EAST LANSING, Mich. – Junior Kamaria McDaniel led Penn State with 27 points and scored her 1,000th career point, but it was enough as the Lady Lions dropped a 99-80 decision at Michigan State in the regular-season finale Sunday afternoon.
McDaniel scored her 1,000th career point at the 4:33 mark of the first quarter to become the 39th member of Penn State's 1,000 point club.
The 39th member of Penn State's 1,000-point club: Kamaria McDaniel 💪
— Penn State Lady Lion Basketball (@PennStateWBB) March 1, 2020
Recap from today's action at MSU ➡️https://t.co/WbhBIoLDqs#IgniteThePRIDE pic.twitter.com/RrxbMTBvmd
McDaniel's 27 points marked her 13th 20-plus point game of the season. Senior Siyeh Frazier scored 20-plus for the second-straight game, finishing with 25.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Michigan State raced out to an 11-0 lead just over three minutes into the game to force an early Penn State timeout. Six points from McDaniel, including her 1,000th career tally, and a strong defensive effort then helped Penn State score nine of the next 14 points to trim the deficit to 16-9. The Spartans scored the final four points of the term to take a 20-9 edge into the second quarter.
- MSU scored the first six points of the second stanza, but five-straight points from freshman Shay Hagans sparked a 9-0 Penn State run over a four-minute stretch to pull PSU within 26-18 with 4:22 left in the first half. The Lady Lions hung within single digits at 34-25, but Michigan State closed the half on a 7-2 run to take a 41-27 lead into the locker room.
- Eleven points from McDaniel helped Penn State open the second half on a 13-7 run as the Lady Lions pulled within eight at 48-40 at the 6:14 mark. MSU shot the lights out for the remainder of the quarter, going 10-for-11 from the field and adding two free throws to take a 74-52 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
- Penn State outscored Michigan State 28-25 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough as Michigan State secured the 99-80 win.
KEY NOTES
- McDaniel becomes the 39th member of Penn State's 1,000 point club. She is the first to join since Teniya Page (2,108 career points, 2015-19) did so in 2017.
- McDaniel recorded her 13th 20-plus point game of the season. Ten of those 20-point games have come in Big Ten play. She has scored in double figures in 27 of Penn State's 29 games.
- Frazier recorded her fifth overall and second-straight 20-plus point game. It was her 19th double-digit effort of the season.
- Penn State's 80 points marked the second time this season the Lady Lions have scored 80 or more in Big Ten play. The other occasion was the season's first meeting against Michigan State (86 points) on Jan. 9.
- Alisia Smith led Penn State with eight rebounds.
UP NEXT
- Penn State now turns its attention to the Big Ten Tournament. The Lady Lions will face Minnesota in a first-round matchup Wednesday.
- Tipoff from Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis will be at approximately 4:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.