Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/763662
After watching Penn State dismantle Pitt, 91-62, on Dec. 10 at the Bryce Jordan Center, Panthers coach (and former PSU All-American) Suzie McConnell-Serio had a question: "Who thought igniting this rivalry was a good idea?" The Lady Lions used a 25-5 run in the second quarter to take control, and they coasted to their eighth victory in their first 10 games. Lindsey Spann finished with 20 points, and Penn State shot 47 percent as a team, the third consecutive game in which it shot 45 percent or better. "One of the things we talked about be- fore the game was making each other bet- ter out there," coach Coquese Washington said. "I thought we did a good job of that in terms of playing together, making the right reads, making the right passes, and helping each other on defense." –M.H. Spann helps PSU trounce Panthers W O M E N 'S B A S K E T B A L L FAVORITES You can never go wrong picking Mary- land. The two-time defending champs have three starters back and had played up to their preseason billing as of mid-December. Ranked fourth in the As- sociated Press poll, they won their 6rst 10 games. DARK HORSES Any team other than the Terps could probably be considered a dark horse. Ohio State was the only other Big Ten team in the AP Top 25 as of mid-December, and if anyone is going to challenge Maryland, it's the Buckeyes. Northwestern and Michigan State were also o7 to hot starts, but it would be surprising if either were to maintain that pace. MVP CANDIDATES Ohio State junior guard Kelsey Mitchell is the favorite here. She was a consensus 6rst-team All-American last season and hasn't missed a beat this year, averaging 23.4 points per game. Maryland's Brionna Jones and Nebraska's Jessica Shepard also belong in the conversation. PENN STATE'S OUTLOOK With wins in eight of their 6rst 10 games, the Lady Lions have gotten o7 to their best start since the 2013-14 season. They won't have to wait long to see how they stack up in Big Ten play, as they open with one of the league's better teams in Indiana. And an even bigger test looms on Jan. 11 when they travel to Maryland. A win in College Park would be a big ask, but even if they're not ready to handle a potential Final Four team on the road, the Lady Lions are trending up again a8er a couple of losing seasons. Sandwiches • Salads • Spuds • Soups • Sweet Tea HUB-Robeson Center • On-Campus mcalistersdeli.com he ic w nd a S • s ad al S • s u o S • s ud Sp T t ee w S • s p u a e T SEASON PREVIEW B Y M AT T H E R B