Tuesday at 8:30 in P-Mac Penn State, 25-6 overall, 13-3 in Big Ten, is the best team in a conference that have four teams ranked in the Top 20...11 Penn State, 13 Purdue, 16 Ohio State, 17 Nebraska... and put seven teams in the NCAAT: 4-seed Penn State, 4-seed Purdue, 6-seed Nebraska, 8-seed Ohio State, 9-seed Iowa, 10-seed Mich State, 11-seed Michigan OOC, Penn State has beaten: #25 South Carolina (10-6 in SEC, same as LSU), a current 5-seed that has made it to the Final 32 as well Iowa State, who was 10-seed in NCAAT UTEP, 29-4 overall, 15-1 in conference, C-USA Champions, 13-seed in NCAAT UNC (20-11), who was ranked #14 at the time and Virginia Tech, Washington State, etc
winner advances to the Sweet Sixteen the Penn State Lady Lions have been to 11 Sweet Sixteens, last in 2004 ('82, '83, '85, '86, '92, '94, '96, '00, '02, '03, '04) the LSU Lady Tigers have been to 12 Sweet Sixteens, last in 2008 ('84, '86, '89, '97, '99, '00, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08)
from the AP: The parallel lives of Penn State coach Coquese Washington and LSU coach Nikki Caldwell are about to cross paths again, with a guarantee that one of them will reach uncharted territory in their up-and-coming coaching careers (neither has coached in the Sweet Sixteen yet). Caldwell and Washington met three times as players from 1991-93, with the Lady Vols beating Washington’s Notre Dame squad each time. “It’s like our generation that’s coming into play as far as coaches, and it’s exciting to be able to go against people that you played against,” said Caldwell. Washington, in her fifth season as a head coach, and Caldwell, in her fourth, have gained rapid respect from some of more tenured coaches in women’s basketball. San Diego State coach Beth Burns called them “the future of our game,” before her Aztecs fell to LSU in the tournament’s opening round.
one of Penn State's All-Big Ten guards, Alex Bentley, on playing on the road: “I love playing on the road,” said Bentley, whose team was 10-3 away from home this season. “We’ve been pretty successful on the road throughout the season, so I’m pretty confident.”
Penn State is led by first-team All-Big Ten guards Alex Bentley and Maggie Lucas: --Lucas: 19.3 ppg (#1 on team), 2.8 assist/game (#2 on team), 1.4 steals/game (#2 on team) --Bentley: 14.4 pgg (#2 on team), 4.8 assist/game (#1 on team), 3.1 steals/game (#1 on team) Penn State forwards Nikki Greene and Mia Nickson are averaging 8.0 and 7.8 rebounds/game Bentley on facing LSU: “They like to play a slower game. We like to play a fast up-tempo game,” Bentley said. “So I’m definitely going to be pushing the pace and I’m pretty sure my teammates are going to be right there with me running the floor.” Caldwell: "Penn State does a great job of running the basketball with their guards," said Caldwell. "We are going to have to be aware of where they are at all times. We did a much better job of taking care of the basketball which didn't lead to too many turnovers in our game last night. I do see transition defense being key for us." Maggie Lucas (#33) and Alex Bentley (#20) Maggie Lucas: would you hit it?
LSU has been led all season by gritty 6-foot-2 first-team All-SEC power forward and McDonald's All-American LaSondra Barrett (#55), who is #1 on the team in PPG (12.6), rebounds per game (7.0), and steals/game (1.4), and #2 on the team in assists/game (2.6) she promises hustle and intensity: “It all comes down to who’s the toughest team and who wins the board play, who wins the battle of the hustle plays and things like that down the stretch,” she said. “Whatever game plan is made by either team, I think the toughness right now and bringing your effort and intensity is what determines the game.”
