B1G Game 18: Gophers Visit Penn State (2-27-22)

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Ignatius L Hoops

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BATTLE FOR THE BYE

Sunday’s Penn State versus Minnesota showdown earns the winner an opening round bye in next week’s B1G tournament. Yes, there’s still something to play for during the regular season. Both teams feature high scoring junior guards: Makenna Marisa for the Lady Lions and Sara Scalia for the Gophers. And both teams are led by young coaches enduring another disappointing campaign. Penn State’s Carolyn Kieger is 38 and Minnesota’s Lindsay Whalen 39. The Lady Lions enter the matchup 5-12 in the B1G while the Gophers are 6-11.

THE SCORERS

5’11” Mekenna Marisa’s 22.7 points per game ranks second to Iowa’s Caitlen Clark. Marisa has scored double digits in every Big Ten game including 32 versus both Iowa and Michigan State and 31 against Purdue. Although last time out, Ohio State limited her to 10 points. At 2.1 makes per game, she’s not a prolific three-point shooter. But her three-point percentage .343 is 10th in conference. However, Marisa is deadly and prolific from the foul line going 97-112 (.866).



Sara Scalia is 10th in Big Ten in scoring with 18.7 points and relies on the three pointer to do much of her damage hitting 3.3 (2nd) per game. Sara is 7th in three-point shooting percentage at .406%. Scalia is even better than Marisa from the line knocking them down at a .906 %. But she gets to the line less than Marisa going 56-62. There is also a difference in assists with Scalia dishing 2.2 per game compared to Marisa’s 3.6.

THE COACHES

Carolyn Kieger arrived in Happy Valley with a fanfare propelled by success at Marquette. In her first season Kieger was 1-17 in conference. It was so bad that last season’s 6-13 record facilitated by roster changes looked like significant progress. Unfortunately, this season must be considered a step back. Afterall, in her third season at Marquette Kieger took the Golden Eagles to the NCAA tournament. She stretched that to three consecutive trips before being hired by Penn State. The Big Ten has been more of a challenge.

Lindsay Whalen arrived in Dinkytown with a fanfare propelled by being Lindsay Whalen. Whalen inherited an NCAA team and went 9-9 in conference. That remains the high point. The next two seasons were 5-13 and 7-11. If we win Sunday, we will match last season’s record. The regular season ender features two coaches struggling to gain some program changing momentum.

LAST SEASON’S MEETINGS:

Penn State and the Gophers split two contests with each team winning on the road. In Minneapolis, the Lady Lions out scored the Gophers 21-10 in the third quarter on the way to a 69-60 victory. PSU were led by 6’3” forward Kelly Jekot with 15 points and 8 rebounds, she was aided by now graduated Johnasia Cash with 14 and 6’0” guard Maddie Burke with 13. Mckenna Marisa chipped in 9 points in 28 minutes.

Jasmine Powell led Minnesota with 19 points and 6 rebounds. LBK, off the bench, scored 12 points and grabbed 5 rebounds while Gadiva Hubbard had 8 points and 6 assists. An injured Sara Scalia did not play. The Penn State win stopped a six game Gopher winning streak over the Lady Lions.

In State College, a 32-16 fourth quarter surge by the Gophers delivered an 85-76 win. Sara Scalia, on the strength of five threes, led Minnesota with 21 points. Hubbard scored 18, Powell 16 and Kadi Sissoko had 15 points and 5 rebounds. LBK posted 8 points and 6 rebounds in 14 minutes. Minnesota was 10-29 from three. Notable Lady Lion performers were Marisa with 25 points, Cash with 22 points and 15 rebounds, and 5’7” guard Niya Beverly with 8 points and 8 assists. Scalia and Marisa put on a show last season in Happy Valley. I’d expect nothing less this season when the bye is on the line.



Penn State Big Ten Record (5-12):

Wins: Rutgers 52-48, Illinois 90-72, @Northwestern 63-59, Nebraska 83-76, and @ Michigan State 79-71

Losses: @Indiana 40-70, @ Maryland 78-106, Michigan 57-74, @ Wisconsin 57-69, Iowa 79-107, Michigan State 58-79, @ Maryland 71-82, @ Nebraska 61-76, Northwestern 72-78, @ Purdue 77-81, @ Rutgers 62-71 and @ Ohio State 55-78



McKenna Marisa Last Six Big Ten Games:

TeamPtsRebAsstMinFoul
Northwestern2534384
Purdue3177372
Rutgers1531365
Nebraska2268393
Michigan State3236372
Ohio State1041302


Leilani Kapinus Last Six Big Ten Games:

TeamPtsRebAsstMinFoul
Northwestern1571362
Purdue763364
Rutgers23124354
Nebraska650164
Michigan State1160144
Ohio State10123282


Probable Starters with Big Ten Stats:

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
5’11”GJrMakenna Marisa36.922.73.9
5’10”GRFrLeilani Kapinus27.911.16.0
6’3”FJrAnna Camden23.15.74.8
5’7”GSrNiya Beverly24.25.01.5
6’0”GGSKelly Jekot22.04.13.0


Others With Big Ten Stats:

HGTPOSYRPLAYERMINAVGREB
5’6”GJrShay Hagans25.26.52.4
6’4”FSoAli Brigham16.36.03.4
5’10”GSoTova Sabel15.64.62.5
6’0”GSoMaddie Burke13.22.81.2
Click to expand...
 

Schedule says this is on B1G network but my channel guide says it isn't. Can't really blame the channel, if so.
 

thatjanelpick said:
Schedule says this is on B1G network but my channel guide says it isn't. Can't really blame the channel, if so.
Click to expand...
this is happening to me too. the last time this happened I could not watch because B10+ said I had to sign in with my tv provider and would not accept my password. the same thing is happening again!
 





Great quarter for LBK; Sissoko also. PSU with 16 points...8 players with 2 points each.
 


Last 2 minutes of the half were ugly. But we still won the quarter. Up 38-28 at half.
 



Man we cannot finish around/ under the basket. Should be up more than 10. Hopefully they avoid the dreaded third quarter slump and come out with good energy.
 

ndnae said:
this is happening to me too. the last time this happened I could not watch because B10+ said I had to sign in with my tv provider and would not accept my password. the same thing is happening again!
Click to expand...
It is not on B1G here. I have the same problem with B1G+.
 

It helps that PSU is zippo from behind the arc. The Lady Lion press is about the only part of their defense that's caused us trouble.
 




walleye said:
It is not on B1G here. I have the same problem with B1G+.
Click to expand...
I don't think it's on B1G anywhere. That's my point. A game originally scheduled to be on the TV network was shifted to the streamer at the last minute, presumably because it's such a low-stakes outing. I'm trying to remember if the Gophers were on B1G proper at all this entire season...
 

Strong first half for Laura Bagwell Katalinich. She plays smart and hustles. Good shooting by Scalia.
Need Hubbard and Winters to step up. Never understand all the minutes Smith gets. Dribbles and passes, but shot is broke.

​

 


Good start to the half, let’s keep it up Gophers! Last 2games so much better ball movement.
 

Ugh! Layups still an issue, come on Gophers you can do this!
 

That was a stupid play at the end of the quarter, really Smith last shot? Foul on the rebound, not smart.
 

66-54 after 3rd. We survived without giving it all back. Sissoko having a sorely needed good game
 

Sissoko: 22 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes. Unchallenged by the Lady Lions
 





I like how aggressive sissoko is, would like to see her to not have shot or nothing mentality
Katogopher said:
That was a stupid play at the end of the quarter, really Smith last shot? Foul on the rebound, not smart.
Click to expand...
thats on the coaches, Lex should never take the last shot.
 


Two great wins at the end of the season when we really needed them for Big Ten tourney seeding. Now, let's keep the run going in Indy.

And, win on the road is ice cream for the team - a long standing tradition!
 

Nice win. We saw today why many of us were excited about Kadi at the beginning of the season. She was very aggressive today and did so without getting into foul trouble. Liked the way the Gophers shared the ball today. Great offensive production also from Scalia and LBK. I can't help but wonder if this team had had a healthy LBK the entire season (and they were playing her), I think they might have been able to win another 2 or 3 games in the BIG. MSU or NW on Thursday?
 

22 OFFENSIVE rebounds.. 47 REBOUNDS... Penn State had 30 REBOUNDS..

where has this Kadi been all season.. like @tripledouble mentioned in their post.. THIS showing today is why SO MANY of us were excited about Kadi.. she looked like one of the BEST players in the B1G today.. 32/14 and only ONE turnover..

kind of closer then what it really was imho.. a lot of free throws for Penn state in the 4th quarter as they got into the bonus early on.

so HAPPY they can rest until Thursday now.
 

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