UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Led by a dominant 26-point performance from redshirt sophomore guard Moriah Murray, Penn State women’s basketball saw a quintet of student-athletes crack double-digits as the Lady Lions tallied a 92-83 victory over the in-state rival Duquesne Dukes Sunday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center.
The Blue & White improved to 3-0 overall through their first week of competition in the 2024-25 campaign, with the Lady Lions starting unbeaten through three games for the fifth year in a row. Penn State continued its all-time dominance over the Dukes, rising to 18-1 since the first meeting of the two programs in 1983. PSU also extended its non-conference home court winning streak to 14 consecutive wins dating to an 89-57 win over Canisius on December 22, 2022. The streak currently stands as the third-longest non-conference home winning streak in Penn State women’s basketball history. In defeat, Duquesne falls to 1-1 overall following their second game of the year, previously publishing a 76-66 win over Ivy League foe Princeton earlier this year.
On Sunday afternoon’s final box score, the Lady Lions took home wins in multiple statistical categories highlighted by a 50% to 48% shooting edge from the field in addition to a dominant 52% performance from beyond the arc. Penn State was also a force to be reckoned with in the painted area, dominating on the glass for a 42-27 differential in the rebounding battle in addition to a 15-8 win on the offensive boards. Penn State’s win on the offensive glass amounted to 14 second-chance points. The Blue & White finished the day’s performance with 92 total points, cracking the 90-point scoring threshold for the second time in their first three games.
Individually, the Dunmore, Pennsylvania, native Murray was dominant in practically every element of her game, nearing a career high with 26 points on 7-for-12 shooting in addition to an efficient 6-for-10 performance from 3-point range. Murray also matched her season high with a quartet of rebounds and also contributed a steal to her final line. Graduate forward Tamera Johnson had a breakout performance for the Lady Lions on Sunday, dropping a season-best 17 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field coupled with a career-high-tying trio of 3-point makes.
Elsewhere on the box score, redshirt sophomore center Gracie Merkle poured in 13 points and five rebounds, with all five boards coming on the offensive end of the court. Graduate guard Gabby Elliott was a revelation in her third straight Lady Lion start, dropping 12 points with six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Senior guard Jayla Oden rounded out the quintet of Penn Staters in double figures Sunday afternoon, dropping 12 points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Finally, redshirt senior guard Alli Campbell chipped in with a career-high eight assists, a career-high-tying pair of blocks, six points and two steals in a career-best 36 minutes played.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Duquesne hauled in the opening tipoff and capitalized on the first possession of the game with a right-wing triple, but Campbell found Merkle on PSU’s first offensive opportunity of the game to get the Lady Lions on the board. After exchanging buckets on the ensuing possessions, Duquesne secured an offensive rebound and layup, followed by another triple moments later to take an 11-4 lead and force a PSU timeout. Stingy defense kept both squads off the board for a two-minute stretch, but an and-one from Merkle and a triple from Oden kept PSU in it. From that point, the Dukes went on a 13-2 run to extend their lead to double figures, but a Murray triple from the left corner cut into the deficit. Duquesne took a 30-15 lead following the first 10 minutes.
Second Quarter
Elliott battled for an offensive rebound down low and found the bottom of the net with an athletic layup to give PSU some early momentum in the second quarter. The Lady Lions started the second on a 6-2 run, and persistent pressure on both ends of the court saw Penn State settle in, but a left-wing 3-pointer saw Duquesne maintain a double-digit edge. Elliott replied with a triple of her own moments later to make it a single-digit contest at 38-30 with 5:30 to go in the half. Murray kept the good times rolling with a triple from the right corner, and Campbell buried back-to-back baskets to punctuate a 12-0 Penn State run to make it a one-point game at the media timeout, 38-37. Out of the break, the Dukes nailed a triple and drew a charge on the defensive end, but Murray hit a three of her own from the left wing to keep PSU within one. Duquesne connected on an athletic driving layup, but Elliott hit a three from the right corner to deadlock the game at 43 apiece with just over 30 seconds to play in the half. The Dukes booked a 1-for-2 trip to the stripe and ultimately had a chance at the last shot, but the last-ditch 3-pointer went wide right as Duquesne took a meager one-point lead into the half, 44-43
Third Quarter
Penn State opened the third quarter with a trip to the stripe, where Merkle connected on 1-of-2 to tie the game up at 44-all. The Dukes responded with a 3-pointer, but back-to-back buckets from Elliott and Merkle gave Penn State its first lead of the game. Both squads exchanged baskets over the next few minutes, with a pair of Duquesne makes inside the arc juxtaposed against a left corner three from Johnson that culminated in a 53-51 Penn State edge at the third quarter media break. Offense was hard to come by out of the media intermission, with the Dukes nailing a quartet of free throws to take a narrow two-point lead, but Murray and Johnson buried back-to-back triples to put PSU back up by four. Duquesne answered with a three of their own, but Penn State closed the frame out on a 7-3 run to take a 66-61 lead into the final period of play.
Fourth Quarter
Duquesne opened the fourth quarter with a paint jumper and a split trip to the charity stripe, but Penn State responded with an emphatic 6-0 scoring run thanks to a long-range make from Johnson and a steal-and-score opportunity for Murray. The Dukes were forced into a timeout with 7:37 remaining in the game, trailing PSU by 72-64 margin. Out of the timeout, Oden kept the good times rolling with a triple from head-on, but the Dukes were able to halt the PSU run with a quick layup on the other end. Four straight free throws by PSU were succeeded by a pair of baskets from Duquesne before the media break, with PSU leading 79-70 with five minutes to go. Out of the break, the teams swapped big-time long-range baskets, with Murray’s apparent dagger nixed by a Duquesne triple moments later. From that point forward, Penn State controlled the game and buried a high volume of free throws to take home a 92-83 victory in their third game of the week.
POSTGAME NOTES
Duquesne at Penn State
November 11, 2024
Bryce Jordan Center (University Park, Pa.)
- Penn State demonstrated one of its largest comebacks in program history, coming back from an early 18-point deficit.
- The turning point of the game was a 12-0 run led by Elliott with back-to-back points and Campbell with four fast break points including one off a steal.
- Five Lady Lions scored in double figures, the first time five different players reached the double-digit mark since a win at Purdue on Feb. 28, 2024.
- Penn State extended its non-conference home court winning streak to 14-straight games, becoming the third longest unbeaten stretch in program history.
- Murray recorded another 25-plus-point outing with 26 points on seven-of-12 shooting from the field including six-of-10 from long range. Murray also was perfect from the charity stripe on six shots in key moments in the contest.
- Johnson was a pivotal player in big moments throughout the game, posting 17 points on five-of-seven shooting, going a perfect three-of-three from beyond the arc. She also recorded seven boards, three steal and two assists.
- Despite early foul trouble, Merkle managed her third consecutive double-digit outing with 13 points and five rebounds.
- Elliott put up 12 points including the three pointer that tied the game during the Penn State comeback.
- Oden was the fifth Lady Lion to surpass double figures with 12 points. She also drew eight fouls which proved to be a key component of the Lady Lions’ win with 30 trips to the free throw line.
- Penn State outrebounded Duquesne 42-27.
- The Lady Lions produced their third-straight 20-plus-point assist game.
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