Women’s Basketball Set for Road Contest at RutgersWomen’s Basketball Set for Road Contest at Rutgers
Penn State Athletics

Women’s Basketball Set for Road Contest at Rutgers

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PISCATAWAY, N.J.- Penn State women's basketball will square off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Sunday, Jan. 14. Tip off in Jersey Mikes Arena in Piscataway, N.J. is set for 2 p.m. and will be streamed on B1G+. 
 
The Lady Lions are in search of their second Big Ten win of the season and 1,000th program win on Sunday afternoon.
 
GAME INFORMATION
vs Rutgers

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024 | Time: 2 p.m. ET
  • Location: Piscataway, N.J. | Venue: Value City Arena
  • Live Stats | Watch: B1G+ | Notes | Radio
  • Admission: Ticketed

LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State dropped a hard-fought road game to no. 14 Indiana in Bloomington. 
  • The Lady Lions were in the lead for the first two quarters, maintaining a five-point edge at the halftime break after Shay Ciezki nailed a buzzer beating three-point shot. 
  • Indiana came back with a strong second half and outscored Penn State 41-28 in the second half. 
  • The Lady Lions outscored the Hoosiers 46-38 in the paint.
  • Penn State forced 20 IU turnovers and converted 19 points from that defense. 
  • Four Lady Lions scored double digit points: Kapinus (15), Brigham (14), Valladay (13) and Ciezki(12).
  • Makenna Marisa made her first appearance on the court since getting injured in December.
  • There were nine lead changes and 12 tie scores throughout the contest. 
  • Penn State scored the first points of the game.
  • Turnovers and free throws were the decision maker for the Lady Lions, losing the ball 22 times and only shooting 12-23 from the charity stripe. 

LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS 

  • Shay Ciezki ranks 10th in the Big Ten, averaging 15.9 points per game. Her total of 239 points through 15 games sits at a rank of 10 as well. Ciezki is fourth in the Big Ten and 18th nationally in made three-pointers with 44. Her 41.5 clip beyond the arc sits her fifth in the conference.
  • Leilani Kapinus is sixth in the conference in blocks per game with a 1.0 mark.
  • The Lady Lions are second in the country in three-point percentage and first in the B1G, shooting 41.2%. They also rank 16th nationally and third in the conference in three-pointers per game with 9.0. The team also has the eighth highest scoring offense in the country, averaging 87.2 points per game.
  • Penn State ranks seventh in the nation and third in the conference in field goal percentage (50.6).
  • The Lady Lions also rank second in the league in steals per game (10.6), second in blocked shots per game (4.7) and second in bench points per game (26.5).
  • The Lady Lions defense forces 20.93 turnovers per game which is second in the B1G and 26th in the nation.

2023-24 ACCOLADES

  • Shay Ciezki collected her first conference accolade of the season after totaling 62 points through three games including a personal best 27-point performance against Oklahoma State in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship. The Buffalo native made the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll on Nov. 27.
  • Marisa earned a spot on the three-person Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll (11/20) after her to double digit scoring outings against Kansas (34 points) and St. John's (15 points).
  • Marisa was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List for the second consecutive season. She also earned a spot on the All-Big Ten preseason team.
  • Owusu repeats on the Ann Meyers-Drysdale Award Watch List.

SCOUTING THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

  • The Scarlet Knights have not won a game since Dec. 5 when they beat La Salle. They have dropped seven consecutive games since then. 
  • Rutgers has lost to Indiana, Purdue, Iowa, Northwestern and Ohio State in conference.
  • The Red and White finished the 2022-23 season with a 12-20 overall record and 5-13 in the conference. After defeating Northwestern in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, they lost to RV at the time Illinois.
  • Two Scarlet Knights average double digit points. Kaylene Smikle leads the team averaging 16.1 points per game. Destiny Adams follows behind with 12.9 ppg and 7.4 rebounds per game. 
  • Rutgers ranks first in the conference in blocked shots per game, averaging 4.9 each contest. 
  • The Scarlet Knights sit fourth in the league in offensive rebounding average, grabbing boards at a 13.4 clip on the offensive side. 
  • Anotnia Bates sits third in the B1G in blocks with 28 and third in blocked shots per game with 1.65. 
  • Chyna Cornwell ranks second in total rebounds with 154 and fourth in the Big Ten in rebounds per game with 8.6.

PENN STATE –RUTGERS SERIES

  • The Scarlet Knights own the all-time series with the Lady Lions 21-34.
  • Meeting between Penn State and Rutgers date back to 1977 and proceeded into the 80s when both teams were in the inaugural A10 Conference Tournament. The Lady Lions defeated the Scarlet Knights in the A10 Tournament Championship with a 77-74 decision.
  • The most recent match up ended in a 86-82 Rutgers win in overtime, one of Penn State's four overtime games last season.
  • The Lady Lions are 4-19 in games played in Piscataway.