Penn State women’s basketball (4-0) demolished Niagara (0-3) on Thursday in the Bryce Jordan Center.

Niagara only had eight players dressed for the game, which showed as the Lady Lions ran circles around the Purple Eagles by the time the first quarter was over. A strong start gave Penn State a 33-13 lead after 10 minutes, and the Lady Lions never looked back.

How It Happened

Both teams struggled in the first minutes, turning the ball over a combined six times before Moriah Murray drew first blood with a corner three. Safiatu Kolleigbo responded with a two-point jumper.

A nice pass from Murrah found Gracie Merkle underneath the hoop before Merkle dropped home another two points. Talia Dial responded with a corner three to tie the game at 5-5.

Alli Campbell drew a foul at the other end, hitting one of her two shots. The same happened on the other end of the court with Amelia Strong.

Merkle made a layup and drew a foul, making the free throw. After fast-paced play gave Tamera Johnson two points, Niagara called timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, Jemima Lacroix hit one of two free throws. Murray responded with another three before Lacroix hit a layup to make the score 14-9 for Penn State halfway through the first quarter.

Walker hit a layup on the fast break a moment before Jalya Oden did the same thing. Oden hit a three-pointer as Penn State continued its run. After Campbell hit a jumper in the paint, Oden’s put-back layup made the score 27-13 Penn State.

In the last 80 seconds of the first quarter, Merkle, Grace Hall, and Campell combined for six points to make the score 33-13.

Gabby Elliott hit a three-pointer to lead off the second quarter before Lacroix made one free throw. Murrah hit another three, her third of the game, before Dial responded with a three at the other end. When Elliott made her second-chance jumper under the hoop, Niagara called another timeout down 41-17.

Talayah Walker made a layup out of the break before Johnson added two more to Penn State’s lead. After another timeout, Merkle did the same thing before hitting two free throws to make the score 49-17. A layup from Walker, before two missed free throws from Jill Jekot, extended Penn State’s lead. Jekot hit a three in response before a cross-court throw from Jekot gave Cam Rust two points on a layup.

Rust hit one of two layups before fouling at the other end, which allowed Jordyn Williams to hit one free throw. After a failed full-court prayer missed the basket, Penn State went into the locker room leading 57-20.

Murray took to the line at the start of the second half, hitting both of her shots. Merkle followed that up by fighting for, and earning, two points under the rim. Amelia Strong picked up two points for the Purple Eagles before Merkle did the twice same thing at the other end.

Dial hit a three-pointer before Lakeeyah Barnes made a layup. Merkle responded with another basket and hit the ensuing free throw. Nevaeh Otis scored a quick four points, making the score 68-31 for the Lady Lions before head coach Carolyn Kieger called timeout.

Johnson sent another long ball to Rust, who laid it in for another two points for Penn State out of the break. After a media timeout, Otis made a jumper and Murray responded with a three-pointer.

Dial hit another three before Campbell responded with a layup. Niagara called a timeout down 75-36. Oden dropped a layup through the basket out of the break and in the last two minutes of the quarter, Elliott and Dial combined for five more points for their teams, as the game entered the final 10 minutes with Penn State leading 79-39.

Grace Hall scored the first points of the fourth quarter after two minutes, hitting a layup and an and-one. Elliott knocked down a layup after a steal from Oden, and Murray hit another three-pointer. Merkle tagged on another layup before Oden’s assist gave Merkle another easy two points.

Strong earned two points for Niagara before a media timeout with Penn State leading 91-41. Jekot dropped in a layup out of the break, but Dial responded with a three-point play. Strong made one free throw before Walker made two on the other end.

Walker and Jekot combined for six points in the last three minutes as Penn State closed out a 101-45 win.

Takeaways

• While it took a moment, the Lady Lions played beautiful, fluid basketball by the end of the first quarter. Strong fast-break sequences put Penn State ahead and gave it enough comfort to never look back.
• After struggling against Dusquene, Thursday’s game was a good get-right performance for Penn State. After getting into a four-quarter dogfight on Sunday, the Lady Lions essentially guaranteed themselves a win well before halftime.

What’s Next?

Penn State will next face Monmouth at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 17, at the Bryce Jordan Center.