UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – In a game that featured multiple big runs by both teams, the Penn State women's basketball team fell 78-72 against Northwestern on Sunday in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Wildcats recorded the final big run of the game, a 17-2 stretch in the fourth quarter, to earn the victory. Penn State is now 9-13 overall and 3-9 in Big Ten play, while Northwestern is 13-8 overall and 5-5 in conference matchups.
Penn State celebrated its 16th annual Play4Kay Game Benefiting Pink Zone, including 142 breast cancer survivors in attendance.
Makenna Marisa led Penn State with 25 points, her 14th game with 20+ points and 10th with 25+ points this season. She added four assists and three steals. Leilani Kapinus recorded her 10th-straight game with double-figures, notching 15 points to go with seven rebounds and three steals. Tova Sabel added nine points and five rebounds, while Ali Brigham had eight points and seven rebounds off the bench. Penn State shot 45 percent from the field (29-of-64), but went 4-of-16 from the three-point line.
Northwestern was paced by Veronica Burton's 22 points, eight assists and four steals. Jillian Brown had 14 points, while Laya Hartman added 13 as part of five Wildcats in double-figures. Northwestern shot 47 percent from the field (26-of-55) and 47 percent from three (10-of-21).
A strong first quarter finished with the Lady Lions leading 28-18. After a jumper by Northwestern's Burton put the Wildcats ahead, 7-4, the Lady Lions rattled off a 14-0 run. Marisa led the run with six points, while Kapinus and Sabel each had four. Threes by Marisa and Anna Camden helped the blue and white to close out the quarter with a 10-point advantage.
Northwestern climbed back in the second quarter, beginning the period with threes by Brown and Burton to close within six. An 8-4 stretch by the Wildcats helped them cut the deficit to 39-37 going into the break. Marisa tallied six of Penn State's 11 points in the quarter.
The teams traded significant runs in the third quarter. Northwestern began the period with a 13-2 run, including a pair of threes by Hartman and one by Brown, to hold a 50-41 lead at the 6:28 mark. Penn State answered with a 21-3 run, including five points each by Shay Hagans and Kapinus. Brigham contributed a pair of layups and Sabel concluded the run with a three. After a layup by Northwestern's Shaw, Penn State went into the final quarter with a 62-55 lead.
A cold-shooting fourth quarter hurt the Lady Lions as they went 5-of-17 from the field (29 percent). The Lady Lions held onto their lead until back-to-back threes by Hartman and Lauryn Satterwhite put the Wildcats ahead, 69-66, with 5:24 remaining. Kapinus answered with a layup to put Penn State within one. However, Northwestern scored the next six points, including four by Brown, to extend its lead to 75-68 with 32 seconds to go. A pair of layups by Marisa each brought Penn State within five. Satterwhite converted a free throw for the final margin.
Penn State travels to Purdue on Wednesday, February 9 for a 7 p.m. Big Ten matchup, live streamed on B1G+.
Leilani Kapinus