INDIANAPOLIS -- It was like that nagging knee injury that lingered for four years, and 102 games of never scoring more than 15 points in a game just exploded out of the right hand of Jenny Brenden on March 6.

Showing no signs of fatigue from a season-high 38 minutes against Iowa two nights before, the fifth-year senior started off hot and stayed simmering for another 35 minutes in Penn State's Big Ten semifinal loss to Michigan State.

"It felt good tonight," she said after the game. "When you start out like that its always good sign for a shooter's mentality."

Her good feeling was an understatement, coming from player whose career high was 15, and whose season high was just nine. But the prior tournament experience shined bright right from the start.

Brenden nailed Penn State's first shot, a 3-pointer right in front of the Spartans' bench. Just two possessions later she pulled up on a fast break and knocked down her second 3 to open up an 8-3 lead. Brenden made her next two, one from behind the arc, and then four of her last five.

With Michigan State's zone defense focused on eliminating Tanisha Wright and Jess Strom's slashing style of play, Brenden feasted on open looks for a game-high 24 points.

"She came out firing," Wright said. "She came out hitting and she continued to shoot the ball, which was great for us because it opened up a lot of different things for Jess and other people to get some easy buckets."

Since taking a starting spot from sophomore Jen Harris on Feb. 10, Brenden averaged almost a point and a rebound more than her season average (4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds). In two games at the Big Ten tournament, she averaged 14.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, all while playing three different positions.

Penn State coach Rene Portland's favorite utility player nearly got her team in the championship game with Wright and Strom both missing extended periods of time.

"Jenny Brenden did a great job and I don't think [Michigan State] knew what to do with her," Portland said. "The whole tournament Jenny's been terrific. She's given us two games of maximum minutes for her. Playing two positions, the guards and posts, she's just been tremendous for us and we're lucky to have her going into the tournament."

After setting another career-high with five steals against Iowa, including one in the final four minutes that got Penn State within one point, Brenden's six 3-pointers were the most of any Lady Lion this season and most in her career.

Brenden's four assists against the Spartans tied a career high, and she almost dished Michigan State an upset.

"She likes us. I don't know what it is," Michigan State coach Joanne McCallie said. "I've always had great respect for her as a player and as a shooter. She hasn't done that all year, but she does that against us."

McCallie's memory takes her back to a game in 2003, when Brenden scored 12 points, pulled down six rebounds and made three 3's in a 64-60 Penn State win.

Aside from that, Brenden averaged just 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in six games against Michigan State.

Unfortunately for Brenden, her performance was soured with the loss, but in possibly her last Big Ten game, she went out with a bang.

And for the quiet one who has made more noise in the classroom than the court, maybe it was only fitting.