UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Enjoying a stellar junior season, Makenna Marisa was added to the Dawn Staley Award Watch List on Saturday. She is one of 17 players on the watch list.
The Dawn Staley Award, given by the Phoenix Club of Philadelphia, is presented to the most outstanding collegiate guard in the country; a player who exemplifies the skills that Dawn possessed during her career (ball handling, scoring, her ability to distribute the ball and her will to win). Four finalists will be announced in Mid-March and the winner will be announced the weekend of the Final Four. The award will be presented on Thursday, April 7.
Marisa is averaging 22.4 points per game, ranking second in the Big Ten and seventh in the country. She's also averaging 23.0 points per game in conference play.
The junior's 21.5 points per game against ranked opponents are second among Big Ten players who have played at least five games against ranked teams.
Marisa has scored at least 11 points in all 22 games this season, one of five players in the country who have scored double-figures in every game this season (minimum 22 games).
Marisa has tallied 14 games with 20+ points, ranked fifth in the country, 10 games with 25+ points, second in the nation, and three 30-point games.
The Pennsylvania native sits second in the conference, fourth in the country, in total points (492). She also holds sixth in the nation in field goals made (177) and 10th in field goal attempts (393).
Marisa ranks eighth in the Big Ten in assists per game (4.1) and total assists (91). She's also ninth in the Big Ten averaging 2.27 three-pointers per game.
Marisa earned her 1,000th career point against Iowa on January 25. She's currently tied 33rd all-time at Penn State with 1,091 career points.
On November 16, Marisa recorded a triple-double (30 points, 11 assists, 10 steals) vs. Delaware State. It was Penn State's first triple-double since Suzie McConnell vs. Western Kentucky in 1988. Marisa's triple-double was the 25th points-assists-steals triple-double in NCAA Division I history and the 30th 30-point triple-double. She was awarded Big Ten Player of the Week for her efforts.
Marisa also had a double-double against Illinois, with 25 points and 10 assists.
Marisa scored a career-high 33 points at Duquesne (12/18) and 32 points vs. No. 23 Iowa. She also had 29 points at Clemson (11/21) and at No. 10 Maryland (1/6), 27 at Nebraska (2/3), 26 at Wisconsin (1/23) and 25 vs. St. John's (11/26), Illinois (1/16) and Northwestern (2/6).
The Lady Lions travel to Purdue for a Big Ten matchup on Wednesday, February 9. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. with a broadcast on B1G+.
