UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women’s basketball welcomes Canisius to Happy Valley on Thursday, Nov. 7 for the second game of the 2024-25 campaign. The Lady Lions look to extend their non-conference home court win streak to 13-games dating back to 2022, marking the fourth longest stretch in program history..
GAME INFORMATION
vs Canisius
- Date: Thursday, Nov, 7, 2024 | Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Location: University Park, Pa. | Venue: Bryce Jordan Center
- Live Stats | Watch: B1G+ | Notes | Radio
- Admission: Ticketed
LAST TIME OUT
- Penn State earned a dominant 90-68 victory in its season opener against Bucknell on Monday, Nov. 4.
- Moriah Murray and Gracie Merkle combined for 49 points, Murray with 28 and Merkle with 21, to lead the team to their first win of the season.
- Murray’s 28-point outing set a career high in points, but her eight made three-pointers set another personal record. Her eight made shots from long-range also ties for second for most three-pointers made in a single-game in Lady Lions history.
- Merkle recorded her 20th career double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds. She also posted four blocks on the defensive end.
- Grace Hall had a career night, setting a new personal high with 13 points on four-of-five shooting from the field.
- Alli Campbell led the team with six assists.
- Gabby Elliott made her PSU debut and nearly reached double figure scoring with nine points and picked up three assists and three steals.
- The Lady Lions press proved effective, forcing 22 turnovers and converting 33 points from the miscues.
- Penn State strung together 33 points in the first quarter, its first 30-plus-point period since putting up 30 against Iowa in the 4th quarter on Feb. 8, 2024. Murray accounted for 16 of the points in the first stanza against Bucknell.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFINS
- The Griffs produced a 17-14 overall season record last year, making a run in the MAAC Tournament to the semifinals where they lost to eventual champions and NCAA Tournament team Fairfield.
- In their season opener, Canisius lost to Pitt on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The final score was 78-36.
- The Griffins picked up a new head coach in the off-season. Tiffany Swofford entered her first head coaching season after spending the 2023-24 campaign working as an assistant coach under Penn State head coach Carolyn Kieger. Swofford also hired Courtney Roman, a former Lady Lions graduate assistant.
PENN STATE – CANISIUS SERIES
- This will be the first meeting between the Lady Lions and the Griffins in program history.
- Penn State women’s hoops began in 1965 while Canisius’ program kickstarted in 1975.
2023-24 SEASON IN REVIEW
- Penn State produced its best overall record in a decade with its 22-13 season.
- The Lady Lions advanced to the Final Four of the Inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament, marking their first postseason appearance since 2017-18.
- Penn State was one of four one-seeds in the tournament after just missing a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Lady Lions finished ranked sixth in the Big Ten.
- Penn State consistently ranked in the top-10 in three major statistical categories throughout the 2023-24 campaign. PSU produced one of the highest level offenses in the country with steady recognition in field goal percentage, three-point percentage and scoring offense.
- The Lady Lions had for 100-plus-point performances, 13 90-plus point games and 21 80-plus point performances.
- Penn State shattered its single game three-point record on two different occasions last season. Once against Central Connecticut on Dec. 20 with 15 three-pointers and then again when it hosted Maryland on Jan. 28 with 16.