Penn State women’s basketball (11-17, 4-13 Big Ten) came back to defeat USC (17-11, 9-8 Big Ten) 85 – 82 on Wednesday evening’s senior night.

Star sophomore Kiyomi McMiller notched a career high 40 points, hitting seven shots from behind the arc. The Lady Lions were down as many as 12 in the third quarter before fighting back to claim a third straight victory.

How It Happened

After an opening praise for the Lady Lion seniors, the Trojans jumped out of the gates hot with back-to-back three pointers to set the tone early. Penn State finally ended its drought through Kiyomi McMiller, draining one of her own. USC kept the tempo up early, adding a baseline jumper to set the game at 8-3.

The Lady Lions would find their feet as a Nyla McFadden fast break layup and Tèa Clèante finish would answer back with 4:33 to go in the first.

But from very early, every Lion push saw a USC answer. Jazzy Davidson added two mid-range jumpers, and Kennedy Smith would see three straight threes fall in for the Trojans.

McMiller wouldn’t let it go down that easily, adding 10 points in the last three minutes for the Lions. Gracie Merkle flashed her footwork, and a Moriah Murray three-pointer sent Penn State into the second down 26-24.

USC would start the second off strong, an electric 7-0 run, with yet another Davidson bucket, to force an early Penn State timeout with 8:18 left in the quarter.

The Lady Lions responded behind a Nyla McFadden mid-ranger and a deep McMiller three, but yet another 7-0 Trojan run would find a 40-29 lead with 4:30 to go in the second.

McMillar was immediately fouled and sent to the line following the break, knocking down one of two. The sophomore then lit another three off to give herself 20 points and put the Lady Lions within seven.

Turnovers stacked for both teams, and meaningless possessions left the game at 1:57 in the quarter, when McFadden would see a layup go through. Merkle and McMiller added a pair of their own before a quick 6-0 Trojan run to end the half at 46-39, USC lead.

The half started with Merkle once again working down low and grabbing an easy finish. USC answered with a three before McMiller would walk right down the court and splash one of her own from the top of the key.

Defense began to play a factor as no points were seen until 6:14 in the quarter. Fancy finishes from Smith and Davidson for the Trojans would send Penn State to the drawing board trailing 53-44.

​Penn State could not benefit from the timeout, as the ball would be turned over immediately, and Davidson would fire one home from behind the arc.

The Nittany Lions would find life to end the quarter. Clèante buried a corner triple, McMillar and McFadden followed with smooth jumpers inside the arc.

With 1:36 to play, Vitória Santana connected from long range to bring Penn State within four, and McMiller struck again just before the buzzer, a big-time three with hands in her face trimmed the deficit to 59–58 heading into the final quarter.

The quarter would begin by sending the Trojans to the free-throw line, where they only saw one fall. Merkle stormed down the court and flushed one home, tying the game up for the first time since the opening tip.

​A USC three would be answered by a Kiyomi McMiller step-back bucket, and the teams continued to trade buckets back and forth, putting the game at 67-66 with 6:40 left.

The Lady Lions deployed a full-out trap on defense, resulting in a stop. Merkle would then be found in the paint, spin, and lay it up, giving Penn State its first lead of the game. Yet another USC triple fell, but Gracie Merkle again ran the floor following a defensive stand and a fast break layup tied the game right back up at 70 a piece heading into our final media timeout.

USC was sent to the line following a break, once again only seeing one of two go, they would parlay it with a contact layup until McMiller continued an outstanding night, going on a personal 4-0 run, then finding Murray on the wing who knocked down a triple to put the Lady Lions up 77-74 with 2:28 remaining.

After a stop on the defensive end, McMiller isolated at the top of the key, pulled up right off the free throw line, and nailed it, giving her a career high 38 and putting the Lions up five late.

A clutch stop from Penn State would then begin the foul game, first being Clèante, who went one for two with 43 seconds left to play. USC wasn’t done yet, as the Trojans connected from beyond the arc. Another foul saw Clèante back at the line, again only converting one.

The Lady Lions stood tall defensively, but another one-for-two trip found the Trojans drilling another three pullback within two.

McMiller would be the next sent to the line, finally hitting both for the Lions to give herself 40 on the night, but a tough USC layup with six seconds to play would keep the game at two. Santana was then sent to the line, being unsuccessful on the first, but hitting the second to put Penn State up 85-82 with 4.2 on the clock.

The Lady Lions finally held off a late USC rally and wrapped up their third straight Big Ten victory with an 85-82 win.

Takeaways

• Kiyomi McMiller scored a career high 40 points on 70% from the field to fuel a Lady Lion comeback victory.
• Both teams shot at a high clip tonight, with Penn State shooting 62% from the field and USC shooting 70% from three. Allowing USC to be so consistent from deep almost spoiled the Lady Lions’ winning bid.
• The Lady Lions went 5-for-8 from the line in the final minutes, which nearly cost them the game.

What’s Next?

The Lady Lions close their regular season off on the road against Indiana at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 21. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.