Organization: Penn State University
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 23:37:17 EST
From: Robbie Po <RAP115@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: psu.sports,rec.sport.basketball.college
Subject: Lady Lions breeze past Michigan

In Rec Hall on Sunday Afternoon, the 8th largest crowd in Penn State women's
basketball history, 3,750, watched Helen Holloway, Kim Calhoun, and Angie
Pothoff score career high marks as the Lady Lions dumped Michigan further
into the cellar by a score of 81-61.

The game was very interesting at the start.  Michigan only dressed 8 players.
They did not come with Nikki Beaudry or Jennifer Brzezinski.  Not dressed but
on the bench for Penn State was Missy Masley (who poured in a career high 19
last game) and 'the force' Katina Mack, who appeared in crutches.  Two key
players were out for Penn State.  I'm not sure what the status is of these
players are, how they got injured, or what...I'll let you know when I find
out.

I expected this game to be a 40 or 50 point blowout - despite two of the Lady
Lions stars being out.  I didn't think Michigan was a very good team at all.

But they're not bad.  They shot very well in warmups.  They just don't have
the heigth.  Carrie Stewart opened the scoring for Michigan.  She hit a three.
After Penn State failed to counter on their next possession,  Trish Andrew, Big
10 leader in scoring so far, hit two free throws and the Lady Wolverines were
up a quick 5-0.

At the 19:00 mark, Helen Holloway put Penn State on the board to make it 5-3.
In the next two minutes, she would add another basket, two free throws, and
Jen Kretchmar would nail a three, and at the 17:06 mark, the Lady Lions ran off
10 quick points with ease - turning a 5-0 defecit into a 5 point lead at 10-5.

At the 16 minute mark, Jen Nuanes would score her first two of 16 to make it
10-7.  But the two teams were playing Big 10 basketball, fighting, scrapping,
and shoving for possession.  The refs were calling every foul - even if you
just touched someone by the fingernail.  At this point, Tina Henry and Kim
Lazor had already picked up their 2nd fouls and were forced to sit down to
'Rene's rule' Coach Portland benches anyone for the half if they have two
fouls.  Trish Roberts didn't abide by this policy and it cost her.  Just :07
seconds later, her star player, Trish Andrew picked up her 3rd personal and
got the bench for the rest of the half.

This left Michigan's next tallest player at 5-11 and Penn State, you would
thin, would have a field day with this.  Penn State opened it  up to 14-9 on
a basket by Kim Calhoun.  But Nuanes kept Michigan in it.  She drained a 3 and
hit a deuce and with 12:50 to play the cellar dwelling Lady Wolverines had tied
the mighty Lady Lions at 14-14.  The game was very strange at this point.  Most
 of Penn State's starters were on the bench for much of the half -not because
 they couldn't get the job done but because of foul trouble or not dressed.

But, the Lady Lions have a 2nd string team that a lot of teams would love to
 have as their first strong.  This was a good game to pick up experience.
Angie Pothoff put the Lady Lions up for good at 16-14.  Jackie Donovan then
converted an easy basket on a brilliant feed from Tina Nicholson.  Donovan
then found a wide open Pothoff who scored and was fouled on the play.  This
brought the house down as she converted and Penn State led 21-14.  Holloway,
2 baskets, Calhoun, and Nicholson and Calhoun made a free throw.  The Lady
Lions were forcing Michigan into 'a daze' with their press.  Michigan just
couldn't get through it.  Penn State looked like it was stealing candy from
a baby as they held Michigan scoreless for a span of 5 minutes and 47
seconds.  When the dust had settled, the 14-14 tie was now 28-14 Lady Lions.

The Lady Wolverines tried to claw back into it.  Nuanes hit a three, and
Turner hit a bucket to make it 28-19.  Nuanes made it 30-21 but Michigan
would never be within double figures again.

The first half was turning into the Helen Holloway/Jen Nuanes show.  Holloway
would pour in 21 first half points.  She hit the 21 mark with 3:34 to go in
the half.  Nuanes added 12 for Michigan.  Correction - after it was 39-24
Lady Lions, Michigan would go on one more run to the 2nd and 3rd strings
against Penn State.  The Lady Lions looked tired as Michigan would go on an
8-0 run.  Nuanes had a deuce and Yeshimbra Gray had three baskets.  Michigan
was within 7 at 39-32.

But Pothoff coverted to make it 40-32, Nicholson added four free throws,
Heikkinen countered with two.  At the half, the Lady Lions led 44-34 but
the game wasn't even that close.

An interesting note at the half - Sherell Stanley had dislocated her shoulder
and exited the game.  Andrew, McCall, and Gray all had 3 personal fouls.
Since Michigan only had 7 players left and three players had three fouls, we
were thinking this game might be a forefeit.  Pretty weird.

Stanley shot warmups in the 2nd half - but she did not return for the game.
The half was very lazy and loose.  The refs weren't calling anything.  Michigan
was getting away with walks that were obvious and nothing called.  Yet Tina
Nicholson shuffled her feet by less than a 1/2 inch once and the refs called
the travel.  It was kind of hard to believe.

Both teams backed off of each other in the 2nd half.  The refs wouldn't call
a foul if it was a little thing, either - unlike the 1st half.  Penn State only
had 3 personal fouls in the 2nd half - Michigan only had five.  The Lady Lions
had their way - they caught several breakdowns from Michigan and scored easy
points.  Michigan could still not penetrate Penn State's press.  The Lady
Wolves were shooting decently, but were not matching up at all with Penn State.
At the 14:00 mark, Andrew picked up her 4th personal and Penn State took
advantage of the height advantage.

It was 52-40 when the Lady Lions took full command of the game.  The Lady
Lions went on a 9-0 run (their third run of the game after the 10-0 and 14-0
run - giving them 33 points in streaks) when Henry, Potthoff, a 3 by Lazor,
and two Pothoff free throws made the score 61-40.  It would stay that way most
of the rest of the way.  Penn State opened it up to 70-44 at the 9:50 mark when
Kim Calhoun hit a basket.  The Lady Lions then went into their 'let's get fancy
mode.  They tried several pretty plays, unbelievable passing by Little Tina
Nicholson and fierce defense led by Kim Calhoun.  They breezed the rest of the
way.

Michigan made the score a little closer, scoring 17 of the game's final 28
points.  The Lady Lions had successfully held Andrew to just 6 points but she
hit a basket, two free throws, and two 3's late in the game (all this in the
last 4-5 minutes) to finish with 16 points - getting her average up there and
making the stats look good.  Her two three's were perfect.  She's a player any
team would love to have.

The Lady Lions freshman class looked extremely impressive and got a good
amount of playing time.  Nicholson's passes and unbelievable plays put big
smiles on Rene Portland's face several times.  Kim Calhoun had about 3-4
blocked shots w/ 11 points and Angie Pothoff scored 15.  This should give
Rene Portland confidence to go to her bench if needed without hesitation. They
didn't play perfect but they played very well and got much needed experience.

The Lady Lions systematically cruised inthe rest of the way and when the game
ended, Penn State had an 81-61 victory in the friendly confines at Rec Hall.

Michigan Lady Wolverines      (1-14, 0-6)      34     -     27   =  61
No. 7 Penn State Lady Lions   (12-1, 4-1)      44     -     37   =  81

LEADING SCORERS
MICHIGAN                                  PENN STATE
Jen Nuanes               16               Helen Holloway             23*
Trish Andrew             16               Angie Pothoff              15*
Yeshimbra Gray           10               Kim Calhoun                11*
Carrie Stewart            9               Tina Henry                 10
Molly Heikkinen           7               Tina Nicholson/Jen Reimers  6

The Lady Lions, now unbeaten in Rec Hall since December 1991, now get ready
for THE SHOWDOWN I on Wednesday night.  Penn State is trying to set a record
attendance for this game and will try to finish out yet another month
undefeated at home.  It won't be easy - it should be a very very good game.
And the Lady Lions can not afford a loss if they want to win the Big 10.
Next game : WEDNESDAY NIGHT
            NO. 8 OHIO STATE LADY BUCKEYES AT NO. 7 PENN STATE LADY LIONS
I'm pumped up for this one already!

** Rob Polinsky **
Contact for the Penn State Lady Lions