Despite a late-game collapse in a loss to Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon, Penn State women’s basketball and the Bryce Jordan Center proudly displayed pink in the 19th annual Pink Zone game. The Pink Zone game is meant to highlight and support those affected by breast cancer.

Penn State hosted its first Pink Zone game after a grant from the Big Ten in 2007. Coincidentally, the Lady Lions beat the Badgers in the inaugural game. Since then, more than 5,200 survivors have been honored at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Regardless of the grueling loss on Sunday, head coach Carolyn Kieger opened her postgame press conference by highlighting how much the Pink Zone game means to the program and the Penn State community as a whole.

“I just want to say congratulations and what an inspiration all the survivors are to have in attendance,” Kieger said. “So, really want to thank Trish [Fulvio] and everybody that’s involved with the Pink Zone to make this day happen, to highlight and honor the survivors tonight.”

At the half, more than 100 breast cancer survivors in attendance took to the Bryce Jordan Center court in a moment of celebration and respect for their strength and resilience. Altogether, the women represented a total of 1,620 years, nine months, and 15 days of surviving breast cancer.

1620 years, nine months and 15 days of survivorship #LionMentality pic.twitter.com/9CkvMm65fH

— Penn State Women's Basketball (@PennStateWBB) February 16, 2025

“Obviously, we would have liked to battle a little bit harder there in the end to pull it out for them in the building,” Kieger said.

Gracie Merkle and Gabby Elliott also took to the stand postgame. As new additions to the Penn State roster this season, Sunday represented their first Pink Zone games.

“This is my third program, and I’ve never been a part of something like this when it comes to the Pink Game, and I’m happy and proud to say that the things on here mean a lot,” Elliott said. “I also had an aunt that has gone through this battle, so it really means a lot to me, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

“We wish we could have got the win for them,” Merkle said. “Their stories are incredible.”

Merkle and Elliott finished the day as the leading scorers for the Lady Lions. The duo combined for 40 points, with Merkle posting 28 points, her most in a game since November’s win over Drexel. Kieger spotlighted the pair’s “synergy” as a major driving force toward what has kept the Lady Lions competitive late into the game in recent matchups.

Kieger closed out her postgame presser by further emphasizing the scope with which the Lady Lions program views the Pink Zone game as a whole.

“This is bigger than basketball. This is bigger than us. This is bigger than Penn State,” Kieger said. “This is not something that is not necessarily close to home for all of us. We all have it near and dear in our family and our friends, and it’s our duty to pay it forward and fight for a bigger cause.”