UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Despite hot scoring from beyond the arc, Penn State women’s basketball (7-15, 0-11 Big Ten) fell to the Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-6, 6-4 Big Ten), 87-66 in Rec Hall on Wednesday night.
Kiyomi Miller led the overall offensive effort for the Lady Lions with 23 while shooting eight-of-19 from the field along with two threes, five free throws, a pair of boards and a trio of assists. Moriah Murray posted the most three-pointers with four on the night while also dishing out two assists and snagged four rebounds. Téa Cleanté shot an efficient 60.0% from the perimeter with five attempts from deep. The Lady Lions more than tripled the amount of points off the bench than Minnesota, thanks to McMiller’s offensive prowess in addition to Viktoria Ranisavljevic and Vitória Santana adding to the bench effort.
FIRST QUARTER
The first frame began quickly with the Golden Gophers and the Lady Lions trading opening possession threes. Freshman Cleanté was responsible for six of Penn State’s first eight points off a pair of consecutive made threes. Shaelyn Steele recorded a layup in the paint in between the Cleanté jumpers as the Lady Lions found themselves in a one-point deficit headed into the first media timeout. After a six-minute scoring drought that saw Minnesota add eight points, redshirt junior Murray put the Blue and White back on the board with a corner three, the third made basket from beyond the arc in the quarter. Nyla McFadden converted one of her two free throw attempts to conclude the scoring for Penn State in the opening frame, but the Lady Lions found themselves down, 17-12 after 10 minutes.
SECOND QUARTER
Minnesota struck first again in the second quarter off a made three and a two-point jumper. Murray answered back for the Lady with a mid-range jump shot and a long fadeaway two from McMiller secured her first points of the contest. McMiller would build off her momentum with back-to-back threes from the key and Cleanté secured her third basket from beyond the arc of the contest to force the Golden Gophers to utilize their first timeout of the night. Ranisavljevic and Murray joined the three-point run to force a second timeout from Minnesota. Ranisavljevic scored again from the perimeter to round out Penn State’s 18-point stretch from deep. McMiller converted both of her free throw opportunities after a hard foul while tallying double-digit scoring for the quarter. Cleanté recorded a layup to surpass the 10-point mark. The freshman’s bucket was the last in the second stanza for Penn State as the Lady Lions were in a 38-42 deficit entering the half.
THIRD QUARTER
McMiller gave the Blue and White its first points of the half after a three from the Golden Gophers. Another long-range two from the sophomore gave the Lady Lions some momentum. A three from Santana pushed Penn State into double-digit made shots from the perimeter for the fifth time this season. A three from the key and a bucket in the paint by Murray secured the Dunmore-native a double figure scoring performance. McMiller’s three points off a jumper from the top of the key and a made shot from the charity stripe kept up the Penn State pressure. The Maryland native added two more from the free throw line for the last Lady Lion points of the stanza finalizing a 67-55 Minnesota advantage after three frames.
FOURTH QUARTER
Maggie Mendelson struck first for Penn State in the final quarter after a quick three from Minnesota. McMiller answered a pair of Golden Gopher free throws by pulling up from mid-range for an open bucket. After a three and a jumper for Minnesota, McMiller drove to the rim for a one-handed finish in the paint. McFadden made two from the charity stripe and a Murray three, that tied the Lady Lion season-high in made threes, closed out the scoring for Penn State as the game concluded with an 87-66 Minnesota victory.
POSTGAME NOTES
Minnesota at Penn State
January 28, 2025
Rec Hall (University Park, Pa.)
- Mendelson led the team in rebounds, with eight.
- The Lady Lions 32 bench points are a season high.
- McMiller recorded her 21st double figure scoring outing of the season and 10th 20-plus-point performance this year.
- Murray and Clèante surpassed the 10-point mark for the eighth time this season.
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