After going into a five-game skid, the Penn State women's basketball team was in desperate need of a spark to lead the team out of an offensive slump.
Although only a freshman, guard Tyra Grant scored a season-high 29 points, propelling the Lady Lions (5-5) to an 80-77 win against Old Dominion (2-4) yesterday at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Starting for the fourth straight game, Grant has provided the Lions with the offense they needed. During the five-game losing streak, Penn State only averaged 54 points per game. Grant provided the necessary offensive boost, as the team totaled the most points scored this season behind her efforts.
"I didn't really expect her to have the All-American performance that she had today," Old Dominion head coach Wendy Larry said, "but we know what kind of a fine player she is. That's what great players are. They step up at critical times and make big plays. She took her team on her back and she's gonna be a very fine player here."
Grant averaged over a point per minute, scoring 29 in only 24 minutes. She shot 11- for-19 from the field and a near perfect 5-for-6 from the free throw line.
Sophomore point guard Brianne O'Rourke also added to the offensive threat, notching a career-high 11 assists. O'Rourke started yesterday for the first time after coming off the bench for the past three games, and head coach Rene Portland was impressed with O'Rourke's improvement over the past few games.
"She worked hard on film and work that she needed to do," Portland said. "At the Pittsburgh game [Friday] she controlled our team and that's what a point guard does. Her mindset is very positive, and she is very willing and able to work to make our team better. We've always been a team that goes with [its] point guard and tonight she showed that she's a very good Penn State point guard."
Behind the efforts of Grant and O'Rourke, the Lions survived a late second half-surge from the Lady Monarchs.
Penn State led by 20 only two minutes into the second half. Defensive lapses allowed Old Dominion to shoot more than 50 percent from the field in the second half and gave it numerous second chances off of offensive rebounds.
"It was very frustrating," senior center Amanda Brown said. "They got a lot of offensive rebounds they shouldn't have gotten, especially off the free throw line. That should never happen, so that's something that definitely has to change."
With Penn State fouling 14 times in the second half, Old Dominion had plenty of chances to win the game. The Lady Monarchs led by one point with 1:13 left in the game, but two foul shots by Grant and a foul shot each from O'Rourke and Brown sealed the win for the Lady Lions.
Even though the defensive woes continued, the win was an important turnaround, bringing the record back to .500.
