DSC_4520DSC_4520
Mark Selders

Penn State Closes Homestand Against George Mason Sunday


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team wraps up its five-game homestand Sunday afternoon when the Lady Lions host George Mason. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. from the Bryce Jordan Center.
 
FOLLOW ALONG

 
OPENING TIPS

  • Penn State closes out a five-game homestand Sunday afternoon when the Lady Lions welcome George Mason to the Bryce Jordan Center.
  • Penn State is 3-2 on the young season and coming off a gutsy 68-55 win over    Clemson Thursday in its most recent game. It marked the Lady Lions' third win this season over a 2019 NCAA Tournament team.
  • Three Lady Lions are averaging double-digit points, with Kamaria McDaniel leading the way with 17.0 points per game. Siyeh Frazier (14.6 ppg) and Lauren Ebo (11.6 ppg) round out the double-digit scorers.

 
IF PENN STATE BEATS GEORGE MASON

  • Penn State would pick up its second-straight win and improve to 4-2 on the season.
  • The Lady Lions would improve to 3-0 all-time against the Patriots.
  • Penn State would finish its five-game homestand with a 3-2 record.

 
LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State fought for a gritty 68-55 win over Clemson Thursday night at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Lady Lions earned their third win this season over a 2019 NCAA Tournament team.
  • Penn State held a 14-point halftime lead that was trimmed down to one midway through the third quarter thanks to a 13-0 Clemson run. The Lady Lions responded with a 10-0 streak that would help Penn State out-score the Tigers 28-16 in the final 15 minutes to secure the 68-55 victory.
  • Senior Siyeh Frazier stuffed the stat sheet with her second double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds, in addition to five assists and three steals. Sophomore Lauren Ebo tallied a career-high 16 points on a 7-for-8 effort from the field. Junior Kamaria McDaniel added 13 points, while freshman Anna Camden rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points.
  • Penn State dished a season-best 17 assists in the victory. Freshman Makenna Marisa accounted for six of those assists, marking a new career high for the rookie.

 
SCOUTING GEORGE MASON

  • George Mason is a strong 3-1 on the season coming into Sunday's showdown in Happy Valley.
  • The Patriots have earned wins over American (73-55, Nov. 21), Detroit Mercy (75-62, Nov. 16) and College of Charleston (72-61, Nov. 6). Mason's lone loss came at the hands of Virginia Tech on Nov. 10, 58-77.
  • Nicole Cardano-Hillary has led George Mason this season with 18.0 points per game. Jacy Bolton follows with 12.0 points per contest and a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game.
  • Bolton (11) and Alexsis Grate (13) have combined for 24 of George Mason's 52 assists.
  • A veteran George Mason squad returns all five of its starters and nine letterwinners from last year's squad that went 16-14 overall and 8-8 in the Atlantic 10. The Patriots were picked to finish sixth in this year's Atlantic 10 preseason poll.

 
AGAINST THE PATRIOTS

  • Penn State and George Mason will be meeting for just the third time in program history Sunday.
  • The teams played a home-and-home series in 2004 and 2005, with Penn State winning both contests.
  • Penn State is 1-1 in games played against Atlantic 10 members this season. The Lady Lions defeated Fordham 72-59 on Nov. 13 before falling to La Salle 67-69 on Nov. 17.

 
FRAZIER AND McDANIEL LEADING GUARD GROUP

  • Senior Siyeh Frazier and junior Kamaria McDaniel have been off to a torrid start to the season, proving to be the key leaders of Penn State's guard corp.
  • McDaniel currently leads the team with 17.0 points per game. The Inkster, Mich. native has scored in double figures in all five of Penn State's games this season. She wrapped up her sophomore campaign talling double-digit points in the final six games of the season, so currently holds an 11-game double-digit scoring streak.
  • Frazier has made her mark all over the floor and is currently averaging 14.6 points, a team-best 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.2 steals per game.
  • Frazier, a Detroit, Mich. native, has recorded two double-doubles this season after registering just one in her first three seasons.

 
ROOKIES ROARING EARLY

  • Penn State's five-member freshman class has played a large role in its first five collegiate games.
  • Marisa has been stellar in her first five contests, averaging 9.0 points per game while leading the team with 20 assists. She dished a career-best six assists in Penn State's most recent game against Clemson.
  • After playing just four minutes in Penn State's first two game combined, Anna Camden has come alive in the Lady Lions' last three games. It began with a 4-for-4 effort from three-point range against Fordham on Nov. 13 en route to a career-best 14 points. It marked the first time a Penn State player made every three-pointer they attempted (minimum of 4) since Kaliyah Mitchell went 4-for-4 from deep at Holy Cross on Dec. 7, 2016.
  • Camden was perfect from downtown yet again in Penn State's win over Clemson Thursday as the rookie went 3-for-3 from deep. On the season, Camden is shooting 69.2 percent (9-for-13) from three-point range.
  • Hagans has caused havoc for opposing teams, proving to be a versatile addition to the Lady Lions with 3.8 points per game, 3.0 rebounds per contest, five steals and four assists.
  • Bembry and James have also provided key depth for the Penn State bench.

 
FINDING THE FREE THROW LINE

  • Penn State leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth nationally in free throws made (95) and ninth in free throws attempted (134) as of Nov. 22.
  • Penn State has scored 27.1 percent (95-of-350) of its points from the charity stripe through the first four games.
  • Kamaria McDaniel has found her way to the free throw line the most, attempting a team-best 32 freebies. Freshman Makenna Marisa is shooting a team-best 83.3 percent (20-for-24) from the charity stripe.

 
UP NEXT

  • Penn State hits the road for the Cal Classic in Berkeley, Calif.
  • The Lady Lions open the two-game tournament Friday against Long Beach State, before facing off with either host Cal or North Carolina Central Saturday.