UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team returns from a 2-0 road trip to open a stretch of back-to-back home games Thursday night when the Lady Lions host Nebraska. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. from 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 | Nebraska Notes
OPENING TIPS
- Penn State looks to stay hot when Nebraska comes to town for a Thursday night showdown in Happy Valley.
- Penn State is coming off a 2-0 Midwestern road trip as the Lady Lions took down Illinois (80-76) and Purdue (80-70) last week. The Lady Lions have won three-straight road contests.
- Johnasia Cash earned Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll accolades after recording double-doubles in all three of Penn State's games last week. She is the first Penn State player to notch double-doubles in three-straight games since 2007.
- The Lady Lions are the youngest team in the Big Ten with an average age of 19.56 and eight true freshmen on the roster.
IF PENN STATE BEATS NEBRASKA
- The Lady Lions would earn their third-straight win and four of their last six games.
- Penn State would beat Nebraska for the first time since 2017 and snap a three-game skid against the Huskers.
- The Lady Lions would improve to 7-7 overall and 4-6 in Big Ten play.
SCOUTING THE HUSKERS
- Nebraska enters Thursday's contest with a 9-5 overall record and 7-4 mark in conference play, good for sixth place in the Big Ten standings.
- The Huskers own three wins against top-25 teams this season. Nebraska has beaten #15 Northwestern (65-63), #23 Michigan State (68-64) and #15 Ohio State (63-55).
- The Huskers have won four of their last five games and are coming off an 84-68 win against Wisconsin in their most recent contest last Thursday, Jan. 28.
- Sam Haiby leads the team with 17.8 points per game in addition to her 7.6 rebounds per contest that ranks second on the team.
AGAINST NEBRASKA
- Nebraska holds a slim 8-6 advantage in the all-time series, but the Huskers have won seven of the last eight meetings.
- Penn State is 3-3 when playing Nebraska inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
- The Huskers claimed last season's lone meeting 75-58 on Feb. 13, 2020 in Lincoln, Neb.
- Nebraska used a strong third quarter to pull away as the Huskers were red hot from the field in the third term, shooting 76.2 percent (11-for-14).
- Makenna Marisa led Penn State with 15 points, while Anna Camden added nine.
THROWBACK THREADS
- Penn State will be donning its black and pink uniforms for Thursday night's game against Nebraska.
- Black and pink were Penn State's original school colors in the 1880s. Penn State switched to blue and white in 1890.
ROAD WARRIORS
- Penn State is coming off a 2-0 road trip last week and the Lady Lions have won their last three road games.
- Penn State started its Midwestern road swing last Thursday by taking down Illinois 80-76. The Lady Lions capped the trip with an 80-70 win at Purdue Sunday.
- Penn State's three-member sophomore class of Makenna Marisa, Shay Hagans and Anna Camden combined for 52 points to lead the charge in the Lady Lions' 80-76 road victory at Illinois.
- Penn State then rallied for a come-from-behind win at Purdue Sunday, outscoring the Boilermakers 64-44 in the final 25 minutes en route to the 80-70 win. PSU trailed by as much as 11 in the second quarter, marking the first time Penn State erased a 10-point deficit to come back and win since Nov. 21, 2018 vs. North Dakota.
FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
- Penn State was clicking on both sides of the ball during its 2-0 road trip.
- The Lady Lions averaged 18.0 assists per game to just 9.5 turnovers per contest in the two games combined. Penn State forced an average of 18.0 turnovers out of its opponents, while collecting 10.5 steals per game.
CASH IS MONEY
- Senior transfer Johnasia Cash (previously SMU) has been on a tear as of late, recording double-doubles in five of Penn State's last six games, including each of the last three.
- The McKeesport, Pa. native became the first Penn State player to record double-doubles in three-consecutive games since 2007 when she notched her third-straight at Purdue Sunday. Amanda Brown was the last PSU player to accomplish the feat 14 years ago.
- Cash is averaging 18.5 points and 12.3 rebounds per game in the last six contests.
- Cash has scored in double figures in 11 of Penn State's 13 games, while adding six double-digit rebounding efforts.
- Cash's efficiency has improved greatly in her first year under Head Coach Carolyn Kieger. She's shooting 48.4 percent (76-for-157) from the field and was a 36.0 percent (266-for-738) shooter in her three seasons at SMU.
BEVERLEY BLOSSOMING
- Senior transfer Niya Beverley's (previously Wisconsin) steady presence on the court has been a key factor in Penn State's success as of late.
- Over the last three games, Beverley has dished 18 assists compared to just two turnovers.
- She tied her season high with 14 points in Penn State's most recent win at Purdue Sunday.
UP NEXT
- Penn State remains home Sunday to host Wisconsin at 2 p.m. inside the Bryce Jordan Center.