UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team heads back on the road Sunday to square off against Minnesota in a 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT showdown in Minneapolis.
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
- Digital Program: Digital Program
OPENING TIPS
- Penn State hits the road Sunday for an early-evening contest at Minnesota.
- A young Penn State team has played top-25 opponents in each of its last three games and four of its last five contests. The Lady Lions will be in search of their first conference win of the season.
- Penn State's balanced offense has shined this season as eight different Lady Lions have scored in double figures and Penn State is averaging 76.9 points per game.
- Graduate transfer Kelly Jekot leads the team with 16.0 ppg. Makenna Marisa (13.8 ppg) and Johnasia Cash (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg) are also averaging double-digit points.
IF PENN STATE BEATS MINNESOTA
- The Lady Lions would earn their first win at Minnesota since Feb. 5, 2012 when Penn State defeated the Gophers on the road, 68-65.
- Penn State would earn its first win of Big Ten play.
- The Lady Lions would earn their first road victory of the season.
SCOUTING THE GOPHERS
- Minnesota carries a 2-5 overall record and 1-4 mark in Big Ten play into Sunday's matchup against Penn State.
- The Gophers' defense ranks at the bottom of the Big Ten statistical standings as Minnesota has given up an average of 82.6 ppg through its first seven games.
- Minnesota earned its first Big Ten win of the season on Jan. 3 at Wisconsin with an 88-83 overtime victory over the Badgers. The Gophers have dropped Big Ten games to Michigan State (81-68), Northwestern (80-51), Indiana (75-54) and Iowa (92-79).
- Four Gophers are averaging double-digit points, led by Jasmine Powell's 16.4 ppg. Kadiatou Sissoko follows with 14.6 ppg and a team-best 7.7 rpg. Gadiva Hubbard (11.3 ppg) and Sara Scalia (10.6 ppg) round out the double-digit scoring.
AGAINST MINNESOTA
- Penn State leads the all-time series 28-21, but Minnesota has won the last six matchups.
- The Lady Lions will be looking for their first win in Minneapolis since Feb. 5, 2012 when Penn State defeated Minnesota 68-65.
- The Gophers won both of last season's matchups, including an 85-65 decision in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament on March 4.
- Penn State led 42-37 at halftime, but the Gophers shot 59.4 percent from the field in the second half to walk away with the 85-65 victory.
- Anna Camden went 4-for-5 from three-point range in that game for 12 points.
INTO THE FIRE
- The strength of the Big Ten is on full display as Penn State is coming off a stretch of facing three-straight top-25 opponents. Penn State has faced top-25 opponents in four of its last five games.
- The Lady Lions took on #14 Maryland on Dec. 31, traveled to #16 Ohio State on Jan. 4, returned home to host #19 Indiana on Jan. 7. Penn State will then face #22 Northwestern at home on Jan. 17 after Sunday's 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.
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.
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 | 76.9 | +10.3 |
| 3-pt. FG pct. Defense | 34.5% | 25.3% | +9.2% |
| Field goal percentage | 39.2% | 44.0% | +4.8% |
TRANSFERS MAKING AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT
- Graduate transfer Kelly Jekot (previously Villanova), senior Johnasia Cash (previously SMU) and senior Niya Beverley (previously Wisconsin) have all made an immediate impact for Penn State.
- Jekot leads the team with 16.0 points per game and has recorded double-doubles in three of Penn State's eight games thus far this season. Jekot tallied just one double-double in her three years at Villanova and has flourished under Kieger's system.
- Cash currently ranks third on the team with 11.9 points and first with 7.4 rebounds per contest. The SMU transfer came to Penn State over the offseason and was granted immediate eligibility for 2020-21. Cash, a McKeesport, Pa. native, is coming off her best performance in a Penn State uniform against #19 Indiana in which she recorded her second double-double of the season with a season-best 19 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Her 17 rebounds were the most by a Penn State player since 2017 and the second most by a Big Ten player this season.
- Senior Niya Beverley (previously Wisconsin) was granted immediate eligibility for Big Ten play thanks to the NCAA's blanket transfer waiver. She recorded a 14-point and 5-rebound performance at #16 Ohio State on Jan. 4.
UP NEXT
- Penn State will have a bye from mid-week action, and the Lady Lions will return to the court Sunday, Jan. 17 when PSU hosts #22 Northwestern inside the Bryce Jordan Center.