Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Fall to No. 25 PSU (2-10-05)
2/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
With the loss, IU fell to 9-13, 2-10 in the Big Ten, while the Lady Lions improved to 15-8, 10-2 in the conference.
"I thought that defensively we played them really well," said head coach Kathi Bennett. "We just couldn't keep them off the free-throw line in the second half."
After Penn State scored the first three points of the game, the Hoosiers stormed back with a 6-0 run. Senior Jamie Gathing's jumper at 15:58 gave Indiana a 6-3 advantage.
Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, they would go nearly 13 minutes until their next field goal as the Lady Lions went on a 22-5 run to take a 25-11 lead with 3:32 left in the first half.
Junior Angela Hawkins would score the next four points for the Cream and Crimson, cutting the deficit to 12, 25-13, but Penn State answered with seven straight points to end the half with a 32-13 lead.
"We were out of synch on offense in the first half," said Bennett. "Our concentration and decision making was pretty poor."
Indiana would score six of the first eight points in the second half to get within 15, 34-19, but once again Penn State would answer with five straight points to open a 20-point cushion, 39-19.
A Gathing layup at 14:43 put IU down by 18, 39-21, but that was as close as Hoosiers would get. Penn State would go on to open a 29-point advantage on two occasions, the latest at 64-35 with 2:53 left in the contest.
Indiana would go on a 10-3 run to end the game, but it was too late as Penn State came away with the victory.
Junior Cyndi Valentin led IU with 12 points, while Hawkins ended the game with seven points and seven rebounds.
The Lady Lions' were paced by Amanda Brown, who recorded a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Penn State also converted on 21-of-25 from the charity stripe.
Indiana returns to action on Sunday, Feb. 13, as the Hoosier make their final road trip of the season. IU will visit Northwestern in Evanston, Ill. The contest is schedule to start at 3 p.m.
