1111
Craig Houtz

Lady Lions Roll to 7-0 Start, Beat Bulldogs 68-49

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Penn State women's basketball is off to their best start in 26 years as the Lady Lions advance to 7-0 overall with a 68-49 win over Fresno State (4-3) Saturday afternoon at the Ocean Center in the Daytona Beach Invitational. The Lady Lions forced a season-high 34 turnovers and with a season-high 22 steals against the Bulldogs.

Fresno State opened the game hot from downtown, making four three-pointers in the first five minutes. But Penn State came back firing, forcing six turnovers and cashing them in for seven points while going on a 11-0 run over the final five minutes of the period for an 18-14 lead.

The Lady Lions continued to press, outscoring the Bulldogs 19-9 in the second quarter alone. Back-to-back steals from Alli Campbell turned into points for Taniyah Thompson, who went on her own 6-0 run to start the period. Penn State continued to wreak havoc for Fresno State, forcing 10 turnovers that created 11 points.

Five seconds before the break, Makenna Marisa navigated around a trio of Bulldogs to dish to Leilani Kapinus whose layup at the buzzer gave the Lady Lions the 37-23 lead at the half.

The third quarter saw both sides score 14 points each, keeping Penn State ahead. The Lady Lions did not let off the gas, taking their largest lead of 27 points in the final period while causing 18 Bulldog turnovers.

NOTES

  • The 1996-97 team also started 7-0.
  • The seven straight wins is the longest since an 11-game streak from Dec. 9, 2012-Jan. 27, 2013.

  • Penn State forced a season-high 34 Bulldog turnovers and cashed them in for 32 points. Prior, the most Fresno State committed was 21 against UC Riverside on Nov. 15.

  • The Lady Lions' bench accounted for 43 points.
  • This is the second game this season that Penn State has scored 50+ points in the paint (Bryant, 58).
  • Penn State finished with the advantages in fast break (18-0) and second chance points (16-8) and finished with 21 assists to 12 turnovers.
  • Campbell swiped a career-high six steals, and Kapinus matched her with six steals.
  • Alexa Williamson led all scorers with 15 points.
  • The Lady Lions held Fresno State's leading scorer Yanina Todorova (14.4) to just eight points.


UP NEXT
Penn State hosts Virginia for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on Wednesday, Nov. 30. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center.