Lady Lions’ Comeback Effort Falls Short Against Conference Leading Iowa
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State fell to No. 18 Iowa, 77-66, Thursday night at the Bryce Jordan Center. The strong fourth quarter comeback was not enough for the Lady Lions.
The loss gives Penn State a 7-14 overall record and a 1-9 mark in the Big Ten, which is last in the conference. Meanwhile, Iowa’s win improves them to 18-3 and 9-1 in the Big Ten, which leads the conference.
Junior guard Kamaria McDaniel led the team in scoring with 19 points, while freshman guard Makenna Marisa was the other Lady Lion who scored in double figures with 10. Iowa started off the game hot, on a 9-0 run. After McDaniel broke the run and scored the team’s first two points, the Lady Lions then came back with an 11-2 run of their own. The Hawkeyes then scored four of the final six points of the quarter to take a 15-13 lead after one.
Penn State started out the second quarter strong, taking a 16-15 lead, thanks to freshman Anna Camden’s three-pointer. That run did not last long, with Iowa going on a 19-2 burst in the final 5:11 of the quarter. Iowa led 41-25 at the half.
Iowa opened the third quarter with five-straight points before Penn State came back with an 11-4 run that put the Lady Lions within 14. However, the Lady Lions struggled to find good shots, and the Hawkeyes led 66-46 going into the fourth.
Penn State had its strongest quarter in the fourth, scoring 20 points. This included a 12-0 run, where Iowa went 0-8 from the field. Marisa banked home a three to cut the lead within nine at 69-58 with 3:31 to play.
Penn State’s comeback was not though, as Iowa hung on to win the game, 77-66.
“I want to say I’ve had so much respect for Iowa, not only this year but in years past,” coach Carolyn Kieger said. “They share the basketball, do things the right way, they develop their kids and Lisa has done a great job with their program and we have to get there.”
Turnovers continue to be a problem for the Lady Lions. The team turned it over a total of 24 times. The team was also in foul trouble the whole game giving up 27 free throw attempts to Iowa.
Freshman guard Shay Hagans grabbed a career-high nine rebounds. While sophomore Bexley Wallce tied her season high of six points and added a career-high tying five rebounds.
During the pregame, there was a nine second moment of silence held for NBA legend Kobe Bryant and the eight other lives who were lost in Sunday’s helicopter crash.
The Lady Lions will take on the No. 23 Northwestern Wildcats at home, Sunday at noon.
Kurt Seguban is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email kqs5765@psu.edu.
