Postgame Quotes: Coquese Washington, Jaida Travascio-Green, Amari Carter
Postgame Quotes: Rutgers Head Coach C. Vivian Stringer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – A cold-shooting afternoon was too much for the Penn State women's basketball team to overcome Sunday afternoon as #14/18 Rutgers claimed a 69-61 victory over the Lady Lions in Big Ten action at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Senior Teniya Page led the Lady Lions 18 points with the help of a Big Ten career high-tying 11 free throws, while also adding a team-best seven assists. She now sits just 13 points away from her 2,000th career point. Senior Amari Carter, who was honored pre-game on her Senior Day, followed with 14 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Scarlet Knights got out to an early 7-0 lead just over two minutes into the game, but the Penn State defense took over the remainder of the quarter. The Lady Lions held the Scarlet Knights scoreless for the final 6:32 of the term as three-pointers from junior Jaida Travascio-Green bookended a 13-2 run that gave Penn State a 13-9 lead through one quarter.
- A free throw from Carter and a jumper from junior Siyeh Frazier allowed Penn State's edge to reach 16-9 a minute and a half into the second quarter. The defensive battle continued as Rutgers kept the Lady Lions from converting a field goal for the rest of the half, but Penn State's 8-for-8 showing from the charity stripe in the final eight minutes kept the Lady Lions right in it as the Scarlet Knights took a one-point lead, 25-24, into halftime.
- The Lady Lions went cold from the field for a majority of the third quarter as Rutgers outscored Penn State 18-6 in the opening seven minutes of the term to take a 43-30 lead with 3:04 left on the third-quarter clock. Penn State picked it up in the final three minutes of the term, going 3-for-3 from the field and added two free throws to pull within 47-39 heading into the final stanza.
- The Lady Lions kept their hot streak going in the fourth quarter as Penn State converted four of its first six field goal attempts, outscoring Rutgers 11-5 in the opening three minutes, to trim the deficit down to two at 52-50 with 6:43 to play.
- The Scarlet Knights went 5-for-5 from the floor in the next three minutes, however, to put together a 10-3 streak that gave Rutgers a 62-53 edge with just under three minutes to play. It would prove to be all the separation Rutgers would need, as the Scarlet Knights picked up the 69-61 victory.
KEY NOTES
- Page stretched her double-digit scoring streak to 37-straight games. It also marked her 98th career double figure effort.
- Page is 13 points away from becoming the sixth-ever Lady Lion to reach the 2,000-point milestone.
- Page made 11 free throws to tie her Big Ten career high set against Purdue (2/11/17) and best her previous season high of 10.
- Carter registered three three-point field goals to pass Dana Eikenberg (1989-92) for 17th on the career three-point field goals made with 99.
- Lauren Ebo tied her Big Ten high of nine rebounds previously set against Maryland (1/20/19).
STAT STANDOUTS
- Penn State shot 50.0 percent (8-for-16) from the field in the fourth quarter, but just 22.2 percent (8-for-36) from the floor in the first three quarters combined.
- The Scarlet Knights held a 37-32 rebound edge and outscored Penn State in the paint, 38-14.
- Rutgers held a 21-8 advantage in second-chance points.
- Penn State shot 78.6 percent (22-for-28) from the charity stripe.
- The 22 made free throws are the most in a Big Ten game for the Lady Lions so far this season.
COACH'S TAKE
Head Coach Coquese Washington
- "Rutgers is a really good defensive team. They made it hard for us to get into a rhythm offensively. We have to figure out and continue to work on our offensive flow and be able to get a few more points. I think if we can do that than it will bode well for us going forward."
- Full transcript
UP NEXT
- The Lady Lions are back on the road for a mid-week battle at Michigan State. Tipoff from East Lansing, Mich. is set for 7 p.m. Thursday night.