Women’s Basketball Meets Michigan State on MondayWomen’s Basketball Meets Michigan State on Monday
Mark Selders

Shay Hagans

Women’s Basketball Meets Michigan State on Monday

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team begins a three-game week, visiting Michigan State on Monday. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at the Breslin Center with a broadcast on Big Ten Network.

The Lady Lions, led by head coach Carolyn Kieger, are 10-15 overall and 4-11 in Big Ten play. Penn State is coming off an 83-76 victory over Nebraska. The Lady Lions erased a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter with a 15-0 run.
 
FOLLOW ALONG

 
OPENING TIP

  • Penn State travels to East Lansing to take on Michigan State in a Big Ten matchup.
  • The Lady Lions fell 79-58 against the Spartans on January 27.
  • Penn State holds a 30-22 lead in the all-time series.
  • The blue and white is coming off an 83-76 win over Nebraska on Thursday evening.
  • Penn State had a big fourth quarter, outscoring the Huskers, 31-15.
  • The Lady Lions recorded a 15-0 run in just under 90 seconds to take the lead in the fourth quarter.
  • Makenna Marisa led Penn State with 22 points.
  • Kelly Jekot added 13 points, hitting four-of-five from three, and Niya Beverley had 12.
  • Penn State shot 60 percent in the fourth quarter and hit 12 threes in the game.
  • The Lady Lions collected 13 steals, with Beverley and Leilani Kapinus each grabbing three.
  • Marisa has 16 games with 20+ points this season, tied for fifth-most in the country.
  • The junior was named CoSIDA Academic All-District last Thursday.
  • Kapinus paces Big Ten freshmen with 52 steals and ranks second with 29 blocks.
  • Penn State leads the Big Ten in steals per game (10.0) and total steals (251).
  • Kapinus and Shay Hagans (47) rank among the top five in the Big Ten in steals.

 
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE

  • Michigan State is led by head coach Suzy Merchant.
  • Merchant is in her 15th season leading the Spartans and owns a 310-168 record. She has led MSU to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances.
  • In 27 years as a head coach, Merchant has a 511-288 mark.
  • The Spartans rank sixth in the Big Ten in scoring offense (72.4 ppg) and sixth in scoring defense (66.8 ppg).
  • Michigan State sits 13th in the nation in assists per game (17.5) and 14th in three-point percentage (36.9).
  • Nia Clouden ranks fourth in the Big Ten, and 15th in the country, averaging 20.5 points per contest.
  • Clouden sits fourth in the country in free throws made (140) and 20th in free-throw percentage (88.1).
  • DeeDee Hagemann is third in the Big Ten in assists per game (5.7), while Matilda Ekh ranks fourth in three-point percentage (43.6).

 
AGAINST THE SPARTANS

  • Penn State will meet Michigan State for the 52nd time in the series.
  • The Lady Lions lead 30-21 but the Spartans have won the last three matchups.
  • In the last matchup, on March 10, 2021, Penn State fell 75-66. Maddie Burke paced PSU with 22 points, including six three-pointers.
  • Shay Hagans added 13 points, while Anna Camden scored 11.

 
MARISA ADDED TO DAWN STALEY AWARD WATCH LIST

  • Junior Makenna Marisa was named to the Dawn Staley Award Watch List.
  • She was also tabbed as a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree.
  • Marisa has scored at least 11 points in all 25 games this season and has 20+ points in 16 games, 11 25-point games and four 30-point games. Her four 30-point games are the most by a Penn State player since Teniya Page's four in 2016-17.
  • She had 30 vs. Delaware State (11/16), 29 at Clemson (11/21), 25 vs. St. John's (11/26), a career-high 33 at Duquesne (12/18), 29 at Maryland (1/6), 25 vs. Illinois (1/16), 26 at Wisconsin (1/23), 32 vs. Iowa (1/25), 27 at Nebraska (2/3), 25 vs. Northwestern (2/6) and 31 at Purdue (2/9).
  • Marisa recorded her 1,000th career point on a fourth-quarter layup against Iowa.
  • She has recorded a triple-double (30 points, 11 assists, 10 steals vs. Delaware State) and two double-doubles (25 points, 10 assists vs. Illinois).
  • Makenna Marisa ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring (22.4 ppg), good for eighth in the country. Her 22.4 points per game rank third among Power Five conference players.
  • In conference games, Marisa is averaging 22.9 points per game with five games coming against ranked opponents. Her 22.9 points per game against conference opponents are second in the Big Ten.
  • Marisa's also averaging 21.5 points per game against ranked opponents this season.
  • She sits second in the conference and sixth in the nation in total points (560). Marisa's eighth in the country in field goals made (197) and field goal attempts (448). She's 22nd in the nation in free throws made (110). Marisa also holds seventh in the Big Ten in assists per game (4.3) and eighth in total assists (107). She's also 11th in the conference averaging 2.24 three-pointers per game.
  • Marisa is tied fifth among DI players with 16 20-point games this season, tied third with 11 25-point games and tied eighth with four 30-point games this year.
  • Marisa is one of two DI players with double-figures in all of their games this season (minimum 25 games).

 
MARISA MOVING UP POINTS LIST

  • On a fourth quarter layup against Iowa, junior guard Makenna Marisa reached the 1,000 career point mark.
  • She became the 40th Lady Lion to score 1,000 career points.
  • Marisa is the 21st Penn State player to reach 1,000 points before the end of their junior season.
  • Marisa is one of six Big Ten underclassmen with 1,000 career points.
  • She currently sits at 1,159 career points, 29th all-time at Penn State, in 79 career games.

 
SWATS AND STEALS

  • Penn State leads the Big Ten in steals per game (10.0) and sits second in blocks per game (4.4). The Lady Lions hold first in the conference in total steals (251).
  • Penn State has at least 10 steals in 13 different games this year, including a season-high 25 vs. Delaware State and 16 at Purdue.
  • The 16 at Purdue were Penn State's most since February 10, 2013 at Michigan State (17).
  • Leilani Kapinus leads PSU with 52 steals followed by Shay Hagans' 47 and Marisa's 42.
  • Penn State is one of seven Division I teams with three players recording 40 or more steals this year, joining Manhattan, New Mexico, Niagara, San Diego, Syracuse and Tennessee State.
  • The Lady Lions also have seven games with at least six blocks, including a season-best 10 at Duquesne.
  • Kapinus paces PSU with 29 blocks followed by Ali Brigham's 27 and Anna Camden's 19.
  • Kapinus ranks third in the Big Ten in blocks per game (1.16), while Brigham sits fourth (1.13).

 
HAGANS FORCING TAKEAWAYS

  • Junior guard Shay Hagans has been a force on the defensive end this season.
  • She ranks fourth in the Big Ten in steals per game (1.88) and total steals (47).
  • Hagans has recorded at least one steal in 22 games and has multiple steals in 14 games.
  • The junior notched a career-high six steals against Youngstown State. She also recorded five steals against Delaware State and four in each game against Illinois and Wisconsin.

 
KAPINUS DOING IT ALL

  • Freshman Leilani Kapinus recorded her first career double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds at Rutgers (2/13). She tied career highs with four assists and five steals.
  • Kapinus is PSU's first freshman with a double-double since Lauren Ebo (12 points, 12 rebounds vs. Nebraska, 3/2/18).
  • Kapinus has 52 steals, including a career-high five at Northwestern and Rutgers, leading Big Ten freshmen and sitting 12th among Division I freshmen.
  • The Wisconsin native has 29 blocks, which is good for second among Big Ten freshmen and 12th among all Division I freshmen.
  • Kapinus is second in total steals and third in total blocks in the Big Ten.
  • She's averaging 9.6 points, third among Big Ten freshmen, and 5.3 rebounds per contest, second among conference rookies, and led the team in rebounds in eight games.
  • Against ranked opponents, Kapinus is averaging 11.0 points per game to go with nine blocks and eight steals.
  • She had a career-high 23 points at Rutgers and 20 points vs. Youngstown State. She scored 17 vs. Michigan, 15 at Northwestern and 15 vs. Northwestern.

 
STEPPING UP AGAINST RANKED TEAMS

  • In six games against ranked opponents this season, Makenna Marisa is averaging 21.5 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field.
  • Her 21.5 points per game are second among Big Ten players who have played at least five games against ranked opponents.
  • She tallied 11 points against No. 13 Iowa State, 21 at No. 6 Indiana, 29 at No. 10 Maryland, 17 vs. No. 11 Michigan, 32 vs. No. 23 Iowa and 19 vs. No. 17 Maryland. At Maryland, Marisa scored 24 of her 29 points in the second half, shooting 10-of-12 from the field.
  • Leilani Kapinus is averaging 11.0 points against ranked opponents, including 12 at Maryland, 17 vs. Michigan and 14 vs. Maryland. She also has nine blocks and eight steals.

 
UP NEXT

  • Penn State continues a three-game week on Thursday, February 24 at Ohio State. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. on B1G+.