Thayer lifts lady cagers in the clutch

By DAMIAN DOBROSIELSKI
Collegian Sports Writer

Last Sunday with eight minutes left in the opening stanza, the women's basketball team trailed upstart Northwestern, 23-16. Looking for someone to spark the team, Coach Rene Portland scoured the Penn State bench.

Finally, Portland called upon 6-foot-1 senior Shelby Thayer.

The guard entered the game, and proceeded to score nine points before the intermission, giving the Lady Lions a 36-31 advantage.

"The shots were open," Thayer said, "and they were going in."

It was as simple as that. The shots were just going in.

The senior ended the game with a season-high 15 points and seven rebounds.

Thayer's performance could not have come at a more opportune time. With leading scorer Angie Potthoff out of the lineup, Portland said prior to the weekend that she needed one her reserve players to step up.

Thayer was that player. In her roommate's absence, Thayer stepped up.

"With the absence of Angie we were inspired to play well," Thayer said. "I said to Angie before we left, 'We're going to do well and don't worry.' I wanted to come back to a smiling roommate."

Sure enough, when Thayer and the rest of the Lady Lions returned to State College after their weekend excursion, Potthoff was smiling.

"I was happy for Shelby," Potthoff said. "She has been working really hard, practicing hard. She knows she has it in her."

Thayer knows she can come off the bench in a crucial situation and make an impact. She knows she can make the big shot.

Last season in the second round of the NCAA tournament against the Kansas Jayhawks, Thayer entered the game early in the second half with Penn State behind. She immediately canned a three-pointer to give the Lady Lions a 51-49 lead.

"That was my No. 1 shot as a player," Thayer said.

Relegated to the bench for much of this season, Thayer played 20 minutes against the Wildcats. She took advantage of every single second that she was on the floor.

"I was glad that I played well," Thayer said. "Everybody played well."

But it was Thayer's play that stood out.

"I've been working on my shot a lot," she said. "Rene always says you can't just go to practice and expect your shot to fall."

So, weekdays at 8 o'clock in the morning, Thayer leaves her undersized dorm room in West Halls for the comfortable confines of Rec Hall. There she works on the various aspects of her game, from shooting free throws to launching three-point bombs.

"If it doesn't fall, I try, try again," she said.

Despite being a reserve this season, Thayer is content with her role on the team. She knows whenever she is called upon, she will be ready.

"Throw me into the pack and I'll do whatever it takes," she said. "We've been winning, and that's all I care about."