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Lady Lions Welcome Minnesota for Senior Day on Sunday

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women's basketball concludes regular season play hosting Minnesota on Sunday, March 3 as the team recognizes their seniors prior to the game. The Lady Lions and Golden Gophers square off for the second time this season with Penn State looking to sweep the series. Tip off in the Bryce Jordan Center is set for 1 p.m.
 
The Lady Lions will honor Ali Brigham, Ashley Owusu, Tay Valladay, Chanaya Pinto and Makenna Marisa in their Senior Day ceremony brought to you by the Penn State Alumni Association.
 
Penn State, 17-11, 8-9 Big Ten, looks to continue momentum from its recent win over Purdue and return to .500 in conference play. Minnesota, 15-13, 5-12 Big Ten, looks to snap a three-game losing streak.
 
GAME INFORMATION
vs Minnesota

  • Date: Sunday, March 3, 2023 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
  • Location: University Park, Pa. | Venue: Bryce Jordan Center
  • Live Stats | Watch: B1G+ | Notes | Radio
  • Admission: Ticketed

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

  • PARKING: Parking for all athletic events requires a valid university permit or payment of an applicable parking fee. Parking can be purchased in advance by 11:59 p.m. the day prior to each game using Prepaid ParkMobile for $5.50, or can be purchased on game day for $10. Parking for men's basketball can be found at Jordan East, Stadium West, or Porter North lots.
  • MOBILE TICKETING: All Penn State Athletics tickets are once again mobile tickets.  Fans can access Penn State Athletics mobile ticket guide at GoPSUsports.com/mobiletickets. Make sure to have the updated Penn State Athletics App downloaded on your phone to easily access and manage your mobile tickets. Download the app on the App Storeand Google Play.
  • CLEAR BAG POLICY: The Bryce Jordan Center has a clear bag policy. Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVB and are 12" x 6" x 12" or smaller are permitted. Small clutches or wristlets that are 4" x 6" x 1" are also permissible, as well as one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags. All clear bags and patrons are subject to metal detection and/or bag inspection upon entering the venue. Bag policy details can be found here.

LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State snapped its six-game slide with a overall team 93-88 road win at Purdue, claiming a sweep of the season series with the Boilermakers.
  • Five double figure Lady Lion scorers, led the team to their 17th overall and eight Big Ten win.
  • Ashley Owusu led the team with 23 points, her second straight game posting 20-plus-points. She also collected eight rebounds and four assists.
  • Makenna Marisa posted 17 points, Jayla Oden totaled 15, Kapinus had 14 and Ciezki put up 10.
  • Marisa moved into the fourth spot all-time in scoring at Penn State, surpassing Teniya Page with 2,122 career points.
  • The Lady Lions produced 56.1% shooting from the field marking the 12th time they clipped a 50% or better margin and ninth time shooting 55% or better.
  • Penn State posted its lowest assist number of the year while adding 19 assists.
  • The Lady Lions put up 93 points, their 11th 90-plus-point game of the year.

LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS 

  • Makenna Marisa ranks 13th in the B1G in field goal percentage (46.6).
  • Shay Ciezki ranks fourth in the B1G and 39th nationally in made three-pointers with 67. Her 39.0 clip beyond the arc sits her sixth in the conference and 46th nationally and her 2.39 per game sits at fifth in the B1G and 55th in the country.
  • Leilani Kapinus is second in the B1G in steals with 60 and steals per game, grabbing 2.14 per game. She is also fifth in the conference in blocks per game with a 1.18 mark.
  • The Lady Lions are eighth in the country in three-point percentage and second in the B1G, shooting 38.4%. They also rank 15th nationally and third in the conference in three-pointers per game with 8.8. The team also has the seventh highest scoring offense in the country, averaging 84.2 points per game.
  • Penn State ranks sixth in the nation and third in the conference in field goal percentage (49.2).
  • The Lady Lions also rank second in the league in steals per game (9.8), third in blocked shots per game (4.1) and second in bench points per game (25.7).
  • Penn State's defense forces 19 turnovers per game which is second in the B1G and 44th in the nation.

2023-24 ACCOLADES

  • Ashley Owusu was named to the Big Ten Weekly Honor Roll (1/22) after averaging 19.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in two of Penn State's B1G wins.
  • 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 GOLDEN GOPHERS

  • After starting the 2023-24 campaign red hot, the Golden Gophers are nearing the .500 record mark. They sit at 15-13, 5-12 Big Ten.
  • Minnesota has signature wins over Michigan, Nebraska and Michigan State.
  • They sit at 11th in the conference standings.
  • Since losing starter Mara Braun in January, the Golden Gophers are 8-1.
  • The Gophers'' most recent loss was a broad 108-60 final score to Iowa on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
  • Three current players average double figures: Grace Grocholski (11.5), Amaya Battle (11.0) and Sophie Hart (10.2).
  • Battle ranks third in the conference in assists (157) and assists per game (5.6).
  • Mallory Heyer sits fourth in the B1G in rebounds per game (8.3).
  • As a team, Minnesota is first in the confernce in foulds, third in rebounds and fourth in turnover margin.

PENN STATE –MINNESOTA SERIES

  • The Lady Lions lead the all-time series with the Golden Gophers by a 31-25 margin winning the most recent contest earlier this season.
  • The Lady Lions are 17-9 in games played in Happy Valley against Minnesota.
  • Penn State won the first meeting played in Minneapolis. The final score was 80-64.
  • Four Lady Lions scored in double figures: Ciezki (18), Owusu (17), Kapinus (16) and Marisa (13).
  • Ciezki shot 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-9 from three-point range. 
  • Ashley Owusu posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. She also had a team high six assists.
  • Kapinus' 6-of-9 shooting was coupled with lockdwon defense, posting six boards, two blocks and two steals.
  • The win over Minnesota on Jan. 31 marked Penn State's six-straight win to propel the Lady Lions to their best start to a season overall and in conference play since 2013-14.