UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State women’s basketball embarks on a two-game road trip to California, where it will take on no. 4/5 USC first on Sunday, Jan. 12. The first official in-conference meeting between the Lady Lions and the Trojans is set to tip at Galen Center at 8 p.m. ET and will be nationally televised on the Big Ten Network.
GAME INFORMATION
at no. 4/5 USC
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 12, 2024 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Los Angeles, Calif. | Venue: Galen Center
- Live Stats | Watch: Big Ten Network | Notes | Radio
- Admission: Ticketed
LAST TIME OUT
- Penn State battled from behind in its second consecutive game. After a near comeback against Nebraska earlier in the week, the Lady Lions returned from down 17-points in the third quarter to tie and then take the lead in the fourth. The teams traded the lead six times in the final minutes before Oregon put up two points with four seconds remaining and PSU missed its last second shot.
- Gabby Elliott produced her ninth game in double figures and fourth in a row with 26 points using 10-of-17 shooting from the field including four-of-six from three-point range.
- Alli Campbell logged 13 points for her sixth time surpassing the 10-point mark this season. She also grabbed six boards and dished out four assists.
- Freshman Talayah Walker was the final Lady Lion in the double figure scoring trio to reach double-digits. She put up 10 points to go with six rebounds.
- Grace Hall drained her first three-point basket of the season in Penn State’s go-ahead points late in the fourth quarter during its comeback attempt.
- Gracie Merkle led the team in rebounding with 11, her ninth time cracking double-digit boards this season.
- Penn State outshot Oregon beyond the arc, shooting 40% while holding the Ducks to just 18%.
- The Lady Lions also won the rebounding battle at a 38-24 margin.
LAST TIME AGAINST USC
- Penn State and USC met for the fifth time in the series history last season at the Baha Mar Tournament in the Bahamas, prior to USC joining the Big Ten.
- The game came down to the wire, after 15 lead changes and nine tie scores throughout the contest. The Trojans engaged in a 7-0 run over the last minutes to finalize the 71-70 result.
- Three Lady Lions scored in double figures: Shay Ciezki (18), Marisa (10) and Lavella (10).
- Penn State outscored USC 30-22 in the paint and created 21 points off of the Trojans’ 20 turnovers.
- The Lady Lions produced 22 bench points, marking their sixth outing at the time with 20 or more points from subs.
SCOUTING THE TROJANS
- USC is 15-1 overall, 5-0 in the Big Ten just over halfway through the 2024-25 campaign with its only loss coming during non-conference play to no. 6 Notre Dame. Since that defeat, the team is on an 11-game win streak.
- The Trojans own four ranked wins this season, two coming on the road and one at a neutral site game in Paris to begin the campaign.
- Juju Watkins earned a slew of preseason awards including a spot on the Wade Watch List, Wooden Award Watch List, Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Watch List and Naismith Trophy Watch List. She found herself on the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List. Watkins is a three-time Big Ten Player of the Week recipient and three-time AP and USBWA National Player of the Week this season.
- Watkins ranks in the top five nationally in points per game (third), points (fourth) and free throws (third).
- Kiki Iriafen also earned a spot on the Wade Watch List, Wooden Award Watch List, Naismith Trophy Watch List and Midseason Top 25 Watch List. She was also named to the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Watch List.
- Talia von Oelhoffen was also named to the Wooden Award Preseason Watch List, Naismith Trophy Watch List and Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List.
- Rayah Marshall landed on the Naismith Trophy Watch List as well as the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Watch List.
- As a team, USC has the fourth best scoring margin in the country, creating a 30.7-point margin between its score and its opponent’s score. The Trojans also rank second in blocks per game (7.3).
- Last season, USC finished 29-6 overall, winning its final Pac-12 Tournament title. The Trojans advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight where they lost to UConn. Their appearance at that stage in the tournament was their first trip to the Elite Eight in 30 years. They also reached their highest national ranking since 1986 at no. 3.
PENN STATE – USC SERIES
- This will be the fifth meeting all-time between the Lady Lions and the Trojans.
- USC leads the series 4-1.
- Penn State won the first-ever meeting on Jan. 6 1980. USC has won the last four-straight games.
- Prior to the game last season, the teams hadn’t met since 1983.
LADY LIONS IN THE RANKS
- Merkle ranks eighth in the Big Ten in total points (268). She also sits ninth in the B1G in points per game (16.8). Merkle is 24th in the nation in field goals made (112) and seventh in field goal percentage (65.1). Her eight double-doubles ranks her 12th in the country and fourth in the Big Ten.
- Moriah Murray is 16th in the country in three pointers (44). She leads the Big Ten in that category and ranks second in threes per game (2.75).
- Alli Campbell is ranked sixth in the conference in assists (69).
- Penn State is 22nd in the nation in total assists (271) and sits 23rd in assists per game (17.8). The team is sixth in the conference in total assists and ranks fifth in assists per game.
- The Lady Lions rank 23rd in the country in shooting percentage from the field (46.7) and fourth in the Big Ten.