The Guru NCAAW Report: Penn State Suffers Big Ten Road Loss at Indiana; Oregon State Rally Gains OT Win at Gonzaga in a WCC Opener

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

The break for the first of the two year-end holidays began concluding Saturday and for the one local who resumed play it did not go well as Penn State fell at Minnesota 90-54 in Big Ten action at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.

That brought the Nittany Lions to 9-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference. The next one won’t be easier, hosting nationally ranked Iowa with Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen on New Year’s Day, Wednesday, at 1 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Arena in State College.

On the flip side the Golden Gophers snapped a three-game losing streak in the series closing the gap to 32-26 while on the season went to 13-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten.

Graduate guard Gabby Elliott, originally at Michigan State had a career-high 19 points for PSU, the only player on the visitors in double figures.

Tori McKinney scored 25 for Minnesota, helped by 8-for-8 on the line, while Amaya Battle had 17 points and seven assists, Annika Stewart scored 15 points shooting 7-9 from the field, and Mallory Heyer, who matched McKinney with three makes from deep, scored 11 points.

The National Scence

No. 16 Kentucky was the lone ranked team playing Saturday and the Wildcats (11-1) at home in Lexington beat in-state rival Western Kentucky 88-70 as Clara Strack scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against the Hilltoppers (9-3) while Virginia Tech transfer Georgia Amoore who followed Kenny Brooks to his new team also scored 21 points.

In the Big East St. John’s (10-3, 0-2) is in an early 0-2 deficit losing 75-56 at home in Carnesecca Arena in Queens to Creighton (10-3, 2-0), which got 23 points from Lauren Jensen, while Morgan Mally scored 16.

Lashae Dwyer scored 17 for the Red Storm and Bernyah Mayo scored 10 points.

In a West Coast opener newcomer Oregon State (5-8) from the PAC-12 beat preseason favorite Gonzaga 71-67 on the road in overtime as Ally Schimel answered Allie Turner’s shot from deep for the Zags (6-8) with one for the Beavers to go back up and regain control with 1:42 left in the added five minutes.

In the Big Ten elsewhere Indiana beat visiting Wisconsin 83-52, Washington won at Northwestern 90-71.

Fairleigh Dickinson in day one of its MTE event beat Maine 66-48 as Ava Renninger scored 14 points while Teneisia Brown had 13 points and 15 boards for the home team (9-3).

Looking Ahead

On Sunday it will be heavy duty local with games occurring at the same time and the national slate is big also.

Saint Joseph’s opens A-10 at home 2 p.m. hosting VCU and later in the week goes to George Mason, both top tier games in the conference.

All games are at 2 p.m. except Temple at 3 p.m., opening American play at UAB.

Ivy contender Princeton out of league hosts C-USA favorite Middle Tennessee at Jadwin Gym, a win might be helpful on Selection Sunday if the traditional auto bid has been claimed elsewhere.

Rutgers hosts No. 10 Ohio State in the Big Ten, La Salle, which picked up an early A-10 win recently, hosts George Washington at John Glaser Arena; Lehigh in non-conference play hosts Misericordia at Stabler Arena in Easton, and Drexel hosts Lebanon Valley in the Daskalakis Athletic Center.

Nationally, on Day 2 FDU hosts Bryant at 3:30 p.m. after Coppin State plays Maine at 1 p.m.

Highlight games elsewhere have No. 8 Maryland hosting No. 19 Michigan State in the Big Ten at 1 p.m.; No. 7 UConn hosts Providence in the Big East 1:30 p.m. at the XL Center in Hartford; and back in the Big Ten No. 4 Southern Cal at 10 p.m. hosts No. 23 Michigan.