UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women’s basketball is set for a road contest at rv/rv Nebraska on Sunday, Jan. 5. Tip time in the conference matchup inside Pinnacle Bank Arena is set for 3 p.m. ET. as both teams look to rebuild after recent losses
GAME INFORMATION
at rv/rv Nebraska
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 5, 2024 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Lincoln, Neb. | Venue: Pinnacle Bank Arena
- Live Stats | Watch: B1G+ | Notes | Radio
- Admission: Ticketed
LAST TIME OUT
- Penn State battled a close contest against no. 23/22 Iowa in the Bryce Jordan Center on New Year’s Day. Despite holding the advantage at several points throughout the contest, Iowa’s final run in the fourth quarter was too large for the Lady Lions to surmount.
- There were six lead changes and nine tie scores throughout the tightly contested game,
- Gabby Elliott led the Lady Lions offense in a career performance for the graduate guard. She booked 32 points including seven three pointers, both personal best marks. Elliott shot a solid seven-of-11 from beyond the arc.
- Gracie Merkle produced her eighth double-double of the season using 13 points and 12 rebounds. Merkle shot six-of-seven from the field, not missing a shot until the final quarter.
- Jayla Oden posted her sixth double-digit point performance of the season with 10 points.
LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS
- Merkle ranks 37th in the country in total points (257) and fourth in the conference. She also sits fifth in the B1G in points per game (18.4). Merkle is 17th in the nation in field goals made (107) and fifth in field goal percentage (67.3). Her eight double-doubles ranks her ninth in the country and third in the Big Ten.
- Moriah Murray is 11th in the country in three pointers (44) and 10th in three pointers per game per game (3.14), leading the Big Ten in both categories.
- Alli Campbell is ranked sixth in the conference in assists (63).
- Penn State is 20th in the nation in total assists (260) and sits 19th in assists per game (18.6). The team is fifth in the conference in total assists and ranks fourth in assists per game.
- The team ranks 22nd in the country in shooting percentage from the field (47.6) and fourth in the Big Ten.
SCOUTING THE CORNHUSKERS
- Nebraska is 10-4 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten so far throughout the 2024-25 campaign. After defeating Minnesota in their Big Ten opener, the Cornhuskers have lost consecutive conference games to USC and UCLA.
- Nebraska is on a three-game slide, losing to the two California schools after dropping a game at Georgia Tech before Christmas.
- 2023-24 Big Ten All-Freshman team member Natalie Potts led the team in scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game before suffering a season ending injury in the fifth game of the season.
- 2023-24 first team All-Big Ten honoree Alexis Markowski took the reins on offense, posting a 14.1 points per game mark followed by Britt Prince with 12.6.
- Markwoski was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, marking her third-straight conference preseason nod. She also earned a spot for the third time on the Lisa Leslie Watch List and secured her first appearance on the Wooden Watch List.
- The Cornhuskers were ranked no. 23 in the preseason AP division I women’s basketball poll.
- As a team, Nebraska ranks 24th in the nation and first in the conference in three-point percentage, shooting at a 37% mark from beyond the arc.
- Nebraska had a strong postseason run in 2023-24, advancing to the Big Ten Tournament Championship after winning three-straight games to make the final game a heartbreaking overtime loss to eventual Champions Iowa.
- The Cornhuskers defeated Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Oregon State in the second round.
PENN STATE – NEBRASKA SERIES
- The all-time series between Penn State and Nebraska is 9-11 with the Cornhuskers in the lead.
- Nebraska is Penn State’s least played Big Ten opponent, not including the four new west coast teams.
- The series dates back to 1993.
- Penn State is 2-8 in games played on Nebraska’s home court.