Penn State women’s basketball (10-15, 1-13 Big Ten) lost to Illinois (20-5, 10-4 Big Ten) 67-55 at the State Farm Center on Thursday night.

The Lady Lions played an extremely close affair, but another fourth quarter breakdown doomed them en route to their 13th Big Ten loss of the season. Penn State led by five going into the fourth quarter and had the Fighting Illini frustrated throughout the night, but Illinois’ defensive stops and clutch shooting in the final frame proved too much for Penn State to bear.

How It Happened

Moriah Murray, Vitoria Santana, Grace Hall, Talayah Walker, and Gracie Merkle started the night off on the floor for Penn State dawning the pink and black throwback uniforms.

Gabby Elliott and Jayla Oden checked in for Murray and Walker after two Lady Lions turnovers within the first minute. Santana tried her hand at a three to put Penn State on the board, but only got pure glass.

Merkle muscled her way through the Fighting Illini defense for some second chance points for the Lady Lions’ first points of the night. Illinois’ Adalia McKenzie surged into the paint, securing an and-one in response.

Two Illinois triples sandwiched an Elliott jumper as Alli Campbell entered the game for the first time in two games after an injury.

Murray cashed in from the top of the key to tie the game up at 17 in the final minute of the first quarter. McKenzie scored one from the charity stripe, but Elliott hit a three as time expired to hand Penn State a 20-18 lead after one.

A Gabby three puts us ahead after one!

00:02 Q1 | 20-18 Penn State #LionMentality x @gabbyy5_ pic.twitter.com/k8jnUIzazM

— Penn State Women's Basketball (@PennStateWBB) February 14, 2025

Kendall Bostic tied the game back at 20 for the Fighting Illini with a deep two to open the second frame. Genesis Bryant hit a step-back three to reclaim Illinois’ lead.

Oden, who transferred from Illinois to Penn State in 2023, scored on back-to-back possessions as the contest heated up with both teams exchanging shots.

Jayla is DIALED IN.

7:43 Q2 | 24-23 Penn State #LionMentality x @JaylaOden pic.twitter.com/iufTrMnnlk

— Penn State Women's Basketball (@PennStateWBB) February 14, 2025

The Lady Lions led 30-28 going into a media timeout with 4:18 left in the half.

Through the end of the half, both teams continued to jab each other with shots. Illinois ultimately secured the 35-32 lead at intermission. Freshman Cam Rust saw the floor in the dying minutes of the second quarter as well.

Elliott hit a three from near the corner after an Illinois score to start the third quarter. Penn State forced a defensive stop, but Hall’s miss off the glass turned into an Illinois three down the other side of the hardwood.

The Fighting Illini held steady at a five-point lead, responding with shots of their own every time the Lady Lions pulled within three. Elliott hit a wide-open layup off of a blown defensive coverage by Illinois. She hit a deep two to pull within one with just over three minutes remaining in the third frame.

Murray cashed in from the corner to reclaim Penn State’s lead at 44-42 with just under two minutes in the penultimate period. The Lady Lions surged on a 9-0 run over the last 3:25 after Elliott was fouled in the corner for three shots from the stripe. The four-point lead at 46-42 represented Penn State’s largest of the night.

Merkle cashed in in the paint as Penn State took a five-point lead going into the fourth quarter.

Bostic drew first blood in the final frame to pull the Fighting Illini back within three points. Another layup by McKenzie made it a one-point ballgame. Illinois reclaimed the lead with a pair of McKenzie free throws.

Elliott powered through for a layup to reclaim the lead, but McKenzie answered right back with a deep two.

Bryant hit a triple for Illinois as the Fighting Illini went up four points with just over five minutes left in the contest. Head coach Carolyn Kieger called a timeout as the Lady Lions went down 56-50 with 2:47 remaining.

Merkle secured an and-one coming out of the timeout to slash the lead in half. A Bryant triple with 1:33 left put the dagger in the Lady Lions as Illinois went up 61-53. Illinois padded its lead to double digits in the final minute, securing the win.

Takeaways

• Kieger’s experimental lineups proved to show a lot of grit throughout the game. True freshmen Steele and Rust saw minutes as Santana also notched her second consecutive start.
• Elliott once again showed up big for the Lady Lions throughout the entire game. Elliott finished her night with 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists on 6-16 from the field and 2-3 from three. She played 37 minutes.
• Campbell’s return to the hardwood didn’t result in any sparks for Penn State from its offensive facilitator. Campbell only played 3 minutes, possibly due to her lingering injury, and only shot one fadeaway jumper that bounced off the rim.

What’s Next?

Penn State returns home to battle Wisconsin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, February 16, at the Bryce Jordan Center. Folks at home can watch the game on BTN+.