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UNIVERSITY PARK -- In its largest Big Ten Conference victory since 2013, the Penn State women's basketball team utilized swarming defense and placed four players in double figures in a 95-55 win over the Northwestern Tuesday night inside the Jordan Center.
Penn State's 40-point margin of victory against a Big Ten opponent was the largest at PSU since an 84-40 win over Wisconsin on Jan. 17, 2013, at home. The Lady Lions are 10-4 overall and 1-2 against Big Ten competitors this season.
Northwestern dropped to 6-8 and 1-2 in in the league.
Penn State's relentless three-quarter court pressure yielded a season-high 30 turnovers which the Lady Lions converted into 42 points. The Lady Lions surrendered just 12 giveaways and held the Wildcats to just four points off turnovers in the game. Penn State was dominant in practically every statistical category, outscoring NU by a 27-12 tally off the bench with a 44-28 differential in points in the paint.
Penn State recorded 26 assists on 37 made baskets and shot 49 percent from the field while holding Northwestern to a mere 38% clip.
Senior forward Ali Brigham was dominant on both ends of the court, contributing 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the floor in addition to her first 3-point basket of the 2023-24 campaign. She dealt a season-high five assists and hauled in four rebounds with a block.
Guard Tay Valladay continued her stretch of impressive offensive performances, logging 16 points on 60 percent shooting with three assists and three steals. Sophomore guard Shay Ciezki finished the night with 15 points and five rebounds, also matching her season high in assists from PSU's previous game against Michigan State with six dishes.
All 10 available Lady Lions found their way onto the scoresheet with redshirt junior guard Leilani Kapinus rounding out the four Penn Staters in double digits with 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting with a pair of 3-point makes. Kapinus matched her season high in rebounds with nine boards, her third instance of at least nine rebounds this season.
Redshirt junior guard Alli Campbell finished the night with two points for Penn State.
Game notes: Coach Carolyn Kieger picked up her 150th career victory in PSU's first B1G win of the 2023-24 campaign. … Penn State plays at Indiana on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Lady Hoosiers come into the game ranked 14th in the nation in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.
NORTHWESTERN (6-8): Mott 2-6 0-0 4, Walsh 6-12 3-3 16, Daley 5-9 2-2 12, Harter 4-8 0-0 9, Lau 1-7 0-0 2, Ademusayo 0-1 0-0 0, Fuqu Wang 0-1 0-0 0, Goodchild 0-1 1-2 1, McWilliams 1-2 0-0 2, Pina 0-4 0-0 0, Weaver 4-10 0-0 9. Totals 23-61 6-7 55
PENN STATE (10-4): Pinto 3-7 0-0 6, Brigham 7-9 2-2 17, Ciezki 5-12 2-2 15, Kapinus 6-9 0-0 14, Valladay 6-10 3-4 16, Hall 3-4 0-0 6, Lavelle 1-1 0-0 3, Campbell 1-4 0-0 2, Murray 3-10 0-0 8, Oden 2-10 2-2 8. Totals 37-76 9-10 95
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Northwestern 11 18 12 14 -- 55
Penn State 24 25 25 21 -- 95
3-Point Goals--Northwestern 3-13 (Walsh 1-2, Harter 1-1, Lau 0-4, Pina 0-3, Weaver 1-3), Penn St. 12-33 (Pinto 0-1, Brigham 1-1, Ciezki 3-7, Kapinus 2-2, Valladay 1-3, Lavelle 1-1, Campbell 0-3, Murray 2-8, Oden 2-7). Assists--Northwestern 15 (Lau 7), Penn St. 26 (Ciezki 6). Fouled Out--None. Rebounds--Northwestern 39 (Harter 9), Penn St. 34 (Kapinus 9). Total Fouls--Northwestern 10, Penn St. 12. Technical Fouls--None. A--1,730.