UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women’s basketball returns to Happy Valley to welcome Oregon for the first time in program history. The Lady Lions look for their first Big Ten win of the season in the first-ever meeting with the Ducks. Tip time in the Bryce Jordan Center is set for 5 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
vs. Oregon
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 9, 2024 | Time: 5 p.m. ET
- Location: University Park, Pa. | Venue: Byrce Jordan Center
- Live Stats | Watch: B1G+ | Notes | Radio
- Admission: Ticketed
LAST TIME OUT
- Penn State nearly pulled off a comeback in its most recent road matchup at Nebraska on Sunday, battling down from as many as 17 points in the third quarter, to tie the game in the fourth. Nebraska ended up on top with a 72-61 win.
- Alli Campbell led the team on offense with a career high 19 points marking her 15th double figure scoring outing of the season. She shot six-of-11 from the field including two-of-three from beyond the arc.
- Gabby Elliott recorded her third-straight double-digit scoring outing with 14 points to go along with six boards.
- Grace Hall hit shots in crucial moments, matching her best scoring performance in a Big Ten conference game with eight points.
- There were two lead changes and six tie scores throughout the contest.
- Penn State outscored Nebraska 32-26 in the paint, its 11th time beating its opponent in the points in the paint category.
LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS
- Merkle ranks sixth in the Big Ten in total points (264). She also sits seventh in the B1G in points per game (17.6). Merkle is 21st in the nation in field goals made (110) and sixth in field goal percentage (66.3). Her eight double-doubles ranks her 11th in the country and fourth in the Big Ten.
- Moriah Murray is 13th in the country in three pointers (44) and 17th in three pointers per game per game (2.93), leading the Big Ten in both categories.
- Alli Campbell is ranked sixth in the conference in assists (65).
- Penn State is 24th in the nation in total assists (271) and sits 21st in assists per game (18.1). The team is fifth in the conference in total assists and ranks fifth in assists per game.
- The team ranks 21st in the country in shooting percentage from the field (47.1) and third in the Big Ten.
SCOUTING THE DUCKS
- Oregon is 11-4 overall, 2-2 Big Ten this season, winning its most recent two games against Northwestern and Wisconsin. Prior to the Big Ten wins, Oregon started conference play 0-2 with losses to USC and Illinois.
- The Ducks spent time in the rankings early on in the season at no. 25 in week two, no. 23 in week three, no. 21 in week four and falling out of the rankings in week five.
- Peyton Scott and UNC transfer Deja Kelly lead the team in scoring, averaging 10.9 and 10.6 points per game respectively. Scott recently surpassed the 2,000-career point mark in win against UC Irvine
- Kelly, a three-time first team All-ACC selection, was named to the Lieberman Award watch list as well as the Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year watch list.
- As a team, Oregon is ranked 14th in the country and first in the conference in bench points per game, averaging 30.7 points from subs per game.
- Oregon struggled in the 2023-24 season, going 11-21 overall, 2-16 in Pac 12 conference play.
PENN STATE – OREGON SERIES
- This will be the first meeting in program history with the Oregon Ducks