COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Penn State women's basketball team hung right with No. 9/9 Maryland for three quarters before the Terrapins spent the final 12:06 of the game on a 30-16 run en route to a 79-67 win in Big Ten action on Sunday afternoon.
Senior Teniya Page led the Lady Lions with 20 points, marking her tenth 20-plus point effort of the season. Junior Siyeh Frazier followed with 13 points to go along with eight rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Terps got out to a quick 7-1 lead just under four minutes into the game. Baskets from sophomore Alisia Smith and senior Amari Carter had Penn State within 7-5 at the 5:10 mark, but the Terrapins capitalized off a cold start for the Lady Lions to close the term on a 14-3 run and take a 21-8 lead after the first quarter.
- Penn State came out hot to start the second quarter as six points from Page and five from Frazier comprised an 11-3 Lady Lion run to pull PSU within 24-19 four minutes into the term.
- Back-to-back three-pointers from Carter and Page then knotted the score at 27-27 two minutes later. Penn State's strong second quarter continued as the Lady Lions shot 62.5 percent (10-for-16) from the field in the term and the game went to halftime tied at 35-35.
- Maryland scored the second half's first four points, but Penn State battled right back with a 9-0 run over the next 2:32 to take a 44-39 edge at the 6:39 mark of the third quarter.
- The Terps tied the score twice in the next four minutes and then used an 8-0 run in the final two minutes of the stanza to take a 57-51 lead into the final 10 minutes.
- A Page three-pointer and Frazier jumper had Penn State within five at 56-51 two minutes into the fourth quarter, but Maryland's Taylor Mikesell hit a key three-pointer at the 6:33 mark that extended the Terps' lead to 64-56 and force a Lady Lion timeout.
- A layup from freshman Lauren Ebo had PSU within six at 66-60 with 4:42 to play, but it would be as close as the Lady Lions would get the rest of the way as Maryland pulled away for the 79-67 win.
KEY NOTES
- Page collected her 400th career rebound with her third board of the game at the 6:47 mark of the third quarter. She is on track to become the first-ever Lady Lion to record 2,000 points, 400 rebound and 400 assists.
- Page's 20 points marked her 10th 20-plus point effort of the season and fifth 20-plus point performance of Big Ten play.
- Page has now scored in double figures in 35-straight games and recorded her 96th career double-digit game.
- Page also led the team with three assists.
- Frazier's 13 points marked her 13 double-digit scoring game of the season.
- Smith put together a strong game with nine points and nine rebounds, while Ebo added seven points and nine boards.
STAT STANDOUTS
- Penn State rebounded from a poor-shooting first quarter (18.8%) to shoot 62.5 percent (10-for-16) from the field in the second quarter as the Lady Lions outscored the Terps by 13 in the second term.
- Maryland shot 66.7 percent (16-for-24) from the field in the second half.
- Penn State controlled a 10-4 lead in offensive rebounds.
- The Lady Lions scored 20 points off 12 Maryland turnovers.
- The Terps outscored the Lady Lions in the paint, 40-28.
COACH'S TAKE
Head Coach Coquese Washington
- "The Big Ten is a really loaded conference. It's a tough test every night, and certainly coming here to Maryland is another example of that. Maryland is a very, very talented and balanced team. We had a load to deal with today, especially with their post play. When their post players play as well as they did today, they're very tough to handle."
- "I thought we played with a lot of fight and a lot of effort and there are a lot of things we can learn and can carry with us as we finish out and continue with Big Ten play."
UP NEXT
- The Lady Lions remain on the road Thursday when Penn State travels to Wisconsin for an 8 p.m. tipoff.
- Penn State won the season's first meeting with the Badgers 71-64 on Jan. 3 at the Bryce Jordan Center.