UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team couldn't overcome a slow start despite a strong second half Saturday afternoon as Michigan State rode a big first half to a 78-65 win inside the Bryce Jordan Center.
The Lady Lions hosted their 15th-annual Play4Kay Game Benefiting Pink Zone. Penn State found a number of ways to virtually include breast cancer survivors into the in-game experience, including starting lineup introductions by survivors played on the video board and a special on-court luminary bag lighting at halftime.
A cause close to our hearts & a day bigger than basketball 💕#IgniteThePRIDE // #Play4Kay pic.twitter.com/JbK13bD1np
— Penn State Women's Basketball (@PennStateWBB) February 13, 2021
Senior Johnasia Cash tallied her eighth double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while sophomore Anna Camden recorded a career-best 16 points. Senior Niya Beverley and sophomore Makenna Marisa both finished with 14 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Penn State struggled to find its rhythm in the first quarter as Michigan State shot 4-for-8 from deep to take a 22-11 lead through the first 10 minutes of play. Cash scored six points, while Beverley added five for Penn State in the opening quarter.
- The Spartans picked up where they left in the second quarter, scoring the first 13 points of the stanza to put Penn State in a 35-11 hole with 4:50 left in the half. Camden scored nine points in the final 4:50 of the half as the Lady Lions started to find a rhythm, but Penn State couldn't slow down the Spartan offense as MSU took a 48-26 lead into the break.
- Penn State used an 11-2 run midway through the third quarter to pull within 55-39 at the 4:13 mark. The Spartans closed the term on a 10-4 streak, however, to take a 65-43 lead through three.
- Penn State went on another strong scoring run in the final term, including five-straight points from Marisa in the 14-3 run that spanned five minutes. The defense held the Spartans to no baskets over a four-minute stretch in the quarter. The Lady Lions outscored Michigan State 22-13 in the fourth, but MSU held on to grab the 78-65 victory.
KEY NOTES
- Penn State out-scored the Spartans 39-30 in the second half.
- Cash registered her eighth double-double of the season and seventh in the last 10 games with 16 points and 12 boards.
- Cash has scored in double figures in 14 of Penn State's 17 games this season.
- Camden scored a career-high 16 points. She has had double-digit scoring efforts in five of the last six games.
- Marisa finished in double figures for the 11th time of her sophomore season. She also finished with a team-best five assists.
- Beverley recorded her second-straight game scoring in double digits and her fourth of the season with her 14 points. Beverley also tied her career high with six rebounds.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Carolyn Kieger
- "First of all, I want to give a huge shoutout to the survivors. We missed you today. You're so inspiring and this is such an important game for us and raising awareness and funds for women's cancers. Thank you for being an inspiration to us, day-in and day-out and we cannot wait to, hopefully next year, have you all back in the building."
- "Obviously a much better second half than first half. We have to figure out how to play four quarters. The last two games we've been up and down, and that goes along with youth and leadership. I'm pleased with our fight in the second half, but obviously we can't start out that flat."
UP NEXT
- Penn State hits the road for a two-game trip to Iowa and Nebraska next week. The Lady Lions take on the Hawkeyes Thursday before traveling to Nebraska for a Sunday contest.