Postgame Quotes: Head Coach Carolyn Kieger | Junior Kamaria McDaniel
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – It was a tale of two halves in the Bryce Jordan Center Saturday afternoon as the Penn State women's basketball team found itself down by 35 points to red-hot Minnesota, but the Lady Lions put together a valiant comeback attempt that fell just short in an 81-74 conference-opening loss to the Gophers.
Minnesota, who is the top receiving votes team in both the AP and Coaches Polls and has now won 11-straight games, led by as much as 35 points at 49-14 in the second quarter. Penn State out-scored the Gophers 53-27 in the second half to pull all the way back within single digits.
Junior Kamaria McDaniel led the way for Penn State with 31 points. Senior Siyeh Frazier chipped in a career-best 21 points to go along with nine rebounds and three assists. Freshman Makenna Marisa added 12 points, while sophomore Lauren Ebo hauled in a team-best 10 rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A 7-for-11 start from the field gave Minnesota a 16-6 edge just over five minutes into the game. Four points from freshman Mya Bembry pulled the Lady Lions within six at 16-10, but Minnesota scored the final 12 points of the quarter to put the Gophers up 28-10 through one term.
- It was much of the same to start the first half as Minnesota shot 8-for-13 from the field in the first seven minutes to stretch its advantage to 49-14. Penn State cooled off the Gophers a bit in the final minutes as four different Lady Lions made baskets, but Minnesota still took a 54-21 edge into halftime.
- Tides turned in the second half as Penn State's defense led the way and the Lady Lions out-scored the Gophers 19-8 in the third quarter. PSU held Minnesota to a 23.1 percent (3-for-13) clip from the field in the third quarter and McDaniel contributed 13 points to pull PSU within 62-40 through three terms.
- Penn State's comeback continued in the fourth quarter as the Lady Lions spent the first three minutes on a 12-2 run to trim what was once a 35-point deficit all the way down to 12 at 64-52 with 6:52 to play. Minnesota hit a trio of timely three-pointers in the next two minutes and eventually stretched its lead back to 18 at 77-59 with 2:23 to play.
- Penn State kept fighting to the final horn as the Lady Lions caused five Gopher turnovers in the last 2:08 and spent the final 48 seconds on an 11-2 run, but Minnesota held on for the 81-74 victory.
KEY NOTES
- McDaniel's 31 points is a Big Ten career high and her second game this season scoring 30-plus. She has scored in double figures in 11 of 12 games this season.
- Frazier's 21 points marked a new career high and bested her previous mark of 19 that was set against Fordham on Nov. 13.
- Frazier scored in double figures for the eighth time this season, while Marisa notched her seventh double-digit game.
- Penn State held a 46-41 rebound edge and pulled down a season-high 23 offensive rebounds.
- Penn State forced 15 Minnesota turnovers and held a 22-14 edge in points off turnovers.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Carolyn Kieger
- "It was a tale of two halves today, but I'll take that second-half team to battle any day. I'm very proud of our effort, our adjustments, and our composure."
- "In the first half we obviously had a lot to fix, but I definitely saw some growth there in the second half and I'm proud of our team for keeping their heads, for fighting and playing as hard as they did in that second half. Hopefully we can put two halves together and we'll become a team that we all know we can be."
- Full Kieger transcript
UP NEXT
- Penn State hits the road for its next two contests, beginning with a New Year's Eve showdown at No. 23 Michigan.
- Tipoff from Ann Arbor is slated for 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31.