UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women’s basketball begins a three-game home stint, hosting Rutgers on Sunday, Jan. 26. Tip time between the border state schools is set for 1 p.m. inside the Bryce Jordan Center. The Lady Lions are in search of their 300th program Big Ten win in Sunday’s contest.
GAME INFORMATION
vs. Rutgers
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
- Location: University Park, Pa. | Venue: Bryce Jordan Center
- Live Stats | Watch: B1G+ | Notes | Radio
- Admission: Ticketed
LAST TIME OUT
- Penn State fell to 10-10 overall, 1-8 Big Ten with the 82-61 loss to no. 21/22 Michigan State on Wednesday.
- This was the Lady Lions’ fourth-straight top 25 matchup in the course of 10 days.
- Moriah Murray led the team in scoring with 24 points using eight three pointers, marking her second game this season with eight-plus shots from long range and her fifth 20-plus-point performance.
- Gracie Merkle led the squad in rebounding, grabbing six boards.
- The Lady Lions outshot the Spartans from three-point range at a 52%-48% margin.
- Penn State’s bench produced 23 points.
- PSU totaled 11 threes, its first game scoring 10-plus threes since Nov. 17, 2024.
LAST TIME AGAINST RUTGERS
- Penn State last played Rutgers on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, earning a 84-80 win.
- This was a historic victory in Lady Lions history, marking the program’s 1000th win.
- At the time, Penn State was one of only 29 programs to surpass 1000 wins.
- Four PSU players led the team with double figure scoring: Ashley Owusu (18), Makenna Marisa (17), Tay Valladay (17) and Alli Campbell (11).
- This was Owusu’s first game of the season after being sidelined due to health concerns for the early part of the campaign.
- Campbell produced perfect shooting in the outing, posting a four-of-four mark from the field including three from three-point range.
- The Lady Lions shot 55.6% from the field and 60% from beyond the arc.
- PSU also produced 44 bench points, its highest total from subs of the season.
- The Lady Lions dished out 23 assists while only turning the ball over 11 times in the contest.
SCOUTING THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
- Rutgers is 8-12 overall, 0-8 Big Ten throughout the 2024-25 campaign.
- The Scarlet Knights are on a eight game losing streak dating back to December.
- Rutgers has faced five ranked opponents and two opponents receiving votes over the last month.
- Kiyomi McMiller leads the team in scoring, averaging 19 points per game. She ranks 30th in the country and third in the conference in points per game.
- Destiny Adams also averages double-digit points, scoring 17.6 per game. Her total of 351 points ranks her 36th nationally and third in the Big Ten.
- McMiller was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on two occasions and Adams was the Big Ten Player of the Week earlier this season.
- Last season, Rutgers finished the 2023-24 campaign 8-24 overall, 2-16 in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights lost in the conference tournament to Minnesota to conclude their year.
PENN STATE – RUTGERS SERIES
- This will be the 57th meeting between the Lady Lions and the Scarlet Knights.
- Rutgers leads the all-time series 34-22.
- The Lady Lions are 14-8 in games played in Happy Valley.
- The teams have faced off as in-conference foes since their days in the Atlantic 10 conference. Penn State defeated Rutgers 77-74 in the inaugural A10 Tournament.
LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS
- Moriah Murray is ninth in the country in three pointers (57) and ranks first in the Big Ten in that category. She also leads the conference in three pointers per game (2.85) and three-point attempts (146).
- Merkle ranks 12th in the Big Ten in total points (302). She also sits 17th in the B1G in points per game (15.1). Merkle is sixth in the country in field goal percentage (64.8) and second in the conference. Her nine double-doubles ranks her 18th in the country and fifth in the Big Ten.
- Alli Campbell is ranked seventh in the conference in assists (83).
- Penn State is 16th in the nation in total assists (340) and sits 23rd in assists per game (17.8). The team is fourth in the conference in total assists and ranks sixth in assists per game.