Women’s Basketball Hosts George Mason in First Round of Women's Basketball Invitational TournamentWomen’s Basketball Hosts George Mason in First Round of Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament
Mark Selders

Women’s Basketball Hosts George Mason in First Round of Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women's basketball will make its first postseason appearance since 2018 as a number one seed in the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitational at home against George Mason. Tip off at the Bryce Jordan Center is set for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
The NCAA announced the WBIT in 2023 to create equitable NCAA supported postseason basketball opportunities for male and female student-athletes. The 32-team field now creates 100 postseason opportunities for women's basketball student-athletes in addition to the 68-team NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championships, equal to the men.
 
GAME INFORMATION
vs George Mason

  • Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024 | Time: 6 p.m. ET
  • Location: University Park, Pa. | Venue: Bryce Jordan Center
  • Live Stats | Watch: ESPN+ | Notes | Radio
  • Admission: Ticketed 

LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State dropped a 95-62 contest to two-seeded Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on March 8.
  • The Lady Lions advanced to the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals for the first time since 2014.
  • Leilani Kapinus led the way for the Lady Lions with an impressive stat line of 19 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
  • Ashley Owusu contributed 18 points, six boards and two assists on the night.
  • The Blue and White held the Hawkeyes to 40.3% shooting from the field and 34.1% from three, both below their season average.

LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS 

  • Shay Ciezki ranks sixth in the B1G and 66th nationally in made three-pointers with 71. Her 38.0 clip beyond the arc sits her sixth in the conference and 58th nationally and her 2.29 per game sits at sixth in the B1G and 66th in the country.
  • Leilani Kapinus is second in the B1G in steals with 64 and third in steals per game, grabbing 2.06 per game. She is also fifth in the conference in blocks per game with a 1.13 mark.
  • The Lady Lions are ninth in the country in three-point percentage and third in the B1G, shooting 37.5%. 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 83.6 points per game.
  • Penn State ranks sixth in the nation and third in the conference in field goal percentage (49.0).
  • The Lady Lions also rank second in the league in steals per game (9.6), second in blocked shots per game (4.2) and second in bench points per game (25.6).
  • Penn State's defense forces 18.42 turnovers per game which is second in the B1G and 60th in the nation.

2023-24 ACCOLADES

  • Five Lady Lions earned postseason conference honors, the most Penn State has seen since 2008. Ashley Owusu earned second team All-Big Ten coaches and honorable mention by media. Makenna Marisa was named to second team All-Big Ten media and honorable mention by coaches. Leilani Kapinus earned All-Defensive team for coaches and media as well as honorable mention by media. Shay Ciezki and Tay Valladay are honorable mentions.
  • Marisa was named to the Watch List for the 2024 College All-Star Game.
  • 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. She repeated on the list on 2/6 after averaging 17.5 points, eight rebounds and four assists in two games while tallying her 1,500th career point.
  • 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 11/27.
  • 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 found herself on the honor roll again on 1/29 after surpassing 2,000 career 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 PATRIOTS

  • George Mason comes in with a 23-7 (14-4 Atlantic 10) record.
  • The Patriots finished fourth place in the A-10, earning a double bye in the conference tournament before falling to Duquesne in the quarterfinals.
  • George Mason earned a Power 6 non-conference victory against the ACC's Pitt, 60-52 and played a competitive game against Big Ten foe Maryland, falling 86-77.
  • Graduate guard Sonia Smith paces the squad in scoring with 15.3 points per game. She is second on the team in assists behind fellow guard Paula Suárez. 
  • Sophomore forward Zahirah Walton is the other scorer in double figures for the Patriots, averaging 10.9 points per game. She brings down 5.6 rebounds per game.
  • George Mason led the A-10 in scoring margin at 12.9, good for 35th in the nation.
  • The Patriots rank fifth in the A-10 and 43rd nationally in scoring defense, holding opponents to 57.9 points per game. 

PENN STATE–GEORGE MASON SERIES

  • The Lady Lions lead the series with the Patriots 2-1. 
  • Penn State won the first two matchups of the series in December 2004 and 2005, but George Mason took the most recent contest on in a 78-68 decision Nov. 24, 2019.
  • The series is tied 1-1 in games at the Bryce Jordan Center.