Lady Lions Welcome Illinois On SundayLady Lions Welcome Illinois On Sunday
Mark Selders

Maddie Burke

Lady Lions Welcome Illinois On Sunday


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team hosts Illinois on Sunday for a Big Ten matchup at the Bryce Jordan Center. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. on B1G+.

The Lady Lions, led by head coach Carolyn Kieger, are 7-7 overall and 1-3 in Big Ten play this season. Penn State looks to bounce back after dropping a 74-57 decision vs. No. 11 Michigan.

FOLLOW ALONG

PARKING
All Penn State Athletics non-football events will require a valid permit or payment of the applicable parking fee for campus lots. Complimentary parking will no longer be issued for season ticket holders.
 
Fans with valid Penn State University Park parking permits will be permitted to park at non-football athletics events for free, following Transportation Services parking policies and access.
 
Fans without a permit are encouraged to prepay for event parking at a discounted rate through ParkMobile - https://psu.parkmobile.io/. Prepayment is available through 11:59 p.m. the day prior to each event. Season packages will be available for general parking for most sports, and information on VIP parking options available for select events will be released later.
 
Please visit the 2021-22 Women's Basketball Parking page for additional information.
 
Non-football event parking is managed by Penn State Transportation Services. For more information on parking for this event, please email parking@psu.edu or call 814-865-1436. 

JARED BOX GAME

  • Fans are encouraged to bring small gifts, toys, games, crayons, coloring books or other similar items that can fit inside of a plastic shoebox.
  • The goal of the Jared Box Project is to lift the spirits of children in the hospital. Boxes filled with the "gift of play" are given to young patients in emergency rooms, hospital rooms, surgical centers and clinics.
  • Fans that donate an item can receive an additional ticket for just five dollars.

 
OPENING TIP

  • Penn State continues Big Ten play against Illinois on Sunday in the Bryce Jordan Center.
  • The Lady Lions lead the all-time series, 39-16, and have won nine of the last 10 meetings.
  • The Lady Lions are 5-1 at home this season.
  • Penn State looks to bounce back after dropping a 74-57 decision against No. 11 Michigan.
  • Leilani Kapinus and Makenna Marisa each had 17 points to lead PSU.
  • Ali Brigham added 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
  • Penn State recorded 10 steals and seven blocks.
  • The Lady Lions have registered at least 10 steals in five games this season and at least six blocks in four games.
  • Penn State holds second in the Big Ten in steals per game (9.8) and third in blocks per game (4.2).
  • With 17 points against Michigan, Marisa is averaging 19.5 points per game against ranked         opponents this season.
  • Her 19.5 ppg sit second among Big Ten players who have faced at least four ranked opponents.
  • Marisa is also averaging 20.8 ppg in conference games.
  • Brigham is averaging 11.8 ppg off the bench in the last four games.

 
SCOUTING ILLINOIS

  • Illinois is led by head coach Nancy Fahey.
  • In her fifth season at the helm, Fahey is 41-87 leading the Fighting Illini.
  • Prior to her time at Illinois, Fahey coached 31 years at Washington University in St. Louis, going 737-133 and reaching 29 NCAA Tournaments and winning five national titles.
  • Illinois ranks 12th in the Big Ten in scoring offense (65.6 ppg) and 12th in scoring defense (68.2).
  • Aaliyah Nye paces Illinios averaging 11.8 points per game.
  • Nye is sixth in the Big Ten in three-pointers made per game (2.57).
  • Kendall Bostic is one of the top rebounders in the country. She leads the Big ten in rebounds per game (11.9) and defensive rebounds per game (8.3), both good for sixth in the nation. She also holds eighth in the country in total assists (167).
  • Erika Porter holds third in the conference in blocks per game (1.27).

 
AGAINST THE FIGHTING ILLINI

  • Penn State will meet Illinois for the 56th time in the series.
  • The Lady Lions lead 39-16 in the all-time series and have won nine of the last 10 meetings.
  • In the last matchup, on January 28, 2021, Penn State earned an 80-76 victory.
  • Makenna Marisa paced the Lady Lions with 24 points while Shay Hagans added 18 off the bench.

 
MARISA'S STRONG JUNIOR CAMPAIGN

  • Junior Makenna Marisa scored at least 11 points in all 14 games this season and has 20+ points in eight games, five 25-point games and two 30-point games.
  • She had 20 points vs. Rider (11/11), 30 vs. Delaware State (11/16), 29 at Clemson (11/21), 25 vs. St. John's (11/26), 23 vs. Kent State (11/28), 21 at Indiana (12/6), a career-high 33 at Duquesne (12/18) and 29 at Maryland (1/6).
  • Makenna Marisa ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring (21.4 ppg), good for 10th in the country. Her 21.4 points per game rank fourth among Power Five players.
  • In conference games, Marisa is averaging 20.8 points per game with three of four games coming against ranked opponents. Her 20.8 points per game against conference opponents are tied fourth in the Big Ten.
  • Marisa's also averaging 19.5 points per game against ranked opponents this season.
  • She sits fourth in the conference and 15th in the nation in total points (299). Marisa's 12th in the country in field goals made (115) and 10th in field goal attempts (256).
  • Marisa also holds seventh in the Big Ten in assists per game (4.5), ranking 73rd in the nation, and holds 10th in total assists (63). She's also eighth in the conference averaging 2.29 three-pointers per game.
  • Marisa is tied 10th among DI players with eight 20-point games this season and is one of 23 DI players with multiple 30-point games this year.
  • Marisa is one of 16 DI players with double-figures in all of their games this season (minimum 14 games).

 
SWATS AND STEALS

  • Penn State sits second in the Big Ten in steals per game (9.8) and third in blocks per game (4.2).
  • The Lady Lions hold fifth in the conference in total steals (137).
  • Penn State has at least 10 steals in five different games this year, including a season-high 25 vs. Delaware State.
  • Shay Hagans leads PSU with 24 steals followed by Marisa's 23 and Kapinus' 22.
  • The Lady Lions also have four games with at least six blocks, including a season-best 10 at Duquesne.
  • Brigham paces PSU with 17 blocks followed by Kapinus' 16 and Anna Camden's 10.

 
BRIGHAM OFF THE BENCH

  • Sophomore forward Ali Brigham has come off the bench in each of the last four games.
  • She is averaging 11.8 points per game and 5.8 rebounds in that span to go with seven blocks.
  • She tallied 13 points vs. Rutgers, 15 at Duquesne and 11 against Michigan.
  • She recorded three blocks in each game vs. Duquesne and Michigan.
  • Brigham started her 2021-22 campaign with 20 points vs. LIU and 23 vs. Rider, becoming the first Lady Lion to score 20+ points in the first two games of a season since Brianna Banks in 2015.
  • She collected her first career double-double against St. John's with 19 points, on 8-of-12 shooting, and 10 rebounds.
  • She had 10 points against No. 13 Iowa State and a team-high 18 points at Boston College.
  • Through 14 games, Brigham ranks third in field-goal percentage (57.7), good for 17th in the nation, and third in blocks per game (1.31) in the Big Ten.

 
KAPINUS DOING IT ALL

  • Freshman Leilani Kapinus has 22 steals, with three in each contest against Rider, Kent State and Boston College, leading Big Ten freshmen.
  • The Wisconsin native has 16 blocks, which is good for second among Big Ten freshmen and 16th among all Division I freshmen.
  • She's averaging 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest and led the team in rebounds in three games.
  • Against ranked opponents, Kapinus is averaging 10.5 points per game to go with five blocks and five steals.
  • She had a career-high 20 points vs. Youngstown State, adding seven rebounds, four assists, four blocks and two steals. She scored 10 points in the fourth quarter vs. St. John's, 12 points at Maryland and 17 vs. Michigan.

 
STEPPING UP AGAINST RANKED TEAMS

  • In four games against ranked opponents this season, Makenna Marisa is averaging 19.5 points per game while shooting 42.5 percent from the field.
  • Her 19.5 points per game are second among Big Ten players who have played at least four games against ranked opponents.
  • She tallied 11 points against No. 13 Iowa State, 21 at No. 6 Indiana, 29 at No. 10 Maryland and 17 vs. No. 11 Michigan.
  • At Maryland, Marisa scored 24 of her 29 points in the second half, shooting 10-of-12 from the field.
  • Leilani Kapinus is averaging 10.5 points against ranked opponents, including 12 at Maryland and 17 vs. Michigan. She also has five blocks and five steals.

 
UP NEXT

  • Penn State visits Northwestern on Thursday, January 20. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on B1G+.