Women’s Basketball Faces No. 17 Ohio State On ThursdayWomen’s Basketball Faces No. 17 Ohio State On Thursday
Mark Selders

Niya Beverley

Women’s Basketball Faces No. 17 Ohio State On Thursday

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's basketball team continues the final week of the regular season at No. 17 Ohio State on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center with a broadcast on B1G+.
 
The Lady Lions, led by head coach Carolyn Kieger, are 11-15 overall and 5-11 in Big Ten play after earning a 79-71 win at Michigan State on Monday. Makenna Marisa scored 14 of her 32 points in the fourth quarter to help close out the win. Anna Camden added 10 points and a career-high seven blocks.
 
FOLLOW ALONG

 
OPENING TIP

  • Penn State continues the final week of the regular season with a matchup at Ohio State.
  • The Lady Lions hold a 37-32 lead in the all-time series.
  • Penn State earned a 69-67 win over No. 15 Ohio State last season.
  • The blue and white has won back-to-back games, including a 79-71 victory at Michigan State.
  • Makenna Marisa scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to help the Lady Lions close out the win.
  • Marisa tallied 32 points, including 14-of-15 at the free throw line, for her fifth 30-point game this season.
  • With five 30-point games, Marisa has the third-most in a season at Penn State, behind only Kelly Mazzante (12 in 2001-02; 9 in 2002-03) and the fifth-most in a career at PSU.
  • Marisa has 592 total points this season, already good for 13th in a season at PSU. She's on pace to become the 10th PSU player to reach 600 points in a season.
  • Anna Camden contributed 10 points, seven rebounds and a career-best seven blocks at MSU.
  • Camden became the first Lady Lion with seven blocks in a game since Talia East vs. Purdue in 2014.
  • Niya Beverley had 12 points, including a key layup in the last minute to help seal the victory.
  • Leilani Kapinus ranks second in the Big Ten in steals (54) and blocks (30).

 
SCOUTING OHIO STATE

  • Ohio State is led by head coach Kevin McGuff in his 20th year of coaching and ninth as the leader of the Buckeyes.
  • McGuff has a career record of 446-189.
  • He has led Ohio State to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including back-to-back NCAA Sweet 16's in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
  • Ohio State ranks fourth in the country, second in the Big Ten, averaging 80.8 points per game.
  • The Buckeyes lead the nation in three-point field goal percentage (39.7) and lead the Big Ten with 8.9 three-pointers per game.
  • Jacy Sheldon paces Ohio State with 20.2 points per game, good for 17th in the country, while Taylor Mikesell averages 19.2.
  • Mikesell holds second in the country in three-pointers made (94), three-pointers per game (3.76) and three-point percentage (48.2).
  • Ohio State allows 67.0 points per contest, ranking seventh in the the Big Ten.

 
AGAINST THE BUCKEYES

  • Penn State will meet Ohio State for the 70th time in program history.
  • The blue and white leads 37-32 in the all-time series, which has been decided by five or less points in three of the last five matchups.
  • The Lady Lions earned a 69-67 victory over No. 15 Ohio State on February 24, 2021.
  • Niya Beverley led PSU with 21 points. Makenna Marisa added 17 points and eight assists.

 
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 26 games this season and has 20+ points in 17 games, 12 25-point games and five 30-point games. Her five 30-point games are the most by a Penn State player since Kelly Mazzante in 2001-02 (12) and 2002-03 (9).
  • 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), 31 at Purdue (2/9) and 32 at Michigan State (2/21).
  • 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 (22.8 ppg), good for seventh in the country. In conference games, Marisa is averaging 23.5 points per game with five games coming against ranked opponents. Her 23.5 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 fifth in the nation in total points (592). Marisa's ninth in the country in field goals made (205) and eighth in field goal attempts (466). She's 11th in the nation in free throws made (124). Marisa also holds seventh in the Big Ten in assists per game (4.3) and total assists (113).
  • Marisa is tied fifth among DI players with 17 20-point games this season, tied third with 12 25-point games and tied sixth with five 30-point games this year.
  • Marisa is one of two DI players with double-figures in all of their games this season (minimum 26 games).

 
MARISA CLIMBING 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 1,191 career points, 27th all-time at Penn State, in 80 career games.

 
SWATS AND STEALS

  • Penn State holds second the Big Ten in steals per game (9.9) and blocks per game (4.5). The Lady Lions leads the conference in total steals (257).
  • 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, PSU's most since February 10, 2013 at Michigan State (17).
  • Leilani Kapinus leads PSU with 54 steals followed by Shay Hagans' 49 and Marisa's 42.
  • The Lady Lions also have eight games with at least six blocks, including a season-best 10 at Duquesne and 9 at Michigan State.
  • Kapinus paces PSU with 30 blocks followed by Ali Brigham's 27 and Anna Camden's 26.
  • Camden had a career-best seven blocks at Michigan State (2/21), the first Lady Lion with seven blocks in a game since Talia East vs. Purdue in 2014.
  • Penn State is one of five Division I teams with three players recording 25 or more blocks this year, joining Gardner-Webb, Georgia Tech, Providence and South Carolina.
  • Kapinus ranks second in the Big Ten in blocks per game (1.16), while Brigham sits fourth (1.12).

 
HAGANS FORCING TAKEAWAYS

  • Junior guard Shay Hagans has been a force on the defensive end this season.
  • She ranks fifth in the Big Ten in steals per game (1.88) and fourth in total steals (49).
  • Hagans has recorded at least one steal in 23 games and has multiple steals in 15 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 54 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 30 blocks, which is good for second among Big Ten freshmen and 13th among all Division I freshmen.
  • Kapinus is second in total steals and fourth 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

  • The Lady Lions return home for Senior Day on Sunday against Minnesota. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. on B1G+.