways early on, and it all started with the full-court press on defense. In the first half, the Blue and White were able to elicit 12 turnovers and three steals, turning them into 18 total points going the other way.
"We wanted to be aggressive with defense. We wanted to have active hands to try and speed the game up so that we could force some turnovers," coach Coquese Washington said. "I thought that our depth was a huge factor in our ability to mix up the defenses and stay aggressive on the boards."
The ability to turn defense into offense propelled the Lady Lions into leads as big as 11 entering the second quarter. Illinois continued to push forward with their physical play, but it backfired as they struggled to avoid fouling in the process.
Between the starters alone, Illinois racked up 14 fouls. This was especially troubling for the visitors since the Fighting Illini came into the matchup tied for 12th in the nation from the charity stripe, converting 77.7 percent of the time. They would continue to have success there by being perfect in 13 attempts from the line, but the sheer volume of fouls acquired allowed Penn State to thrive in the bonus, earning 10 more points in 18 more attempts.
Coach Washington said it was part of the team's mentality to dominate at the stripe after being beaten there handedly before.
"We certainly talked about defending better after coming off the Indiana game where they shot 30 free throws and we shot 10. I thought that we put a lot of emphasis on it and we did a better job with it today," Washington said.
With several Illinois players in foul trouble and two leaving the game early because of fouling out, the veterans of Penn State's offense were able to take advantage and drive at will. Two players that stood out were seniors Kaliyah Mitchell and Sierra Moore, producing similar results by each having big games.
Mitchell put up 16 points on 6-8 shooting along with six rebounds in just 15 minutes on the court. The forward led a bench unit on the night that outscored the Illini 35 to 11. She helped elevate the team and really changed the game when out on the floor.
"I thought that she was a difference maker in the game for us," Washington said. "She was impactful on both ends of the floor. She came in the game and gave us a little bit more speed and a little bit more ability to guard."
Moore also made an impact in her ability to electrify the team with her feisty play. She would continue to drive inside and draw foul after foul, converting on seven of her nine free throw attempts. Her final sheet would read 19 points (a team best and season high for her), going 6-9 from the field and a plus-18 plus/minus while in the game.
"Sierra Moore is our 'Energizer Bunny,'" Washington said. "She doesn't know how to go half speed or turn it off and that is a great thing for us. When she is going out and getting rebounds or making baskets and being aggressive, it opens up a lot of things for everyone else."
The team captain was humble with her big game, saying it was just her playing her part.
"[Being aggressive] is one of my roles. When we all do our roles on the team everything flows really well. One of my roles is getting to the basket so I try and do that to help my team out," Moore said.
With the big game and the big win, the Lady Lions now look to keep the momentum going as they travel on the road to some more Big Ten foes. Even though uncertain territory lies ahead, the squad plans to take their mindset from this game and continue to concentrate on staying in control.
"The answer is execution," Washington said. "You cannot focus on two road games or seven more regular season games, you have to focus on one game plan and executing one game plan at a time which is exactly what we are going to do."