PHILADELPHIA — Penn State's big second half, overcoming a 17-point deficit, was not enough as the Lady Lions (8-4) fell 86-82 in overtime at Drexel (7-3) Sunday in the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
To start the game, Penn State grabbed a two-possession lead by outscoring Drexel 9-5 midway through the first quarter. But the Dragons would go on a 7-0 run to end the quarter leading 17-11.
In the second, Drexel would break ahead for a 17-point advantage. Shay Ciezki interrupted an eight-point run with a jumper and with 2.1 seconds left, made a layup and drew the foul. Her good free throw made it a 12-point game at the half, 41-29.
Penn State began the second half with back-to-back treys from Leilani Kapinus and Ciezki cutting the deficit to single digits. Following a bucket from the Dragons, the Lady Lions went to the line making four-straight, which marked a 15-2 run going back to the final minute of the first half.
A Ciezki trey and Marisa layup under five minutes put the Lady Lions within a point. Drexel took back the lead for the rest of the quarter, but Penn State looked strong outscoring the Dragons 24-16.
The Lady Lions battled to tie the game three times in the fourth quarter before Marisa knocked down her career-tying seventh trey to bring Penn State their first lead since 5:04 in the first.
Drexel edged closer with free throws and tied it at 76 under a minute left. With three seconds to go, the Dragons missed a pair of free throws and Alexa Williamson got the board. After a timeout, the Lady Lions inbounded the ball to Marisa, who was blocked on the game-winning layup attempt sending Penn State to overtime for the second time this season (at Minnesota, Dec. 3).
Chanaya Pinto opened overtime with a free throw, and a Ciezki three-pointer put Penn State up by four. However, the Dragons scored nine straight points for the 85-80 advantage with 41 seconds left.
NOTES
- Marisa finished with team-high 28 points and five assists.
- Marisa moved into eighth in program history in made career three's (154), advancing ahead of Jaida Travascio-Green (147, 2017-20) and Zhaque Gray (149, 2009-12).
- She notched her 29th career 20+ point game and 67th in double-digits.
- Ciezki's 16 points was just two shy of her career-best she made vs. Syracuse on Nov. 21.
- The freshman now has seven double digit scoring games this season.
- Alexa Williamson produced 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals.
- The Lady Lions shot 52% from deep with a season-high 12 three-pointers.
- The Lady Lions out-rebounded Drexel 34 to 23.
- The Blue & White also had the edge in fastbreak points (13-5), second chance points (9-4) and bench points (7-6).
UP NEXT
Penn State returns home for a Wednesday matchup against Cornell at noon.