LONG BEACH, Calif.- Penn State women’s basketball closes out its California road trip with a contest against the number one team in the country UCLA. Due to wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area, the game has moved from the campus of UCLA to Long Beach State’s campus. Tip time between the Lady Lions and the Bruins is set for 9:30 p.m. ET inside Walter Pyramid and will be available to stream on Peacock.
GAME INFORMATION
at no. 1 UCLA
- Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 | Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Long Beach, Calif. | Venue: Walter Pyramid
- Live Stats | Watch: Peacock | Notes | Radio
- Admission: Ticketed
LAST TIME OUT
- Despite a strong first quarter against USC in the first game of their road trip, the Lady Lions fell short to no. 4 USC on Sunday night. In the second quarter, Juju Watkins found her stride and extending the Trojans’ lead to 56-31 at the halftime break. USC continued to balloon its advantage throughout the contest and Penn State could not climb back.
- Four Lady Lions produced effective scoring numbers, to lead Penn State to 73 total points, tied for the second-largest point total scored on USC this season.
- Freshman Talayah Walker posted her second-straight double figure scoring outing with 18 points. Walker shot perfect from the free throw line, making all six of her shots. She also posted five boards and four assists.
- Gabby Elliott surpassed the 10-point mark for the fifth-straight game. Elliott put up 15 points and five rebounds.
- Gracie Merkle strung together 13 points to return to the double figure scoring column. She also grabbed five boards in the contest.
- Alli Campbell was the final Lady Lions to reach double-digit scoring with 10 points while also dishing out four assists.
- Grace Hall led the team in rebounding for the first time this season, grabbing nine boards.
- The Lady Lions won the rebounding battle, grabbing 44 boards to the Trojans’ 38.
- Penn State produced 30 points from the bench.
LAST TIME AGAINST UCLA
- Penn State and UCLA have not faced off in over four decades, with the last meeting occurring on Feb. 6, 1983.
- The Lady Lions won the contest 79-70 on the Bruins’ home court.
- Penn State was no. 19 and UCLA was no. 18. It was the team’s first ranked win of that season.
SCOUTING THE BRUINS
- After defeating no. 1 South Carolina on Nov. 24, UCLA claimed the top-ranked spot in the nation for the first time in school history. It was the program’s first time defeating the number one team while removing the defending national champions from that spot for the first time this season.
- UCLA is one of just three teams remaining that are undefeated this season, along with Ohio State and LSU. The team holds a 16-0 overall and 5-0 Big Ten record.
- Five Bruins were named to the Naismith Starting Five Preseason Watch Lists: Kiki Rice and Charlisse Lege-Walker were announced as two of the top 20 on the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Watch List. Angela Dugalic was named to the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Preseason Watch List. Janiah Barker was on the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Watch List and Lauren Betts was recognized on the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Watch List.
- Betts, Leger-Walker and Rice also found themselves on the Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List. Betts was the only Bruin to advance to the Midseason Top 25 list as announced in January.
- Betts leads the team in scoring, averaging 19.6 points per game. Rice and Jaquez also average double-digit points with 13.0 and 10.3 points per game respectively.
- UCLA as a team ranks first in the country in rebound margin (18.4) and ranks fourth in rebounds per game (46.0). The Bruins own the third best scoring margin (30.3) and 15th best scoring offense, averaging 82.9 points per game. UCLA is effective on both sides of the court, shooting from the field at a 42.9% clip and holding opposing offenses to just 32.5% shooting on the other end.
- Last season, UCLA finished the year 27-7 overall and 13-5 in the Pac-12. The Bruins lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament in double overtime to USC. They earned a second seed in the NCAA Tournament, cruising through the first and second rounds with wins over Cal Baptist and Creighton. UCLA lost to LSU in the Sweet 16 to finish its season.
PENN STATE – UCLA SERIES
- This will be the third meeting between Penn State and UCLA.
- It will be the first game since 1983.
- UCLA owns the all-time series 1-2.
- None of the three meetings have finished with more than a 11-point margin of victory.
- This will be the first game that Penn State is not also ranked.
LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS
- Merkle ranks seventh in the Big Ten in total points (281). She also sits ninth in the B1G in points per game (16.5). Merkle is 31st in the nation in field goals made (117) and sixth in field goal percentage (64.3). Her eight double-doubles ranks her 15th in the country and fourth in the Big Ten.
- Moriah Murray is 29th in the country in three pointers (44). She leads the Big Ten in that category and ranks third in threes per game (2.59).
- Alli Campbell is ranked fifth in the conference in assists (73).
- Penn State is 20th in the nation in total assists (303) and sits 22nd in assists per game (17.8). The team is third in the conference in total assists and ranks fifth in assists per game.
- The Lady Lions rank 38th in the country in shooting percentage from the field (46.1) and sixth in the Big Ten.