UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women's basketball is set to face Belmont for the first ever meeting between the two teams in the second round of the inaugural Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament. The second postseason game for the Lady Lions is set for Monday, March 25 in the Bryce Jordan Center.
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 Belmont
- Date: Monday, March 25, 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 battled from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force the game into overtime using a 8-2 run and clutch free throws.
- Leilani Kapnius tied the game at 70-70 in the final 4 seconds. After the Lady Lions got two stops on the defensive end of the court forcing turnovers and using an important block from Kylie Lavelle, Kapinus drew a foul to get free throw opportunities.
- Kapinus had a standout performance, notching her fourth double-double of the season with a career high 15 rebounds and 13 points. She also had three assists and three steals.
- Ashley Owusu led the team on offense with 20 points and picked up four boards and four assists.
- Ali Brigham picked up another double digit scoring performance with 15 points including two game shifting layups, one in the fourth quarter and one in the final seconds of the overtime victory to make it a two possession game.
- The Lady Lions were dominant in the paint, outscoring the Patriots by 50-24.
- Penn State also outrebounded George Mason 47-38.
- PSU shot 49.2 % from the field and held the Patriots to 37% shooting.
LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS
- Shay Ciezki ranks sixth in the B1G and 68th nationally in made three-pointers with 72. Her 38.0 clip beyond the arc sits her sixth in the conference and 64th nationally and her 2.25 per game sits at seventh in the B1G and 74th in the country.
- Leilani Kapinus is second in the B1G in steals with 67 and second in steals per game, grabbing 2.09 per game. She is also fifth in the conference in blocks per game with a 1.16 mark.
- The Lady Lions are 11th in the country in three-point percentage and third in the B1G, shooting 37.4%. They also rank 17th nationally and third in the conference in three-pointers per game with 8.7. The team also has the sixth 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 (9.4), second in blocked shots per game (4.2) and second in bench points per game (25.6).
- Penn State's defense forces 18.25 turnovers per game which is second in the B1G and 66th 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 BRUINS
- Belmont improves to a 26-8 record overall with its win over Ball State in the first round of the WBIT on Thursday.
- The Bruins finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference overall but fell to Missouri State in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
- Penn State and Belmont have two common opponents in Northwestern and Ohio State. The Bruins beat Northwestern 83-61 on Nov. 24 at the Ball Dawgs Classic and lost to Ohio State on Dec. 22 84-55.
- Four Bruins average double figure scoring: Tessa Miller (14.4), Jailyn Banks (12.7), Kendal Cheesman (11.7) and Tuti Jones (11.3).
- Belmont ranks first in its conference and in field goal percentage defense (39.2). The Bruins also rank first in the MVC in scoring defense and three-point percentage defense.
- The Bruins have the 45th best winning percentage in the country.
- Tuti Jones leads the conference in steals with 85.
- Tessa Miller leads the MVC in field goal percentage, shooting a 57.6 clip.
- Kendal Cheesman sits second in the conference in three pointers made and three-point percentage.
- Five Bruins earned postseason conference recognition: Jailyn Banks was named the MVC Freshman of the Year, Tessa Miller earned second team All-MVC, Tuti Jones was named to second team All-MVC and landed on the All-Defensive Team. Kendal Cheesman was named to third team and to the All-Freshman team. Lastly, Emily La Chapell garnered MVC All-Newcomer Team honors.
- This will be Belmont's 11th postseason appearance in an invitation tournament in the last 12 seasons.
- Belmont is 78 in the NET rankings.