Penn State women’s basketball defeats Clemson behind stellar defensive performance
Written by Andy Smith on November 22, 2019
Looking to bounce back after a close 69-67 loss to La Salle, Penn State took on Clemson on Thursday night at the Bryce Jordan Center. Against a Clemson team that made the NCAA Tournament last season, the Lady Lions came out on top, winning 68-55.
“We did a great job of doing what we practiced this week,” coach Carolyn Kieger said postgame. “The girls did a great job composing themselves and weathering the storm.”
The Lady Lions played exceptional defense, forcing 19 turnovers. However, they committed 17 of their own in the game.
Both teams were 2-2 coming into the game and looking to get their third win of the season. Penn State went on a big, 15-point run with 5:42 remaining in the second quarter and went into halftime with 40-26 lead.
To start the second half, Clemson went on a 13-0 run to bring the game within one point. Immediately after the Tigers’ run, Penn State generated a 10-0 run of its own to blow the game wide open.
“Nothing really happened [that] we were not prepared for,” Kieger said.
Kamaria McDaniel actively displayed the Lady Lions’ preparation for the matchup. McDaniel played all 40 minutes of the game and scored 10 points in the first half.
Penn State’s Siyeh Frazier was the game’s top scorer with 17 points, shooting 6-for-15 from the field and 4-for-4 from the line. She also had 10 rebounds, her second double-double of the young season.
Lauren Ebo came off the bench, recording 16 points and six rebounds. Freshman Anna Camden went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and finished with 11 points.
For Clemson, Kobi Thorton had 16 points and six rebounds, shooting 7-for-11 from the field. Redshirt junior Kendall Spray shot 1-for-11 from downtown and finished with six points.
The Lady Lions will look to keep the momentum going on as they welcome George Mason to the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday.
Feature Image By Andy Smith