A strong team effort on both offense and defense led to an 81-63 victory over Michigan on Thursday for the Penn State women’s basketball team. Maggie Lucas led the way offensively with 23 points on 56 percent shooting.

Lucas was an immediate spark when she came off the bench for the Lady Lions in the first half. With the score tied at nine, Penn State went on an 11-2 run, with Lucas contributing seven of the 11 points. Michigan battled back to within one possession, but Penn State extended the lead once more to finish the half up 36-25.

The Lady Lions dominated the boards in the first half, grabbing 26 to just 12 for the Wolverines. Lucas led Penn State in scoring in the first half with 14 points, and Nikki Greene contributed eight points and seven rebounds.

Penn State continued to pour it on in the second half. Michigan made a small rally early on to come within eight points, but the Lady Lions held the Wolverines at bay. Penn State shot 68 percent from the field in the second half to deny Michigan any hope of a comeback. The Lady Lions gradually extended the lead until the last whistle blew, ending the game at 81-63.

Five Penn State players scored in double figures. Along with Lucas, Greene scored 14 points, Zhaque Gray scored 11, Alex Bentley scored 11, and Julia Trogele scored 10. Several of the bench players got quality minutes, including Renee Womack, who scored seven points and grabbed three rebounds in 12 minutes.

With the win, Penn State improves to 19-5 overall and 8-2 in the Big Ten. The Lady Lions are now first in the Big Ten, half a game ahead of Michigan State. Next up for Penn State is #22 Iowa, a team that the Lady Lions beat 68-59 in their first meeting of the season. The game with the Hawkeyes will take place on Sunday at 3 p.m.