UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women's basketball cruises to another 40 plus point victory margin with a dominant 107-44 win over Navy. Redshirt junior Leilani Kapinus paced the Lady Lions on both sides of the ball, logging a career-high 24 points to go along with nine rebounds and four assists. Penn State improves to 2-0 on the 2023-24 season.
Senior+ guard Makenna Marisa broke the 1,800-point mark, bringing her career total to 1,815. The Lady Lions surpassed 100 points for the first time since Nov. 16, 2021, against Delaware State, where they scored 120. The 63-point margin of victory was the team's largest since they defeated Bryant 96-33 in November of 2022. This margin is also tied for the fourth highest in program history.
The Blue and White controlled the contest from start to finish. Penn State dominated on the boards, owning a 57-33 advantage. The highly effective full-court press produced another 20+ turnover outing. The Lady Lions forced the Midshipmen into 26 turnovers after forcing Bucknell into the same number in their season-opener. A 30.8-point edge in shooting percentage allowed Penn State to build a comfortable lead that they held on to for much of the night, with the team shooting 55.4%.
Once again, every Lady Lion on the floor scored in the contest. Kapinus' 24-point outing and 83.3% percentage from the paint led the team as Shay Ciezki (17), Makenna Marisa (16), Moriah Murray (12), Ali Brigham (10) and Chanaya Pinto (10) all hit double-digits. Marisa shot 8-for-11 and grabbed eight rebounds. Murray, a redshirt freshman, scored all her points off three-pointers. She rounded out her night with five boards and three assists. Graduate guard Tay Valladay tallied a game-high six assists.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Leilani Kapinus opened the scoring for the evening driving in a layup after the opening tip. Navy responded with two back-to-back threes to get off to and early lead. The Midshipmen extended their lead to 9-4 before Kapinus came back with five points to tie it at nines.
After a timeout was called by Navy, the Lady Lions stopped its proceeding drive collecting the rebound and converting two points.
Marisa's block on a Midshipmen shot sent them to inbound the ball with just a few seconds on the clock and Kapinus blocked the last second shot to give the Lions the ball back. Penn State extended its lead to 20-14 with just under five minutes to play in the quarter.
Murray picked up where she left off in her Lady Lion debut earlier in the week picking up a steal on a Navy offensive drive.
Chanaya Pinto's two points turned into three to broaden the Lady Lion lead to 27-14. Murray sunk a shot from deep moments later to double the lead.
Marisa worked both sides of the court forcing a turnover and taking the ball to the basket herself on a fast break. The score after 10 minutes of play was 33-14.
Second Quarter
Marisa scored the first points of the quarter off a Navy turnover forced by Pinto. The blue & white held the Midshipmen to no points through four minutes of the second stanza.
Kapinus was the difference maker in the second quarter turning defense into offense. After blocking a Navy shot, she went on an eight-point scoring drive to put the Lady Lions up 41-16 through five minutes of play.
A slight scoring drought for both teams was ended by Kapinus' defense once again, collecting a rebound and passing the ball to Shay Ciezki down the court. The redshirt junior contributed to two more points, passing the ball to Tay Valladay who sunk the ball for two.
The score at the halftime break was 56-21.
Third Quarter
The Lady Lions returned to the court with the same level of pressure, extending their lead to 60-21 in the opening minutes, forcing Navy to use a timeout just one minute into the half. Ali Brigham sunk the first basket and Ciezki turned a Midshipmen turnover into two points for herself.
Valladay produced offensive opportunities for Penn State, as she was awarded four free throws throughout the third quarter.
Murray entered the game and sunk a shot from deep and hustled back to collect a board on the defensive end. She passed the ball from the backcourt and found Lavelle who went straight to the basket for two points to make the score 77-29.
Penn State owned an 85-35 lead after 30 minutes of play.
Fourth Quarter
Brigham scored the first points of the fourth quarter after a dry five minutes of game time for the Lady Lions. Her two baskets in the paint extended the lead to 89-38.
A steal from Marisa turned to two more points off a driving layup following the turnover to push Penn State in the 90-point range.
Kapinus scored the 100th point of the game for the Lady Lions after earning two shots at the line.
POSTGAME NOTES
Penn State vs Navy
November 10, 2023
Bryce Jordan Center (University Park, PA.)
Attendance: 2,127
Penn State Scoring Leader: Leilani Kapinus (24)
Penn State Rebounding Leader: Leilani Kapinus (9), Ali Brigham (9)
Penn State Assist Leader: Tay Valladay (6)
1st Half:
Penn State Scoring Leader: Leilani Kapinus (18)
Penn State Rebounding Leader: Makenna Marisa (5)
Penn State Assist Leader: Tay Valladay (3), Kylie Lavelle (3)
2nd Half:
Penn State Scoring Leader: Moriah Murray (9)
Penn State Rebounding Leader: Ali Brigham (6)
Penn State Assist Leader: Tay Valladay (3), Moriah Murray (3)
Penn State Team Notes:
- Lady Lions scored 56 points in first half and 51 in the second half.
- Every Lady Lion that played scored at least 2 points.
- Penn State held Navy scoreless for 11 minutes of play through the first and second quarter.
- This is the Lady Lions biggest margin of victory since beating Bryant 96-33 In November of 2022 and their first game with over 100-points since 2021.
Lady Lions Individual Notes:
- Kapinus was in double figures after the first quarter, totaling 18 by the end of the first half and a career high 24 by the end of the contest. She shot 89% from the field going 10-for-12.
- Marisa earned her second straight game in double figures, continuing a four-game streak dating back to last season. She recorded her 28th game as a Lady lion scoring double digits.
- Ciezki scored double-digit points again with 17 points on the night.
- Valladay had a game high six assists.
UP NEXT
The Lady Lions continue a three-game home stretch when they welcome Kansas to Happy Valley on Monday, Nov. 13. Tip off in the Bryce Jordan Center is set for 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.