Lady cagers flatten Wisconsin, Iowa

By DONNIE COLLINS
Collegian Staff Writer

Rene Portland doesn't necessarily like the fact her squad could be labeled a second-half team.

But the coach can't argue with the results.

The No. 21 Penn State women's basketball team used a pair of strong second halves to propel itself to a pair of blowout wins against Wisconsin and Iowa this past weekend. The Lady Lions (16-5, 8-3 Big Ten) scored 60 second-half points en route to a 91-61 annihilation of the Badgers (10-11, 5-6) Friday at The Bryce Jordan Center, and followed that with a 46-point post-halftime showing in their 88-64 win over the Hawkeyes (8-12, 3-7) at Carver-Hawkeye Arena yesterday.

Against the Badgers, the Lions needed the overwhelming second half.

Penn State entered the locker room at halftime trailing underdog Wisconsin, 32-31. After shooting just 37 percent and turning the ball over nine times in the first half, the Lions received a jolting pep talk from Portland, who was less than delighted with her squad's intensity.

"You don't let other teams come into your gym and laugh in your face," she said. "We can't expect to go on the road the next three games and be afraid.

"Sometimes, it's not talent. It's a mentality. And we need to work on that mentality."

It didn't take long after Portland's outburst for her team to find that mentality.

Guard Lisa Shepherd's 3-point basket with 18:29 left to play in the game put the Lions ahead 36-35. It was a lead Penn State would never relinquish.

Shepherd scored 11 of her 14 points in the second half, while forward Maren Walseth exploded for nine and center Andrea Garner added eight.

"I wasn't nervous tonight," Shepherd said. "I always get a little nervous, but I wasn't (nervous) at all for this game. I didn't have a good first half, but like last game, I put it behind me in the second half."

Penn State was keyed throughout the contest by a balanced attack, as Garner and guard Helen Darling led the team with 16 points apiece. Walseth chipped in with 15 points.

It was a similar balanced attack that proved to be the difference against the Hawkeyes.

Five Lions scored in double figures, led by Shepherd's 18 points. For the second consecutive game, the tandem of Darling and Garner each poured in 16 points.

As has become commonplace the past few weeks, Penn State once again received strong play off the bench against Iowa. Guard Chrissy Falcone scored 13 points on 5 for 7 shooting, while forward Rashana Barnes added 10. Backup forward Maren Walseth grabbed four rebounds in limited action.

Lindsey Meder scored 15 points for Iowa, and forward Randi Peterson followed with 13.

Iowa center Amy Herrig, who finished with 12 points and nine boards, wasn't nearly the force she was the last time the two squads met on Jan. 15. Penn State won that game, 66-60, but Herrig's 19 points and 11 rebounds caused numerous tribulations for the Lions.

The Lions' defensive game plan the second time around, though, was just too much for Herrig to overcome.

"We gave (Garner) some help tonight," Portland told the Penn State Sports Network. "We doubled down on (Herrig). Our guards came down to help, and I think that was the big difference."