Darling of the postseason

Lady Lion guard Helen Darling scored 20 to clip Hawks

Helen Darling has picked it up at the time it matters the most -- the postseason.

The sophomore point guard shared the game-high with 20 points in the Penn State women's basketball team's 72-59 WNIT win over St. Joseph's yesterday at The Bryce Jordan Center. It was the third time in the last four games she scored 20 or more points.

Darling attributed her recent offensive outburst to her position on the floor.

"They've been trying to get me to get in the jump circle and I'm finally doing it and as you can see, it's helping," Darling said.

Obviously.

Darling was averaging just 8.9 points a game before the Big Ten Tournament two weeks ago. She has upped that mark to 10 per game, thanks to a 20-point effort against Michigan in the Big Ten semifinals, a career-high 21 points in the Lady Lions' first round WNIT win over Villanova on Friday, as well as yesterday's 20-point performance.

In picking up her scoring efforts, Darling has become a diesel fueling the Lady Lions postseason success. In addition to putting up better statistics, her efforts have forced opposing coaches to take some of the heat off of leading scorer Andrea Garner.

Darling's overall fiery play was key yesterday against the Hawks. She was all over the floor, stealing balls and picking off passes to stop St. Joseph surges. Her three steals tied the game-high.

Offensively, many of her baskets came in the clutch. Twice in the second half she hit key lay-ups when her team was ahead by one. After St. Joseph's cut the lead to five in the last three minutes of the game, she hit four consecutive free throws to put the game away.

Darling also helped to break the Hawks' back by drawing the fifth foul on St. Joseph guard Angela Zampella. Zampella, who led the Hawks with 20 points, fouled out with 1:36 left to play and Penn State up by seven. After her departure, St. Joseph's never scored again.

Hawk coach Stephanie Gaitley said her team had trouble containing Darling's quickness, especially when it had to switch to man coverage late in the game.

"She's just explosive off the dribble," Hawk coach Stephanie Gaitley said. "We felt that our concern was her off the dribble. She's an explosive point guard."

Darling was also a key in the Lions' win over Villanova as her 21-points led all Lion scorers. She also added a season-high nine rebounds in her 35 minutes of action.

"Helen Darling was the key," Villanova head coach Harry Perretta said in a press release. "She made some tough shots."

As evidenced against Villanova and St. Joseph's, hitting more of those shots will be crucial in Penn State's WNIT title hopes.