MADISON, Wis. – The Penn State women's basketball team battled until the very end, but Wisconsin pulled away in the final four minutes for a 71-65 win Saturday afternoon in Big Ten action.
Junior Kamaria McDaniel led the Lady Lions with 23 points, while freshman Makenna Marisa narrowly missed her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-best nine rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Wisconsin got out to an early 7-2 lead, but eight points from Marisa within a 1:48 span pulled Penn State within two at 12-10 with just under four minutes on the first-quarter clock. The Badgers were back ahead 17-10 before a conventional three-point play from junior Alisia Smith ended the quarter and trimmed the deficit to 17-13.
- Both teams struggled offensively in the second quarter, shooting under 30 percent for the term. Wisconsin held the slight 12-10 second-quarter edge to put its lead at 29-23 heading into halftime.
- Senior Siyeh Frazier and Smith scored the first two baskets of the second half to pull PSU within two at 29-27. Wisconsin answered back with eight of the next nine points to put its lead back at 37-28 with 7:14 left on the third-quarter clock.
- Penn State responded by turning defense into offense as the Lady Lions forced three Wisconsin turnovers within a minute to help cap an 11-2 run. The streak saw four points from both McDaniel and Lauren Ebo and knotted the score at 39-39 with 3:47 to play in the third quarter.
- Wisconsin was back up by five a minute and a half later, but six points from McDaniel fueled a 6-2 PSU streak in the final 1:26 to pull the Lady Lions within one at 46-45 through three terms.
- A three-pointer from freshman Anna Camden two and a half minutes into the final stanza gave Penn State its only lead of the game at 52-51. Wisconsin then rattled off the next five points to jump in front 57-52 and force a Penn State timeout at the 6:09 mark.
- Four points from sophomore Bexley Wallace and an and-one from McDaniel then helped PSU score seven of the next 10 points to trim the gap down to one at 60-59 with 4:23 to play.
- Wisconsin answered with an 8-0 run in the next 1:29 with the help of a 6-for-6 showing from the free throw line as the Badgers took a 68-59 edge with 2:20 to play. Penn State made it interesting in the final two minutes, but wasn't able to pull closer than five as Wisconsin held on for the 71-65 win.
KEY NOTES
- McDaniel notched her fifth 20-plus point performance of the season and has now scored in double figures in 13 of Penn State's 14 games this season.
- McDaniel added six rebounds and four assists.
- Marisa's nine rebounds marked a career best for the rookie. She tallied her eighth double-digit effort of the season.
- Smith finished with a team-best 13 rebounds, marking a new Big Ten career best and a season high.
- Camden and Ebo both tallied nine points.
- Penn State shot a game-high 53.8 percent (7-for-13) from the field in the third quarter.
- The Badgers were 20-for-27 (74.1 percent) from the free throw line compared to PSU's 13-for-18 (72.2 percent).
- Penn State held a 14-5 edge in fast-break points and 22-4 advantage is points scored by the bench.
UP NEXT
- Penn State returns home to host Michigan State Thursday night.
- Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. from the Bryce Jordan Center.