Fourth Quarter Propels #IUWBB To 72-66 Win Over Penn State

Monday, January 23

Bloomington, Ind.

7 PM

Indiana University

14-6, 4-3B1G

Penn State

13-7, 3-5B1G

Penn State

Indiana

Fourth Quarter Propels #IUWBB To 72-66 Win Over Penn State

1/23/2017 9:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score Photo Gallery

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana turned a third quarter deficit into a fourth quarter victory as it picked up the 72-66 win over Penn State on Monday night inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. With the win, the Hoosiers win their fourth-straight in the series with the Lady Lions – the longest streak in program history.

Junior guard Tyra Buss paced the Hoosiers for the 11^th time this season with 21 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists and a steal. She was joined in double figures by three others including 12 from senior guard Alexis Gassion to go along with a game-high seven assists and five rebounds.

Junior forward Amanda Cahill recorded her eighth double-double of the year with 11 points and 11 boards and three assists as she went a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line. Senior center Jenn Anderson rounded out the double figure scorers as she scored 11 points – her fourth consecutive game in double figures.

The Hoosiers (14-6, 4-3 B1G) shot 42.9 percent from the floor and capitalized on free throws, shooting 87. 5 percent by going 28-for-32 on the night. IU dished out 14 assists on 21 made shots and combined for five blocks while scoring half of its points in the paint (36).

Penn State (13-7, 3-5 B1G) opened the game with much of the momentum opening the game with back-to-back baskets before Buss could put IU on the board with 7:24 to play. But the Lady Lions countered and took its largest lead of the half – up six with 5:03 remaining.

But it was McBride who answered the IU call as she posted back-to-back triples and tie it up at 12 all which sparked a 13-0 run by the Hoosiers who took a 19-14 lead after the first. Indiana's lead would come down to as few as one as but consecutive baskets from Gassion and Anderson extended that lead back out to five. PSU came within two again with under a minute to play but Buss driving in the paint hit the shot as the buzzer expired on the first half to give IU the 31-27 advantage.

Coming out in the third, Penn State would tie it up at 33-33 with 6:42 remaining before eventually taking a 45-42 lead late in the frame on a pair of buckets by Lindsey Spann. A reverse layup underneath the rim by Buss kept IU within four as it trailed by one heading into the final quarter of the night.

Buss found Cahill open underneath to begin the comeback effort, as Indiana went on a 6-0 run sealed by two at the line from Anderson. IU was helped out at the line in the final 3:20 of the game, as it reached the bonus and made 14 free throws in that span to help put away the win.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach Teri Moren
"For the game, I thought we came out really sluggish, lethargic, and then we kind of got it going there. Then I thought it turned into a terrific ball game between two teams that desperately are trying to separate themselves from the middle of the BIG Ten right now. Not happy with the way that we rebounded tonight. The fact that they got 74 shot attempts to our 49 had a lot to do with their 16 offensive rebounds. So, I was disappointed with that statistic, but I thought when we needed to respond there in the fourth, in the beginning of the fourth, I thought we did in a big way. I think we went to Jenn Anderson a couple times and just got high percentage shots, then from there got to the free throw line, which was big for us. But give Penn State credit, that's an excellent basketball team, well coached. (Penn State's) Teniya Page is a terrific player, and, she is like I said earlier in the press, that she was going to be a very difficult guard, and she proved to be that. I'm really happy for our kids on a night that we didn't shoot it great, still found a way to win, and just like I said it was one of those grind-it-out Big Ten games, that the fans got to see."

NOTES

With the 72-66 victory over Penn State, Indiana has now won four straight in the series against the Lady Lions. It's the first time in the series against Penn State that Indiana has won four straight.
With Penn State leading 12-6, the Hoosiers used a 13-0 run to take a 19-12 lead. Indiana held the Lady Lions scoreless for four minutes and one second over that stretch.
Trailing 45-44 entering the fourth quarter, Indiana scored the first eight points of the fourth period to take a 52-45 lead. Indiana outscored Penn State 28-21 in the fourth quarter.
The Hoosiers connected on 22-of-24 free-throws in the fourth quarter and 28-of-32 for the game. Indiana made 21 more free-throws in the game than the Lady Lions.
Indiana had four players score in double-figures. The Hoosiers are 7-3 when this happens this season.
With 21 points, Tyra Buss scored in double-figures for her 57^th straight game. It was the 26^th career game for Buss scoring at least 20 points and ninth game this season.
Buss now has 1,365 points and moved into third on the scoring list for points as a junior.
With her nine free throws, Buss moved into fifth on the Hoosiers all-time list for career free-throws with 406.
Alexis Gassion filled the stat sheet with 12 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Amanda Cahill recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Cahill went a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.
Jenn Anderson scored 11 points for her fourth straight game scoring in double-figures.

UP NEXT
Indiana travels to Wisconsin on Sunday for an afternoon Big Ten matchup. Tipoff time is set for 3 p.m. inside Kohl Center and will be live on BTN Plus and WHCC 105.1 FM.

Follow #IUWBB
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram