Lady Lions Cruise Past Lock Haven in Exhibition

Story posted October 28, 2018 in CommRadio, Sports by Kevin McConlogue

University Park, Pa.- Penn State used its size to its advantage in a preseason matchup against Lock Haven. The Lady Lions defeated the Bald Eagles 92-57 in an exhibition game on Sunday afternoon at the Bryce Jordan Center in their first game back at home since last season.

Penn State’s size proved to be a huge advantage in this game with 6’3” sophomore Alisia Smith posting a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds on seven of 10 shooting and 6’4” freshman Lauren Ebo contributing 12 points in her collegiate debut.

“I think our height is gonna be a big factor,” Smith said. “We’re two solid posts and I feel like we’re both gonna be big factors this year.”

The Lady Lions started out this exhibition game strong outscoring the Bald Eagles 26-6 in the first quarter with Ebo scoring four points and sophomore Kamaria McDaniel scoring seven points.

The Bald Eagles then stormed back in the second quarter outscoring the Lady Lions 27-16. Rileigh Devine hit three three-pointers for Lock Haven in a quarter where the Lady Lions where playing off their game.

“We went a stretch in the second quarter where we went turnover, turnover, turnover, missed shot, turnover,” Lady Lions Head Coach Coquese Washington said. “We also stopped playing at the pace we wanted to play it, which we fixed in the second half.”

The Lady Lions went back to controlling the pace in the third quarter outscoring Lock Haven 29-12 in the quarter with preseason All-Big Ten selection Teniya Page scoring six of her 11 points and dishing out 3 of her 4 assists in the quarter.

For the game, the Lady Lions shot 45 percent from the field 27 percent from three-point range, and 58 percent from the foul line. Penn State also had a huge advantage on the glass outrebounding Lock Haven 62-38, but Coach Washington still thinks the Lady Lions can get better from a rebounding standpoint.

“I thought we could have done a better job with some of our technique, boxing out, and things of that nature,” Washington said. “I’m glad we did the job that we did, but I think we can be better.”

Overall though, Washington thought the exhibition game benefitted her team before the start of the regular season.
“It was good to get out here and play with folks in the stands in a real game situation as compared to a scrimmage or a closed practice,” Washington said. “It was great to have a live run through.”

The Lady Lions will open the regular season on Thursday, November 8 against the Providence Friars at the Bryce Jordan Center.

 

Kevin McConlogue is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism with a minor in political science. To contact him email kpm5520@psu.edu.