INDIANAPOLIS – Minnesota used a strong second half to hand the Penn State women's basketball team an 85-65 loss in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament Wednesday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Junior Kamaria McDaniel led Penn State with 22 points. Senior Siyeh Frazier, who played her final game in the blue and white, finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Freshman Anna Camden went 4-for-5 from three-point range for 12 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Minnesota raced out to a quick 16-3 lead four minutes into the game. Penn State stepped up the intensity for the remainder of the quarter as nine points from McDaniel fueled a 16-8 Lady Lions streak that brought PSU within 22-19 heading into the second quarter.
- The Gophers scored the first points of the second term before a Shay Hagans three-pointer capped a 7-0 Penn State burst that gave the Lady Lions their first lead of the game at 26-24 with 7:39 left on the second-quarter clock.
- Minnesota momentarily jumped back in front before Camden caught fire and went 3-for-3 from downtown over a 1:40 span to give Penn State a 39-36 lead. McDaniel added a conventional three-point play in the final 10 seconds to give the Lady Lions a 42-37 edge at halftime.
- Minnesota was red hot in the third quarter as the Gophers shot 68.8 percent (11-for-16) from the field to surge ahead 67-55 heading into the final term.
- The Gophers continued their hot shooting in the final term and Penn State was never able to recover as Minnesota picked up the 85-65 win.
KEY NOTES
- McDaniel registered her 14th 20-plus point game of the season. She wraps up her junior campaign having scored in double figures in 28 games this season.
- Frazier notched her 20th double-digit effort of her senior season.
- Camden scored in double figures for the third time this season and first against a Big Ten opponent.