UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team led #23 Northwestern at the half, but the Wildcats out-scored the Lady Lions 29-7 in the third quarter en route to an 82-59 victory Sunday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center.
The Lady Lions welcomed back more than 40 alumni on Alumni Weekend, with a special halftime recognition of the 2000 Final Four team. This season marks the 20th anniversary of Penn State's first trip to the Final Four.
2000 Final Four Team and Staff
Alumni Group
Three Lady Lions finished in double figures as junior Kamaria McDaniel led the way with 16 points. Senior Siyeh Frazier followed with 15, while freshman Makenna Marisa added 12 points and a team-best eight rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Wildcats held a slim 13-12 lead seven minutes into the game before a 7-0 stretch comprised of transition baskets from three different Lady Lions gave Penn State at 19-13 lead with 1:26 left on the first-quarter clock. Northwestern scored the final two baskets of the opening term, but Penn State controlled a 19-17 edge heading into the second stanza.
- Both teams were hot offensively in a back-and-forth second quarter that saw four lead changes and three tie scores. Neither team led by more than three points during the term, but it was a pair of three-pointers from Marisa and McDaniel in the final two minutes that would give PSU the 38-37 edge at the half.
- The score was tied at 42-42 two minutes into the third quarter, but Northwestern shot 9-for-15 from the field and 4-for-4 from deep close the term on a 24-3 run and take a 66-45 lead into the final quarter.
- Penn State used a 10-2 stretch to pull back within 70-55 with 4:01 to play, but it was as close as the Lady Lions would get as Northwestern secured the 82-59 win.
KEY NOTES
- McDaniel has now scored in double figures in 21 of Penn State's 22 games.
- Frazier notched her 14th double-digit scoring game of the season.
- Marisa scored in double figures for the 11th time. She led the team in rebounds for the third time in her career.
- Freshman Mya Bembry recorded a Big Ten career-high six rebounds.
- Sophomore Bexley Wallace made her first start of the season and third career start.
- Northwestern shot 57.9 percent (11-for-19) from the floor and a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range in the Wildcats' big third quarter.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Carolyn Kieger
- "First of all, I want to make this about the alumni. It's an amazing group that came back today. I know it absolutely inspired me to work harder for them."
- "We were able to celebrate the 2000 Final Four team. They came in and they fired our team up before the game and it was one of the most special moments that I've been a part of. It's amazing. I told my team if that doesn't fire you up, I don't know what will."
- "We have a legacy here as Lady Lions and we have to uphold it, and I know I will do my best and work my hardest every single day to get it back to there. Obviously we're not there yet, but we're relentlessly recruiting, and we're on the path and anyone who chooses to stay in our program must work hard every single day, must be tough, and they must be Lady Lions every single day."
- Full Kieger transcript
UP NEXT
- Penn State hits the road Thursday to face Rutgers at 7 p.m.
- The Lady Lions will then return home Sunday to host their 14th-annual Play4Kay Game Benefiting Pink Zone when PSU welcomes Illinois at 2 p.m. on Feb. 9.