UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Makenna Marisa's double-double led the Penn State women's basketball team to a 90-72 victory over Illinois on Sunday in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Lady Lions improved to 8-7 overall and 2-3 in Big Ten play. Illinois dropped to 6-9 overall and 1-3 in conference.
Marisa posted 25 points, on 8-of-16 from the floor, and 10 assists for her second double-double of the year. She added five rebounds and two steals. Marisa had a triple-double earlier this season against Delaware State.
Marisa's performance on Sunday was Penn State's first points-assists double-double against a Big Ten team since Dara Taylor (15p, 10a) against Minnesota in 2014.
Shay Hagans recorded a season-best 17 points, on 8-of-11 from the field, along with four assists and four steals. Leilani Kapinus contributed 14 points, four rebounds, two steals and two blocks, while Maddie Burke had 12 points, hitting four-of-five three-point attempts. Anna Camden added eight points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
Penn State shot 51 percent from the floor (35-of-68) and 50 percent from three (11-of-22). The Lady Lions shot 50 percent or above in each of the first three quarters, capped by a 71 percent third quarter. The blue and white held a 35-10 advantage on Fastbreak points and a 46-36 advantage in the paint.
Illinois was paced by De'Myla Brown's 19 points and five steals. Sara Anastasieska had 11 points off the bench, while Aaliyah Nye scored 10. Illinois shot 39 percent (29-of-75) from the floor.
Penn State led 24-14 after the opening quarter. PSU earned a 9-3 advantage to open the game, including the first six points by Hagans. A 7-2 run followed, with four points by Marisa and three by Kapinus, to push the lead to 16-8. A pair of threes by Marisa and a layup by Brigham closed out the quarter.
The Lady Lions' lead grew to 39-20 with 2:40 left in the half on the strength of a 10-0 run where five different lions contributed. Penn State led 49-26 at the break.
Penn State scored 29 points in the third quarter, shooting 71 percent from the floor. A layup by Illinois' Geovana Lopes cut PSU's lead to 51-32, but Penn State got it back above 20 on a 5-2 run by Marisa. A three-point play by Kapinus gave PSU its biggest lead of the game, 72-45, with 3:46 left in the quarter. PSU led 78-53 after three.
Illinois started the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run to cut its deficit to 78-64 at the 5:43 mark. However, Penn State responded with an 11-5 stretch, highlighted by three triples from Burke, to extend the lead back to 89-69 with 1:05 remaining.
The Lady Lions visit Northwestern on Thursday, January 20. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on B1G+.
