UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team shot a blistering 56.7 percent from the field to earn a dominant 87-54 victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) and move to 2-0 on the season Monday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Penn State's 56.7 field goal percentage was its highest in over four years as eleven Lady Lions scored in the stifling offensive attack.
Graduate student Kelly Jekot led the way once again with her second-straight double-double thanks to a team-best 24 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Johnasia Cash followed with 16 points and eight rebounds, while sophomore Shay Hagans rounded out the double-digit scoring with 10 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- SFU led 6-4 early on before four points from Jekot and four from Hagans comprised an 8-2 Penn State run that put the Lady Lions ahead 12-8 just under seven minutes into the game. The Red Flash answered by scoring eight of the next 12 to knot the score at 16-16 before a Jekot jumper ended the term to give Penn State an 18-16 lead through one.
- The Lady Lions stretched their lead to 23-16 early in the second quarter, but SFU's Karson Swogger drilled back-to-back three-pointers to pull the Red Flash within 23-22 at the 6:12 mark of the second term.
- Back-to-back offensive put-backs from Cash then sparked Penn State's 13-0 run to close the first half. The Lady Lion defense forced three SFU turnovers and held the Red Flash scoreless for the final 6:11 of the half as Cash, Hagans and sophomore Makenna Marisa scored to give Penn State a 36-22 lead at the intermission.
- Penn State carried its momentum into the third quarter as the Lady Lions scored 16 points in the paint during the term to outscore the Red Flash 22-19 and take a 58-41 lead into the final stanza.
- The Lady Lions kept their foot on the gas until the very end, shooting a blistering 71.4 percent (10-for-14) in the fourth quarter. Nine different Penn State players scored in the final term, including first career points for Kaci Donovan and Mekkena Boyd, and the first baskets in a Penn State uniform for Nia Staples. The 29-point fourth quarter cemented Penn State's 87-54 victory.
KEY NOTES
- After its 84-45 season-opening win over Coppin State, Penn State has now posted back-to-back 30-point wins for the first time in nearly 10 years. The last back-to-back 30-point Penn State wins came on Dec. 5, 2010 and Dec. 8, 2010, over Army and Maine, respectively.
- This marks the first time in nearly 40 years that Penn State has opened the season with consecutive 30-plus point wins. The last time PSU opened a season with 30-point wins was Dec. 2, 1980 and Dec. 5, 1980, over Howard and Fairleigh Dickinson, respectively.
- Penn State's 56.7 percent clip from the field was the Lady Lions' highest since Nov. 13, 2016 when PSU shot 59.2 percent in a 106-50 win over Saint Peter's.
- The Lady Lions have now scored 80-plus points in two-straight games, while also holding their opponent under 55 points in both contests.
- Jekot's double-double was the third of her career and her second in as many games. She was nearly unstoppable, finishing 9-for-13 from the field.
- Cash was 7-for-12 from the floor en route to her 16 points, her first double-digit effort as a Lady Lion.
- Marisa finished with a team-best six assists, leading the team in helpers for the second-straight game. She added eight points and five rebounds.
- Freshman Constance Thomas was all over the floor, finishing with six points, five assists and two rebounds.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Carolyn Kieger
- "I thought we played a much better second half after we settled down and stopped turning the ball over so much. I'm proud of our defensive effort – that's two games in a row that we've held our opponent under 35 FG%, which has been a big goal for us this offseason."
- "A lot of contributions by a lot of players tonight. We'll start with Kelly (Jekot), obviously her second double-double in a row. Johnasia Cash came in with 16 and 8 and I thought she got some great rebounds and put-backs, and ran the floor really well tonight."
- "I was really proud of Constance Thomas. I thought she played a great game. We've really worked on her assist-to-turnover ratio in practice, and she stepped up big with five assists to one turnover."
- "And then finally Nia Staples. That's somebody who has been fighting through her second knee injury, and to see her come in and go right to the bucket like she did was a huge moment that I know the team enjoyed."
Guard Kelly Jekot
Forward Johnasia Cash
UP NEXT
- The Lady Lions remain home to host Rhode Island Thursday night in another non-conference matchup. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. from the Bryce Jordan Center.