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ORLANDO, Fla. - Sparked by a 28-point, 12-rebound double-double from redshirt sophomore center Gracie Merkle, the Penn State women's basketball team improved to 6-0 through six games for the second time in the last three years, thanks to a 74-59 win over Marshall at the inaugural State Farm WBCA Showcase.
It was the Lady Lions first contest away from the Bryce Jordan Center. PSU also came away with its third-straight win over Marshall in the all-time series, with the Lady Lions owning a 3-0 differential since the first meeting of the two programs in 2016.
Penn State, which will play Georgia on Saturday in the next round of tourney play, has beaten Marshall by 15 points or more in all three meetings in the all-time series. Following the defeat Thursday night, the Thundering Herd fell to 1-4 overall with a Saturday afternoon showdown against Tulsa on deck.
Penn State's defense was swarming all night long, as the Lady Lions held Marshall to a 28% shooting night from the field, paired with a 6-for-32 showing from long range, limiting the Thundering Herd to 19% shooting from long range.
PSU was dominant down low throughout the game, outscoring Marshall in the paint by a 42-20 differential. Penn State added a 46-40 win in the rebounding competition, and picked up 21 offensive rebounds to dominate the battle for second-chance scoring opportunities, 19-8.
Merkle's performance was an efficient 11-for-14 outing from the field. The Kentucky native mustered a double-double for the second-straight game and third time overall in the 2024-25 season, adding her third-highest rebounding tally of the year with 11.
Graduate guard Alli Campbell poured in a season-high 12 points, a single point shy of her career high against Fairfield from 2022, knocking in a pair of 3-pointers with five rebounds and three assists to round out an impressive all-around performance. Redshirt freshman Grace Hall had her first double-digit scoring game since the opener, finishing with 10 points.
MARSHALL (59): Marigney 1-2 0-0 2, Maier 3-11 0-0 9, Kellione 0-6 2-2 2, Mays 4-9 4-4 12, Hayes 2-11 5-11 9, Williams 2-6 0-0 5, Yeast 2-3 1-2 6, Ziolkowski 0-0 0-0 0, Pacheco 0-1 3-4 3, Ingram 1-1 4-4 7, King 0-0 0-0 0, Ilderton 1-6 0-0 2, Tudor 0-1 2-2 2. Totals: 16-57 21-29 59.
PENN STATE (74): Campbell 4-11 2-4 12, Merkle 11-14 6-8 28, Murray 2-10 0-0 6, Elliott 0-6 2-2 2, Oden 2-5 2-3 6, Williams 0-3 0-0 0, Rust 1-2 0-0 2, Johnson 3-4 0-0 7, Hall 5-9 0-0 10, Walker 0-1 1-2 1, Santana 0-0 0-0 0, Steele 0-1 0-0 0, Jekot 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 28-68 13-19 74.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Marshall 8 16 9 26 -- 59
Penn State 13 24 17 20 -- 74
3-point field goals: Marshall 6-32 (Maier 3-8, Kellione 0-5, Mays 0-5, Hayes 0-3, Williams 1-4, Yeast 1-1, Pacheco 0-1, Ingram 1-1, Ilderton 0-4); PSU 5-18 (Murray 2-10, Elliott 0-3, Campbell 2-3, Johnson 1-1, Jekot 0-1). Rebounds: Marshall 40 (Hayes 7); PSU 46 (Merkle 11). Assists: Marshall 9 (Hayes 5); PSU 15 (Johnson 4).
Records: Marshall (1-4), Penn State (6-0)