UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Freshman Maddie Burke drilled seven three-pointers and graduate student Kelly Jekot recorded a double-double, but the Penn State women's basketball team couldn't slow down the nation's second-best scoring offense as #14 Maryland claimed a 96-82 victory in Big Ten action Thursday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Burke finished with a career-best 24 points and was 7-for-14 from three-point range. Jekot tallied 23 points and 10 rebounds and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line. Senior Johnasia Cash rounded out the double-digit scoring with 11 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams spent the first quarter shaking off a bit of offensive rust as Maryland and Penn State shot a combined 30.7 percent (12-for-39) from the field in the back-and-forth term. Burke hit two three-pointers in the opening 10 minutes to lead Penn State as the Terps took a 16-15 through the first quarter.
- Maryland surged ahead 22-16 two minutes into the second quarter, but Penn State responded with a 14-9 streak over the next 3:12 with the help of seven points from Jekot that pulled PSU within 31-30 halfway through the term. Senior Niya Beverley drilled a triple for her first points in a Penn State uniform with 2:38 left on the clock, but Maryland closed the opening half on a 9-2 streak to take a 48-39 lead into the break.
- The Terps stretched their lead to 57-44 four minutes into the second half to force a Penn State timeout at the 5:55 mark. Six points from Burke helped Penn State claw back with an 8-3 run to pull the Lady Lions back within single digits at 60-52 two minutes later. Back-to-back layups from sophomore Anna Camden had Penn State within seven in the final seconds of the third quarter before Maryland's Ashley Owusu hit a jumper as time expired to put the Terps in front 69-60 heading into the final term.
- Penn State got as close as seven in the fourth quarter, but was never able to narrow the gap further as Maryland's offense continued to roll to the 96-82 victory.
KEY NOTES
- Penn State's 11 three-pointers were its most since making 12 at Wisconsin on Jan. 14, 2018.
- Burke's career-high 24 points came on 8-of-16 shooting, including a 7-of-14 mark from three-point range. She is the first Penn State player to hit seven 3-pointers in a game since Jaida Travascio-Green made seven against Drexel on Nov. 12, 2017.
- Jekot was a perfect 10-for-10 from the line. She is the first Penn State player to make every foul shot in game (min. 10 attempts) since Teniya Page was 10-for-10 in a game exactly two years ago today at Indiana on Dec. 31, 2018.
- Jekot recorded her third double-double of the season and second 20-plus point game of the year.
- Penn State has scored 70-plus points in all six games this season, including four games of at least 80 points. Last season, the Lady Lions scored 70-plus points 10 times in 30 games and eclipsed 80 points just four times.
- Maryland was led by Ashley Owusu's 34 points and eight rebounds.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Carolyn Kieger
- "I want to obviously tip my hat to Maryland. They're a phenomenal offensive team that shares the ball really well. It was good test for us to play a team that plays the pace and values the basketball the way that we're aspiring to do here at Penn State."
- "We're taking baby steps and we're getting better every day, but we need to start taking giant leaps versus little shuffle steps. I was really proud of certain moments tonight, and then other moments we have to get tougher, bear down and grit our teeth, win those 50-50 balls, make that tough play and have that lion mentality."
Freshman Guard Maddie Burke
UP NEXT
- Penn State hits the road to face #17/15 Ohio State Monday evening.
- Tipoff from Columbus, Ohio is slated for 6 PM and the game will be nationally televised on the Big Ten Network.