CLEMSON, S.C. – The Penn State women's basketball team fell 67-64 at Clemson in a tight battle that went down to the final seconds on Sunday afternoon in Littlejohn Coliseum. Penn State dropped to 3-1 on the season and Clemson improved to 2-2.
Junior Makenna Marisa led the Lady Lions offense with 29 points, including three three-pointers, and eight assists to go with five rebounds. Niya Beverley posted nine points and five rebounds, while Anna Camden notched nine points and four boards. Leilani Kapinus had six points and five rebounds and Nyam Thornton added six points. Penn State shot 39 percent from the field and 46 percent from three.
Clemson was paced by Kelly Elliott's 19 points and eight rebounds. Delicia Washington had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds to go with six assists. Clemson shot 37 percent from the field and 27 percent from three.
A back-and-forth first quarter end with a 7-0 run by the Lady Lions to hold an 18-12 advantage. Ali Brigham and Nyam Thornton made back-to-back layups before Marisa drained a three. Marisa had 10 points in the quarter.
Penn State extended its lead to 25-15 early in the second quarter with a pair of buckets by Marisa and a three-pointer by Beverley. Clemson cut the Lady Lions' lead to four, 33-29, with 2:24 left in the half, but a layup by Camden and a three by Marisa gave Penn State a 38-31 advantage at the break.
A 9-2 run towards the end of the third quarter gave Clemson its first lead of the half, 52-50, with 32 seconds left in the period. A pair of free throws by Marisa tied the game going into the fourth quarter.
Penn State worked a three-point lead, 59-56, with 5:29 remaining after two free throws by Marisa and a jumper by Camden. The Tigers responded with a three by Kiara Lewis and layups by Washington and Eno Inyang to hold a 63-59 advantage with 3:54 to go.
The Lady Lions tied the game at 63-63 with 1:57 remaining after a jumper by Marisa and free throws by Beverley and Shay Hagans. However, layups by Lewis and Washington pushed Clemson's lead back to four before a free throw by Marisa cut the lead to three.
Penn State travels to Estero, Fla. for the Gulf Coast Showcase, beginning on Friday, Nov. 26 against St. John's. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. with a broadcast on FloHoops.
The Lady Lions will meet either Iowa State or Charlotte on Saturday, Nov. 27 with a tipoff time TBD and will finish the invitational on Sunday, Nov. 28.
