LONG BEACH, Calif. – Despite carrying a narrow lead through the first period of action and embarking on a herculean comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, the Penn State women’s basketball team ultimately dropped an 83-67 decision to the top-ranked UCLA Bruins from Walter Pyramid on the campus of Long Beach State University Wednesday night.
Following the midweek battle with the top-ranked team in the nation, Penn State moved back to .500 at 9-9 overall and maintains an 0-7 ledger through the early going in the Big Ten Conference season. The Lady Lions battled UCLA for the fourth time in program history Wednesday night, with the Bruins improving to 3-1 overall since the first-ever meeting of the two sides in 1978. UCLA improved on its best start in program history Wednesday, rising to 17-0 for the first time in the institution’s varsity women’s basketball status while rising to 6-0 in B1G matchups. The Bruins prepare for their non-conference finale against the Baylor Bears at the Coretta Scott King Classic from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, next Monday in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. day.
In spite of the hard-fought final score line, Penn State managed to pick up a few statistical victories over the No. 1 team in the nation highlighted by a 23-21 win in bench scoring Wednesday night. The Nittany Lions also mustered an impressive victory in the 3-point shooting competition in Long Beach, connecting on 38% of attempts from deep while holding the Bruins to a paltry 28% clip from long range. Graduate guard Gabby Elliot was a force to be reckoned with in Southern California, notching her sixth-straight performance with double figures following a 17-point outburst on the night that was bolstered by seven points in the fourth quarter. Freshman guard Talayah Walker continued her impressive stretch of B1G outings with 17 points of her own paired with a career-high nine rebounds, while graduate guard Alli Campbell finished in double digits yet again with 12 points to round out the trio of double-figure scoring Lady Lions.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
The Blue & White hauled in the opening tip, but UCLA booked a 1-for-2 trip to the line to open Wednesday night’s scoring. Campbell got the Lady Lions going with a long two from the left corner, and despite a quick reply from the Bruins, added another mid-range jumper the next time down the floor. UCLA added another bucket the next time down the floor, but both offenses ran cold as the middle of the period wore on. Elliott saw the Lady Lions jump back in front with a striking four-point play comprised of a right-wing triple with a free throw made following a Bruin foul. A triple by Hall straight-away closed the book on a 9-2 PSU run, but the Bruins were able to find a bucket in transition to make it a 13-9 ballgame favoring the Lady Lions at the media break. Out of the short intermission, UCLA utilized an and-one layup to spark a 6-0 run and briefly tie the game just before a basket from Walker pushed PSU ahead once more. Buckets fell both ways before the end of the frame, but brilliance from Campbell in the mid-range provided Penn State with a 19-17 lead through one quarter.
Second Quarter
UCLA opened the second period with a right-wing triple, but another basket from Campbell saw Penn State jump ahead once again. Hall added to the Penn State edge with a long mid-range bucket, but the Bruins snapped back moments later with a driving layup to keep it a one-point affair. PSU and UCLA traded blows over the ensuing minutes, but a quick 6-0 run from the de facto home squad put the Bruins back in front by a narrow margin. The Bruins continued to battle over the next few minutes to lurch back ahead once again by a 31-27 differential just before the second quarter media timeout. On both sides of the media break, UCLA engaged in a 16-2 scoring run to cement a double-digit lead and carry a 44-30 advantage into the halftime intermission.
Third Quarter
UCLA’s momentum from the end of the first half carried over into the early moments of the third quarter, with the Bruins battling for a quick 6-0 start to the second half that forced a Lady Lion timeout at the 8:07 mark, trailing 50-30. Physical post moves and a sweet turnaround jumper from Elliott got the Blue & White moving, and an and-one play from Merkle saw the Blue & White rekindle some momentum. A straight-away triple from Walker and another basket from Merkle afforded PSU a quick 5-0 scoring run, but back-and-forth play proceeded from that point with the Bruins boasting a double-digit advantage throughout. At the media timeout, UCLA maintained a 60-42 differential. Hall capitalized on a sweet mid-range basket out of the short intermission, and both teams traded blows as the clock continued to wind down with the Bruins up 16. A banked-in triple from the right wing by Murray cut the UCLA advantage back to a manageable 13, but the Bruins got the points right back on the other end to make it 67-51 with 10 minutes to play.
Fourth Quarter
An athletic move on a baseline out-of-bounds play from Elliott got the final frame started for the Lady Lions, and back-to back buckets from Elliott and Walker marked a quick 6-0 start for Penn State in the fourth. The Lady Lions called on Walker to provide another score to extend the run and make it a 10-point game, and despite a physical layup from UCLA moments later, Walker drilled a triple from the left wing to make it a single-digit affair. Another tough make from Elliott forced the top-ranked Bruins into a timeout at the 5:41 mark, with UCLA wielding a narrow 69-62 edge. The Bruins capitalized on the next possession out of the timeout, but a split trip to the line from Elliott kept PSU within striking distance just under five minutes to play. The home squad connected on a left corner triple in a baseline out-of-bounds situation, and paint buckets fell both directions as time continued to wind down, but a dagger of a triple from the Bruins helped close the book on the 83-67 UCLA win.
POSTGAME NOTES
Penn State vs. No. 1 UCLA
January 15, 2025
Walter Pyramid (Long Beach, Calif.)
- Due to wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area, the game originally scheduled to be played on UCLA’s campus at Pauley Pavillion was moved to Long Beach State’s campus inside Walter Pyramid.
- This was Penn State’s first time playing the number one ranked team in the country since facing UConn on Nov. 17, 2013.
- Campbell, Elliott and Walker all scored double-digit points for the third consecutive game, reaching the 10-point mark against Oregon, no. 4 USC and now no. 1 UCLA.
- Elliott led the Lady Lions in scoring for the fourth time this season with 17 points. This marks her sixth-straight double figure scoring game of the campaign.
- Walker produced 17 points, good for a tie for team-best scoring. This is her fifth outing with 10-plus-points to go along with nine rebounds.
- Campbell posted12 points, marking her eighth double figure scoring outing of the season. She also grabbed six rebounds and dished out six assists.
- As a team, the Lady Lions compiled 20 assists for the eighth time this season.
- Penn State had a productive night shooting from the field, scoring the ball at a 47% clip. The Lady Lions shot 38% from three-point range while holding UCLA to just 28%.
- The Lady Lions totaled 67 points, good for the second largest point total scored on the Bruins this season.
- Penn State outscored UCLA in the first quarter 19-17 and engaged in an 11-2 run to being the fourth quarter. The Lady Lions matched the Bruins’ points in the fourth stanza at 16 points apiece.
- There were eight lead changes and three tie scores throughout the contest.
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