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No. 19/25 Texas Tech Nips No. 16/15 Lady Lions, 70-66, in Big 12/Big Ten Challenge
Bentley tallies game-high 18 points
LUBBOCK,
TEXAS; December 3, 2011 — The #16/15 Penn State Lady Lions (6-2, 0-0
Big Ten) struggled from the field in the second half, shooting just 25%
(8-32), as #19/25 Texas Tech (7-0) used the energy from the 8,923 fans
in attendance to claim a 70-66 win over the Lady Lions Saturday in the
Big 12/Big Ten Challenge. The Lady Lions closed within one point late,
but a three-pointer by Jordan Barncastle as the shot clock expired
sealed the four-point win for the Lady Raiders. Texas Tech outrebounded
the Lady Lions, 48-36, including 22 offensive boards.
Junior
guard Alex Bentley (Indianapolis, Ind.) had a game-high 18 points to go
along with two rebounds, three assists and a steal, while sophomore
guard Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) added 15 points and three steals.
Junior center Nikki Greene (Diboll, Texas), playing in her home state
of Texas for the first time, staved off foul trouble to register 11
points and eight rebounds.
The game was off to a fast
pace, but neither team was able to find the basket until Bentley scored
on a layup at the 17:23 mark to give the Lady Lions the early lead.
After a three-pointer by the Lady Raiders, Greene and Lucas scored
back-to-back layups to make it a 6-3 lead for Penn State four minutes
into the game.
The Lady Raiders would score seven of the
next 11 points to make it a 10-10 game, but two free throws by Greene
started an 8-2 run for Penn State to establish an 18-11 lead with 10:48
to play. The Lady Lions would push the lead to eight (21-13) on a free
throw with less than 10 minutes to play, but Texas Tech bounced back
with a 9-0 run to take a 22-21 lead with less than eight minutes
remaining in the opening frame.
After several exchanges,
Tori Waldner (Milton, Ga.) headed to the free throw line where she made
the front-end, but missed the second shot. Talia East (Philadelphia,
Pa.) grabbed the board and converted on the layup to give Penn State a
28-26 lead with 5:25 on the clock. On the ensuing offensive possession,
Waldner snared a rebound and putback to make it a four-point lead
(30-26) with 4:41 left.
The Lady Raiders scored the next
five points to take a 31-30 lead with just over two minutes remaining,
but a jumper by Bentley and layup by East off a Lucas pass put the Lady
Lions ahead by three (34-31). However, Casey Morris knocked down a
three-pointer with less than a minute to play to even the score at
34-34. On the ensuing Penn State possession, Bentley connected on a
15-footer to give Penn State a 36-34 lead heading into the break.
Bentley
led all scorers with 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field. She
also dished out a pair of assists and had a steal. Greene, who was
limited to 11 minutes due to foul trouble, had six points and four
rebounds. Waldner was also a solid contributor in the opening frame
with five points and three rebounds. The Lady Lions shot 53.8% (14-26)
from the field in the opening frame, but were outrebounded, 23-17. The
Lady Raiders pulled in 13 offensive rebounds to extend multiple
possessions.
Texas Tech scored on its first three
possessions of the second half to take a 41-36 lead just over a minute
into the closing frame, but the Lady Lions responded with six
consecutive tallies, including four from Lucas. The Lady Raiders would
score six of the next eight points to establish a 48-44 lead with 13:15
on the clock.
The Lady Lions clicked off a 7-2 run that
saw four different players score to retake the lead at 51-50 with 10:33
remaining. After several exchanges of free throws to saw Penn State
take a 55-53 advantage, but the Lady Raiders used their enthusiastic
crowd to push them to a 11-2 run and a 64-57 lead with 3:30 remaining.
Three
free throws by Greene brought Penn State within four (64-60) with just
over two minutes left and Lucas’ three-pointer snapped a nearly
nine-minute field goal drought to get the Lady Lions within one (64-63)
just seconds later. However, Mallard responded with a three-pointer of
her own to push the lead back to four. With 34 seconds left, Bentley
nailed her first three-pointer of the game and made it a one-point
deficit (67-66). On the ensuing Texas Tech possession, the Lady Lions
forced an air ball, but Zhaque Gray (Chicago, Ill.) could not control
the rebound and it was TTU’s ball with one second on the shot clock.
Off the of in-bounds play, Jordan Barncastle connected on her second
field goal of the game as the horn sounded to extend the lead back to
four points (70-66). Penn State’s in-bounds pass was stolen, clinching
the win for the Lady Raiders.
GAME NOTES: Alex Bentley
needs five points to become the 33rd member of Penn State’s 1,000-point
club … Bentley reached the 200-rebound mark for her career with a pair
of caroms … Texas Tech has won 38 consecutive non-conference home games.
The
Lady Lions begin a three-game homestand against ACC foe Virginia Tech
Tuesday. It’s Toys for Tots night at the BJC and fans that bring a new,
unwrapped toy to the game will get a voucher to participate in a
postgame autograph session with four Lady Lions. Tuesday will also be
Dollar Dog Night. Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are available by
calling 814-867-2557. Season tickets are $117 for adults, $52 for youth
and $91 for seniors. Single game tickets go on sale Tuesday, Oct. 11.
PNC Flex Books are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book
gives fans 12 vouchers, including one for the Coaches vs. Cancer game
and one for the Pink Zone game, that can be redeemed for Nittany Lion
and Lady Lion Basketball tickets in any combination.
The
2012 WBCA Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Feb. 26 as
the Lady Lions take on Minnesota in the Bryce Jordan Center. Last year,
the Lady Lions donated nearly $200,000 for breast cancer causes. This
year’s fundraising efforts will benefit the Mount Nittany Medical
Center, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer
Coalition, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital and
Lewistown Hospital.
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