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Craig Houtz

Women’s Basketball Faces Rutgers In Road Matchup On Sunday

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team takes on Rutgers on Sunday, February 13 in a Big Ten road matchup. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at Jersey Mike's Arena with a broadcast on B1G+.

The Lady Lions, led by head coach Carolyn Kieger, are 9-14 overall and 3-10 in Big Ten action. Penn State had a strong comeback attempt, but fell short, 81-77 at Purdue on Wednesday. Makenna Marisa earned her fourth 30-point game of the season with 31 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter.
 
FOLLOW ALONG

 
OPENING TIP

  • The Lady Lions visit Rutgers on Sunday for a Big Ten contest.
  • Penn State trails 31-20 in the all-time series.
  • The Lady Lions earned a 52-48 win over Rutgers earlier this season.
  • Penn State had a furious fourth-quarter comeback, but fell short at Purdue, 81-77, on Wednesday.
  • The blue and white scored 32 points in the quarter, led by Makenna Marisa's 19.
  • Marisa tallied 31 points for her fourth 30-point game of the season. She added seven rebounds and seven assists.
  • With four 30-point games, Marisa has the most by a PSU player since Teniya Page's four in 2016-17.
  • Marisa ranks sixth in the nation averaging 22.7 points per game and averages 23.6 points per     contest against Big Ten opponents.
  • Penn State recorded 16 steals at Purdue, its most in a Big Ten game since February 10, 2013 against Michigan State (17).
  • The Lady Lions rank second in the Big Ten in steals per game (9.9) and total steals (227).
  • Shay Hagans and Leilani Kapinus are tied second in the conference with 44 total steals and sit third in the league averaging 1.91 steals per game.

 
SCOUTING RUTGERS

  • Rutgers is led by C. Vivian Stringer, in her 27th season at the helm. Stringer is 539-291 in her time at Rutgers.
  • She has led Rutgers to 17 NCAA Tournaments and two Final Fours.
  • However, Stringer announced in early November that she would not coach this season due to COVID-19 concerns.
  • Associate head coach Timothy Eastman has served as the head coach on game days.
  • The Scarlet Knights are 7-17 this season and 0-12 in Big Ten play.
  • Last Sunday, Rutgers fell 61-57 against No. 21 Ohio State.
  • The Scarlet Knights are averaging 55.4 points per game, paced by Osh Brown's 10.0 ppg. Shug Dickson is contributing 7.8 ppg.
  • Brown ranks fourth in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 9.1 per game.
  • Sayawni Lassiter sits fourth in the conference in total steals (42), while Tyia Singleton is second in total blocks (28).
  • Rutgers is allowing 58.7 points per contest, leading the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights also sits third in the Big Ten with 221 total steals.

 
AGAINST THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

  • Penn State will meet Rutgers for the 52nd time in the series.
  • The Scarlet Knights lead the series, 31-20.
  • Earlier this season, Penn State earned a 52-48 win at the Bryce Jordan Center on December 9, 2021.
  • Makenna Marisa led the Lady Lions with 16 points, while Ali Brigham had 13 and Tova Sabel contributed 10.

 
MARISA ADDED TO DAWN STALEY AWARD WATCH LIST

  • Junior Makenna Marisa was named to the Dawn Staley Award Watch List.
  • Marisa has scored at least 11 points in all 23 games this season and has 20+ points in 15 games, 11 25-point games and four 30-point games. Her four 30-point games are the most by a Penn State player since Teniya Page's four in 2016-17.
  • She had 30 vs. Delaware State (11/16), 29 at Clemson (11/21), 25 vs. St. John's (11/26), a career-high 33 at Duquesne (12/18), 29 at Maryland (1/6), 25 vs. Illinois (1/16), 26 at Wisconsin (1/23), 32 vs. Iowa (1/25), 27 at Nebraska (2/3), 25 vs. Northwestern (2/6) and 31 at Purdue (2/9).
  • Marisa recorded her 1,000th career point on a fourth-quarter layup against Iowa.
  • She has recorded a triple-double (30 points, 11 assists, 10 steals vs. Delaware State) and two double-doubles (25 points, 10 assists vs. Illinois).
  • Makenna Marisa ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring (22.7 ppg), good for sixth in the country. Her 22.7 points per game rank third among Power Five conference players.
  • In conference games, Marisa is averaging 23.6 points per game with five games coming against ranked opponents. Her 23.6 points per game against conference opponents are second in the Big Ten.
  • Marisa's also averaging 21.5 points per game against ranked opponents this season.
  • She sits second in the conference and fourth in the nation in total points (523). Marisa's sixth in the country in field goals made (186) and seventh in field goal attempts (417). She's 26th in the nation in free throws made (98). Marisa also holds eighth in the Big Ten in assists per game (4.3) and total assists (98). She's also eighth in the conference averaging 2.30 three-pointers per game.
  • Marisa is fifth among DI players with 15 20-point games this season, second with 11 25-point games and tied sixth with four 30-point games this year.
  • Marisa is one of two DI players with double-figures in all of their games this season (minimum 23 games).

 
MARISA ECLIPSES 1,000 CAREER POINTS

  • On a fourth quarter layup against Iowa, junior guard Makenna Marisa reached the 1,000 career point mark.
  • She became the 40th Lady Lion to score 1,000 career points.
  • Marisa is the 21st Penn State player to reach 1,000 points before the end of their junior season.
  • Marisa is one of six Big Ten underclassmen with 1,000 career points.
  • She currently sits at 1,122 career points, 32nd all-time at Penn State, in 77 career games.

 
SWATS AND STEALS

  • Penn State sits second in the Big Ten in steals per game (9.9) and third in blocks per game (4.3). The Lady Lions hold second in the conference in total steals (227).
  • Penn State has at least 10 steals in 11 different games this year, including a season-high 25 vs. Delaware State and 16 at Purdue.
  • The 16 at Purdue were Penn State's most since February 10, 2013 at Michigan State (17).
  • Shay Hagans and Leilani Kapinus lead PSU with 44 steals followed by Marisa's 37.
  • Penn State is one of 10 Division I teams with three players recording 37 or more steals this year, joining DePaul, Manhattan, Maryland, New Mexico, Niagara, San Diego, Syracuse, Tennessee State and Western Illinois.
  • The Lady Lions also have six games with at least six blocks, including a season-best 10 at Duquesne.
  • Kapinus paces PSU with 27 blocks followed by Ali Brigham's 25 and Anna Camden's 16.
  • Kapinus ranks third in the Big Ten in blocks per game (1.17), while Brigham sits fifth (1.15).

 
HAGANS FORCING TAKEAWAYS

  • Junior guard Shay Hagans has been a force on the defensive end this season.
  • She ranks third in the Big Ten in steals per game (1.91) and second in total steals (44).
  • Hagans has recorded at least one steal in 20 games and has multiple steals in 13 games.
  • The junior notched a career-high six steals against Youngstown State. She also recorded five steals against Delaware State and four in each game against Illinois and Wisconsin.

 
KAPINUS DOING IT ALL

  • Freshman Leilani Kapinus scored in double-figures in 10-straight games from January 6 (at Maryland) through February 6 (Northwestern).
  • Kapinus has 44 steals, including a career-high five at Northwestern, leading Big Ten freshmen and sitting 14th among Division I freshmen.
  • The Wisconsin native has 27 blocks, which is good for second among Big Ten freshmen and 13th among all Division I freshmen.
  • Kapinus is second in total steals and third in total blocks in the Big Ten.
  • She's averaging 9.1 points, fourth among Big Ten freshmen, and 5.0 rebounds per contest, second among conference rookies, and led the team in rebounds in seven games.
  • Against ranked opponents, Kapinus is averaging 11.0 points per game to go with nine blocks and eight steals.
  • She had a career-high 20 points vs. Youngstown State. She scored 17 vs. Michigan, 15 at Northwestern and 15 vs. Northwestern.

 
STEPPING UP AGAINST RANKED TEAMS

  • In six games against ranked opponents this season, Makenna Marisa is averaging 21.5 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field.
  • Her 21.5 points per game are second among Big Ten players who have played at least five games against ranked opponents.
  • She tallied 11 points against No. 13 Iowa State, 21 at No. 6 Indiana, 29 at No. 10 Maryland, 17 vs. No. 11 Michigan, 32 vs. No. 23 Iowa and 19 vs. No. 17 Maryland. At Maryland, Marisa scored 24 of her 29 points in the second half, shooting 10-of-12 from the field.
  • Leilani Kapinus is averaging 11.0 points against ranked opponents, including 12 at Maryland, 17 vs. Michigan and 14 vs. Maryland. She also has nine blocks and eight steals.

 
UP NEXT

  • Penn State returns to the Bryce Jordan Center to host Nebraska on Thursday, February 17. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on B1G+.