Dec. 20, 2017
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Penn State women's basketball program dropped its final non-conference game of the regular season, falling 75-66 in overtime at American on Wednesday, Dec. 20 inside Bender Arena.
The Eagles (7-4) used an 11-0 run over the final four minutes of the fourth quarter to knot the score at 55-55 and outscored the Lady Lions (9-4), 20-11, in the extra period. The lead changed hands just three times in the game -- with four ties -- and each team held a double-digit lead.
It was the 41st overtime affair in program history, with the Lady Lions now owning a 21-20 mark all-time when playing bonus basketball. Penn State is 11-11 all-time in true road overtime contests.
In the game, a pair of Lady Lions collected their first career double-doubles, as junior Teniya Page (Chicago, Ill.) and freshman Alisia Smith (Lansing, Mich.) each totaled career high rebounding totals.
Page led the team with 19 points, 13 rebounds and three assists, while Smith pulled down 10 boards and added 10 points -- including a 6-of-8 effort at the free throw line.
Joining Page and Smith in double-figures was redshirt-sophomore and Washington, D.C. native Amari Carter (Washington, D.C.) and Jaida Travascio-Green (Lisle, Ill.). Travascio-Green chipped in 11 tallies, while Carter added 10 points and two assists. In the game, Carter moved up one spot to No. 35 on the career assist charts, passing Lisa Faloon (187; 1983-87).
The Lady Lions held the edge in the paint, outrebounding the Eagles 47-36 and owning a 28-18 advantage in points in the paint. American, however, forced 20 Penn State missteps and turned those into 18 points off of turnovers. The Eagles committed just 14 turnovers and got 30 points off the bench.
Emily Kinneston poured in a game-high 23 points to go along with seven assists and three steals. Michael Harris' 10 points marked the only other Eagle in double-figures.
Turning Point
With 1:11 left in the fourth quarter
A pair of Harris free throws knotted the score at 55 with 1:11 to play in the game and neither team could convert the rest of the way to force overtime. The two free throws capped an 11-0 run over the final four minutes of the game and the Eagles would take the lead with the first points in overtime, a lead they would not relinquish.
Difference Makers
Penn State
- G Teniya Page -- Registered her first career double-double with 19 points and a career-high 13 boards. Added three assists and two steals.
- F Alisia Smith -- Logged her first career double-double with 10 rebounds and 10 points. Hit 6-of-8 free throws on the day and pulled in six offensive rebounds.
- Hitting the Boards -- Penn State owned a 47-36 edge on the boards, including 20 offensive rebounds.
American
- G Emily Kinneston -- Scored a game-high 23 points. Added seven assists and three steals.
- F Michael Harris -- Tallied 10 points.
- Closing Run -- Over the final 11 minutes, the Eagles outscored the Lady Lions 35-15 to come away with the victory.
- Bench Scoring -- The Eagles got 30 points off the bench, including nine points each from Kate Bond and Katie Marenyi in the fourth quarter and overtime.
First Quarter
In a low scoring first half, Penn State was able to take the lead after the first 10 minutes thanks for a solid defensive efforts, while included six American turnovers. The Lady Lions scored six of their 10 points from the free throw stripe, with De'Janae Boykin (Springdale, Md.) and Kamaria McDaniel (Inkster, Mich.) each chipping in field goals. Penn State scored the first three points via free throws by Travascio-Green, but American scored the next four points to take a 4-3 edge. The Lady Lions then outscored the Eagles 7-4 over the final six minutes of the quarter to take the edge into the second quarter.
Penn State 10, at American 8
Second Quarter
Both teams found the offensive rhythm in the second quarter, as Penn State held a 20-16 edge in scoring in the frame. Page netted her first points in the second quarter and totaled eight tallies in the frame and Travascio-Green added six points to help Penn State build an eight point lead late in the frame, 30-22, on a Siyeh Frazier (Detroit, Mich.) layup with 1:42 to play in the half. American added the final bucket of the second quarter on an Io Chaney jumper to send the game into the break at 30-24.
Penn State 30, at American 24
Third Quarter
American trimmed Penn State's lead to three points on a Marla Liddane 3-pointer with 8:16 left in the third quarter, but the Lady Lions answered with a 5-6 spurt to bolster the lead back to eight points, 37-29, with five minutes to play in the frame. After another Eagles run, this time a 6-2 advantage to reel the deficit back to four points, 39-35, the Lady Lions closed on a 6-0 run to take a double-digit lead into the final quarter of regulation.
Penn State 45, at American 35
Fourth Quarter
The two teams traded points over the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, with Penn State pushing its lead to 11 points with 6:31 to play in the game, 51-40, but American outscored the Lady Lions 13-4 down the stretch -- including 11-straight to end the game and force the 41st overtime game in Penn State history.
Penn State 55, at American 55
Overtime
American took its first lead since owning a 4-3 edge with 6:31 remaining in the first quarter on a Kinneston jumper before Carter hit a pair of free throws on the next Penn State possession to knot the score at 57. Six-straight points from the Eagles opened up a two possession lead, 63-57, with 3:01 to play in the overtime, before Carter connected on a jumper. A 12-2 spurt over the next two minutes pushed the Eagles lead to 14 points, before five-straight tallies from Teniya Page accounted for the final margin.
at American 75, Penn State 66
Up Next
Penn State closes out its four-game road swing with a visit to Michigan to open Big Ten play on Thursday, Dec. 28 at 6 p.m. Fans who cannot make it to the game can catch all the action live on the Big Ten Network or over the airwaves of the Penn State Radio Network.