Feb. 8, 2013
Michigan State Notes (2/10/13) | WatchESPN.com | Listen |
Tickets! | Promotions | LadyLions.com
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The #8/9 Penn State Lady Lions (19-3, 9-1 Big Ten) are back in action at the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday to face Michigan State (18-4, 6-3) at 2 p.m. and fans are encouraged to wear white. The first 2,000 fans will receive an Alex Bentley Wind-Up Walker, the fourth in the series of five senior walkers. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and WatchESPN.com with Adam Amin (play-by-play) and Swin Cash (color) describing play.
GIVEAWAY: The first 2,000 fans will receive an Alex Bentley Wind-Up Walker, the fourth in the series of five senior walkers.
PREGAME CLINIC: The Lions will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day with a pregame NGWSD clinic for kids 12 and younger hosted by several of the Penn State women's teams in the basketball practice facility. Representatives from the women's lacrosse, women's soccer, women's ice hockey, track & field, women's volleyball and softball teams will participate in the clinic. The clinic will feature a several stations, so that kids can get a hands-on experience for many different sports, and will conclude with an autograph sessions. Reservations are encouraged, but not required. Please send an RSVP to psuladylions@gmail.com. All clinic participants are required to have a ticket to watch the Lady Lions take on Michigan State at 2 p.m. Sunday. Clinic participants are required to sign a waiver in order to participate.
PROMOTIONS: Sunday is a Subway Full Court 4-Pack game where fans will receive four reserved game tickets and one voucher for four 6" subs and four 21 oz. fountain drinks at any of the seven State College Subway locations for just $40! In honor of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, it's Bring Your Daughter to the Game day with a buy one, get one free ticket offer. Sunday is also PNC Bank Day and fans that show their PNC check card will get a buy one, get one free ticket offer. Fans are also encouraged to wear white!
POSTGAME: The Lady Lions and head coach Coquese Washington will be on the concourse signing autographs postgame.
TV: The game will be televised on ESPN2 and WatchESPN.com with Adam Amin (play-by-play) and Swin Cash (color) describing play.
RADIO/LIVE STATS: The game is on the Penn State Sports Network and ESPN Radio 1450 locally with Jerry Fisher and Brian Tripp calling the action. A link to the audio feed and GameTracker are available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
LAST TIME OUT: The Lady Lions landed four players in double figures, led by 20 points each from Alex Bentley and Maggie Lucas on the way to a 76-54 win at Indiana Thursday. Playing in her home state of Indiana for the final time in her collegiate career, Bentley posted her fourth 20-point performance of the season with 20 markers. She also added four rebounds and three steals. Lucas had 20 points for her 10th 20-point effort of the year. She also pulled in two rebounds and had two steals. Mia Nickson was 4-for-6 from the field and 5-for-7 from the free throw line as she posted 13 points with 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the year and 14th of her career.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans are 18-4 on the season and 6-3 in conference play. Leading a Spartan attack that features six players with a 9.0 or better scoring average is Klarissa Bell, who accounts for 11.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Kiana Johnson was a solid performer off of the bench for the Spartans, chips in 10.7 points and 2.1 steals per game before earning a starting nod in each of MSU's last three games.
ALL-TIME VS. THE SPARTANS: The Lady Lions are 25-13 all-time against Michigan State, including a 76-55 win in East Lansing on Jan. 6, 2013. The win snapped a four-game losing streak to the Spartans. Penn State is 14-4 all-time against MSU in home games, but has dropped its last two to the Spartans in the BJC, including a 75-65 decision on Jan. 7, 2012.
LAST TIME VS. MSU: The Lady Lions shot 51.8% (29-56) from the field and held Michigan State (13-2, 1-1) to just 29.3% (17-58) shooting on the way to a dominating 76-55 win on Jan. 6. Dara Taylor paced four Lady Lions in double figures with a career-high 18 points. Nikki Greene posted her second double-double of the season and 11th of her career with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes of action. Alex Bentley chipped in 13 points and three rebounds.
12TH TO 850 WINS: The Lady Lions' 76-54 win at Indiana on Feb. 7 marked the 850th win in program history. Penn State is one of 12 teams in NCAA Division I to reach the 850-win plateau. The Lady Lions join the likes of Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, James Madison, Stephen F. Austin, Texas, Ohio State, Stanford, Tennessee Tech, Georgia and Connecticut as the only programs to reach the milestone.
GREENE IS THE CLUB'S ONLY MEMBER: With one block at Indiana on Feb. 7, senior center Nikki Greene became the ONLY player in Penn State history to accumulate 1,000 points, 900 rebounds and 200 blocks. Additionally, Greene joins Kim Calhoun as the only Lady Lion to reject 200 career shots. Prior to the Indiana game, Greene became just the second Lady Lion in school history with 1,000 points, 900 rebounds and 100 blocks, joining Andrea Garner (1,619 pts., 1,016 rebs., 185 blks.).
THEFT BY A BENTLEY: With three steals at Indiana on Feb. 7, senior guard Alex Bentley moved into sole possession of fourth place on Penn State's all-time steals chart, passing Tina Nicholson (293; 1993-96). Bentley has 296 career thefts and needs 14 steals to tie Jess Strom (310; 2002-05) for third place all-time.
BEST START SINCE 1999-00: With a 19-3 record, the Lady Lions are off to their best 22-game start since the 1999-00 squad started 26-3. That team went on to win the Big Ten regular-season title and advanced to the only Final Four in school history.
NICE BIG TEN START: The Lady Lions started conference play with a 9-1 record for the first time since the 2004-05 season, which also started 9-1. Additionally, the Lady Lions were undefeated through their first seven conference games for the first time since 2004-05.
DOUBLE DIP FOR NICKSON: Senior forward Mia Nickson was solid for the Lady Lions at Indiana on Feb. 7 with 13 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season. It was also Nickson's 14th career double-double.
LUCAS CLIMBS UP ALL-TIME SCORING LIST: Junior Maggie Lucas moved into ninth place Penn State's career scoring list with her 20-point performance at Indiana on Feb. 7. The 20 tallies push Lucas past Andrea Garner (1,619; 1997-00) for ninth place. Lucas' career total is now at 1,629 points and she needs 34 points to tie Lisa Shepherd (1,663; 1998-01) for eighth place.
AB CLIMBS INTO SCORING TOP 10: Senior point guard Alex Bentley tallied 20 points at Indiana on Feb. 7 and in the process, moved into the Top 10 on Penn State's career scoring list, passing Andrea Garner (1,619; 1997-00) for the 10th spot. Bentley has 1,625 career points and is chasing teammate Maggie Lucas (1,629) for ninth place. Bentley needs 38 tallies to tie Lisa Shepherd (1,663; 1998-01) for eighth place.
GREENE GAINS SCORING SPOT: Senior center Nikki Greene moved into 33rd place on Penn State's career scoring charts with four points against Indiana on Feb. 7. Greene now has 1,026 career tallies, passing Rashana Barnes (1,024; 1999-02) for 33rd spot. Greene needs 35 markers to tie Nancy Kuhl (1,061; 1975-79) for 32nd place.
The Lady Lions visit Iowa on Valentine's Day before getting its second bye date of the conference season. Following the bye, Penn State returns home for it's final two games in the BJC against Illinois (2/20) and Michigan (2/24) for the annual Pink Zone game. Go to www.GoPSUsports.com/promotions/wbb.html for complete promotions information.
Single game tickets for the Lady Lions are on sale. Tickets are $15 and $12 for adults and seniors and $9 and $7 for youth (12 and younger). The PNC Flex Books are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game and the Lady Lions' Pink Zone game.
The 2013 Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Feb. 24 as the Lady Lions take on Michigan in the Bryce Jordan Center. Last year, the Lady Lions donated a record $203,000 to breast cancer causes. This year's fundraising efforts will benefit the Mount Nittany Medical Center, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital and Lewistown Hospital. For more information on the Pink Zone at Penn State, visit the official Pink Zone website at www.pennsylvaniapinkzone.org.
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstateladylions.