UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women’s basketball clashes with Arizona State in the first-ever meeting between the squads on Tuesday, Dec. 9 inside the Bryce Jordan Center. The nationally televised tilt is set to tipoff at 7 p.m. with coverage by the Big Ten Network
The Lady Lions look to bounce back from their recent loss to Nebraska in their Big Ten opener on Saturday while improving to a 7-2 record. The Sun Devils seek to remain unbeaten, as one of just 13 undefeated teams left in women’s college basketball.
GAME INFORMATION
vs. Arizona State
- Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2025 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: University Park, Pa. | Venue: Bryce Jordan Center
- Live Stats | Watch: Big Ten Network | Notes | Radio
- Admission: Ticketed
LAST TIME OUT
- PSU fell to Nebraska in its season opener, 101-83. The Lady Lions battled back from an early first quarter deficit to capture the lead in the second quarter. Penn State led the Cornhuskers 38-34 at halftime but lights out shooting for Nebraska in the second half was a difference maker, ultimately resulting in the victory.
- Four Lady Lions reached double figure scoring including redshirt junior Gracie Merkle and sophomore Kiyomi McMiller who each notched 20-plus-point performances in their eighth-straight double figure scoring outings.
- Merkle had 23 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field while McMiller recorded 22 points.
- Redshirt junior Moriah Murray posted her fourth game of the season with four-plus three-pointers. She contributed 18 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc.
- Freshman Téa Cléante compiled 12 points to round out the double-digit scorers.
- Penn State outrebounded its opponent for the seventh time this season and fifth-straight game while outscoring in the paint for the eighth consecutive contest.
SCOUTING THE SUN DEVILS
- Arizona State is 10-0 to start the 2025-26 campaign as one of just 13 teams that remain unbeaten.
- The Sun Devils kick off a three-game road stretch after hosting the Briann January Classic this past weekend.
- With its win over San Francisco on Saturday, Arizona State made history, improving to its best start to a season in program history.
- Gabby Elliott leads the Sun Devils, averaging 15.0 points per game. McKinna Brackens (14.6) and Helosia Carrera (10.2) also average double figure scoring.
- Brackens is 17th in the nation in double-doubles with four so far this season.
- Arizona State has the 22nd-best field goal percentage defense in the country, holding opponents to just 33.9% shooting from the field.
- Former Penn State assistant coach Daniel Barber and former player Elliott are both apart of the Sun Devil program this season.
- Molly Miller is in her first season as head coach of the program.
- Last season, the Sun Devils finished with a 10-22 record going 3-15 in Big 12 conference action.
PENN STATE – ARIZONA STATE SERIES
- Penn State and Arizona State have never met in the history of both programs.
LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS
- Merkle finished the 2024-25 campaign ranked third in the nation and first in the conference in field goal percentage (.670). Among power 4 players, she ranked first in field goal percentage, 15th in double-doubles (13), 20th in rebounds per game (8.6) and 23rd in blocks per game.
- Moriah Murray sat 21st in the nation in three pointers per game (2.63) and second in the B1G in 2024-25.
- As a team, the Lady Lions ranked 14th in the nation in assists per game (17.7) and fifth in the Big Ten last season.
- After eight games, Merkle ranks first in the nation in field goal percentage (75.2) and fourth in field goals (85). She is also eighth in the country and second in the conference points per game (23.0).
- McMiller ranks 18th in the nation in field goals (69) and 16th in field goal attempts (149), ranking fifth and second across the B1G consecutively in those categories.
- Murray is eighth in three pointers per game (3.38) and 22nd in three-point percentage (48.2), ranking first across the conference in each category.
- As a team, the Lady Lions are seventh in the country in field goal percentage (52.2) and eighth in three-point percentage (39.3), ranking third and second in the Big Ten in those categories respectively. PSU has the 15th-best scoring offense across the nation (85.6) and ranks 11th in assists per game (20.1).