Penn State women’s basketball (4-4) closed out the Cal Classic on a good note with a commanding 92-68 win over North Carolina Central (1-5) Saturday afternoon.

Kamaria McDaniel and Alisia Smith powered the Nittany Lion offense in the win, posting career-high stats in scoring. McDaniel finished with a whopping total of 27 points, while Smith contributed 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals.

What Happened

Penn State got off to a strong start Saturday afternoon thanks to a dominant performance by Smith. The senior took control of the game early, racking up nine points and three rebounds in the first 10 minutes of play. This helped propel the Lady Lions to a 18-10 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

Lauren Ebo got things going in the second with a layup in the paint. Several possessions later, an Anna Camden three-pointer followed by a Smith and-one expanded the Penn State lead to 28-15. Kamaria McDaniel also came alive in this quarter, chipping in nine points of her own in what was an excellent first half of offense for head coach Carolyn Kieger’s squad. Overall, Penn State shot 56.7% from field-goal range compared to North Carolina Central’s 38.7%.

Unlike previous games, the Lady Lions did not let things fall apart in the second half. McDaniel and Smith continued to lead the way, pushing a pace and intensity that North Carolina Central never seemed to be able to match. McDaniel’s 18 second-half points and Smith’s nine boosted the offense and energized the team.

Lauren Ebo went a perfect 3-for-3 from field-goal range and had a total of five rebounds and two blocks in the final quarter to help Penn State cruise to a 92-68 victory over the Eagles.

Takeaways

• 92 POINTS. The offense was off the charts and simply couldn’t be stopped. Nine players found the net at least once throughout the game, propelling the team to score a season-high 92 points. The last time the Lady Lions reached the 90-mark was in 2016 under the Coquese Washington era.
• Ebo bounced back from a lackluster performance on Friday and scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting. She also made her presence known under the basket, where she secured 7 rebounds and two blocks. When Ebo plays well, it makes a big difference.
• McDaniel is a BEAST. Her career-high 27 points propelled the Lady Lions to victory. This now marks the 14th straight game McDaniel has notched double-digits, proving once again that she is truly a lethal offensive weapon for Carolyn Kieger.

What’s Next

The Nittany Lions return home to the Bryce Jordan Center for a matchup against Pitt on Thursday, December 5. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game can be streamed live on BTN+.