UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team returns home to face its third-straight ranked opponent when the Lady Lions host #19/18 Indiana Thursday night. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
FOLLOW ALONG
- Video ($): Big Ten Network-Plus
- Listen: Penn State Sports Network with Justin Antweil and Joe Putnam – 93.3 FM, 1390 AM and online
- Live Stats: Live stats
- Game Notes: Penn State Notes | Indiana Notes
- Digital Program: Digital Program
OPENING TIPS
- Penn State returns home to face its fourth ranked opponent in the last five games and third straight when the Lady Lions host #19/18 Indiana Thursday night.
- The young Penn State team is 3-4 on the season and coming off a tough road loss at #16/15 Ohio State Monday night.
- Penn State's balanced offense has shined this season as eight different Lady Lions have scored in double figures and Penn State is averaging 78.7 points per game.
- Graduate transfer Kelly Jekot leads the team with 16.4 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Makenna Marisa (14.3 ppg) and Johnasia Cash (10.9 ppg) are also averaging double-digit points.
IF PENN STATE BEATS INDIANA
- Penn State would beat a team ranked in the top 20 of the AP poll for the first time since Nov. 20, 2016 when unranked PSU defeated #13 Tennessee 70-56 inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
- Penn State would earn its first Big Ten win of the season and improve to 4-4 overall.
- The Lady Lions would move to 4-2 in the Bryce Jordan Center this season.
SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS
- The #19/18 Hoosiers carry a 5-3 overall mark and 3-1 record in Big Ten play into Thursday night's matchup in Happy Valley.
- Indiana is coming off its first loss of the season Monday night. The Hoosiers fell 84-80 on the road at Maryland, the Big Ten's top-ranked team.
- The Hoosiers got off to a 3-0 start in Big Ten action thanks to wins over Nebraska (81-45), Minnesota (75-54) and Illinois (79-56).
- Mackenzie Holmes leads three Hoosiers that are averaging double-digit points with 16.5 points per game. She is followed by Grace Berger (15.0 ppg) and Ali Patberg (11.1 ppg).
- The Hoosiers were picked to finish atop the Big Ten in the B1G Preseason Poll.
AGAINST INDIANA
- Penn State leads the all-time series 33-15, but Indiana has won six of the last seven matchups.
- The Lady Lions hold a 19-4 advantage when playing the Hoosiers in Happy Valley.
- Indiana won last season's meeting, 76-60, on Jan. 23, 2020 inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
- Penn State was within one of #17/24 Indiana at halftime, but the Hoosiers pulled away in the second half to secure the 76-60 victory.
- Kamaria McDaniel led Penn State with a game-high 24 points, while Siyeh Frazier followed with 14.
HIGH-OCTANE OFFENSE
- Head Coach Carolyn Kieger's high-octane offense has been on full display through the first seven games of the season as the Lady Lions are averaging 78.7 points per game, a mark that ranks in 42nd in Division I as of Jan. 6.
- Penn State scored 87 points in its Big Ten opener against Purdue on Dec. 20. It marked the most points the Lady Lions have scored in a Big Ten game since Jan. 17, 2016 when PSU put up 87 against Michigan.
- Penn State has scored 70-plus points in six of seven 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.
INTO THE FIRE
- The strength of the Big Ten is on full display as Penn State is in the midst of facing top-20 opponents in three-straight games and four of five contests.
- The Lady Lions took on #14 Maryland last Thursday, traveled to #16 Ohio State Monday and are now returning home to host #19 Indiana on Jan. 7. Penn State will then face #22 Northwestern at home on Jan. 17 after a road trip to Minnesota.
- The Big Ten currently has six teams in the AP Top 25, the most of any conference. Two other Big Ten teams are receiving votes in the poll.
BALANCED ATTACK
- Penn State has had eight different players score in double figures through just seven games this season.
- The Lady Lions had seven different players put together double-digit efforts in 30 games a season ago.
- Kelly Jekot has scored in double figures in all seven games, while Johnasia Cash has tallied five double-digit efforts.
- Makenna Marisa (4), Tova Sabel (3), Anna Camden (2), Shay Hagans (2), Niya Beverley (1) and Maddie Burke (1) have also put together double-digit games.
- Additionally, three different Lady Lions have record 20-plus point games. Jekot and Marisa have two 20-plus point games apiece, while Maddie Burke has also gone off for 20 on one occasion.
STEADY IMPROVEMENT
- Penn State has seen significant improvement in a number of statistical categories from the 2019-20 season to thus far this season.
| Category | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | Difference |
| Points per game | 66.6 | 78.7 | +12.1 |
| 3-pt. FG pct. Defense | 34.5% | 25.6% | +8.9% |
| Field goal percentage | 39.2% | 44.6% | +5.4% |
YOUNGEST TEAM IN THE BIG TEN
- Penn State's 2020-21 roster features eight freshmen and five transfers who are seeing their first court time in in the Blue and White this season.
- The eight freshmen, all true freshmen, are tied for the national lead in number of freshmen on Division I rosters. Oral Roberts and Incarnate Word also have eight freshmen on their rosters.
- Penn State is ranked as the ninth-youngest team in Division I, and the youngest in the Big Ten, with an average age of 19.56.
- Penn State has 12 players that have two or less years of Division I playing experience, which equates to 75 percent of its roster. The 12 rostered players with two or less years of DI playing experience is tied for ninth-most amongst all Division I rosters.
UP NEXT
- Penn State hits the road to take on Minnesota Sunday. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT from Minneapolis.