UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The No. 15/13 Penn State Lady Lions (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) welcome the defending national champions and top-ranked Connecticut Huskies (2-0, 0-0 AAC) to the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday at noon. Fans that bring their Penn State football ticket from the Purdue game or their Penn State men's hockey ticket from either UMass-Lowell game will receive a buy one, get one free ticket offer. As always, Penn State students get in for free.
PROMOTIONS: Fans that bring their Penn State football ticket from the Purdue game or their Penn State men's hockey ticket from either Thursday or Friday's UMass-Lowell game will receive a buy one, get one free ticket offer. Sunday's game is also part of the Triple Threat package in which fans can get a ticket to see the UConn, Notre Dame and Texas A&M games for just $25. As always, Penn State students get in for free.
KIDS FUNZONE: The Lady Lions will have a Kids Funzone on the concourse with airbrush tattoo artists, a caricature artist, face painter and a create-a-sign station.
HALFTIME: The halftime act will be Penn State student and nationally-recognized tap dancer Joshua Johnson, who has been featured on the Ellen Show, ABC News, Dancing with the Stars and other outlets as he "Taps for Tuition."
GIVEAWAY: Fans will receive a schedule poster while supplies last.
LIMITED BAG POLICY: Penn State has implemented a limited bag policy at all home athletic events this season. One clear plastic one-gallon plastic bag per person will be permitted for medical needs, child care needs and general items as needed. Items that can fit in a pocket should remain in patrons' pockets (i.e. keys, cell phone, wallet, glasses, camera, sunscreen, lip balm, make-up). General items of this nature, including those that don't fit in patrons' pocket, can also be placed in a clear plastic one-gallon plastic bag. All clear bags will be inspected through the bag and article check stations as in prior years.
TV: The game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network with Eric Collins and Stephanie White calling the action.
RADIO: The game is on the Penn State Sports Network and WRSC 1390 locally with Jerry Fisher and Julia Trogele calling the action. The audio feed is available at www.GoPSUsports.com.
LAST TIME OUT: Senior guard Maggie Lucas drained four three-pointer to lead the Lady Lions to a 78-61 victory over Fordham Sunday. With the quartet of three-pointers, Lucas moves into second place on the Big Ten's career three-pointers list (297), passing Michigan State's Lindsay Bowen. Lucas poured in 23 points with five rebounds and a steal. Senior guard/forward Ariel Edwards and senior guard Dara Taylor also reached double figures on the afternoon. Edwards scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting and added four rebounds and four assists to complete her day, while Taylor totaled 12 points and chipped in two rebounds and two assists.
SCOUTING CONNECTICUT: The Huskies are ranked #1 in both the AP and USA Today Sports Coaches' Poll after two wins to open the season, including a 19-point victory over #3 Stanford Monday. UConn visits Maryland Friday evening before coming to Penn State. The Huskies have four players averaging double figures, led by Bria Hartley at 13.0 tallies per outing. Hartley also dishes out 4.5 assists per contest. Stefanie Dolson accounts for 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while Breanna Stewart averages 11.5 tallies. The Huskies will be without Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, who is out indefinitely after injuring her elbow in Monday's win over Stanford, and Morgan Tuck, who is out for 4-6 weeks after knee surgery.
ALL-TIME VERSUS THE HUSKIES: The Lady Lions are 3-8 all-time against Connecticut. After winning the first three games of the series, Penn State has lost its last four contests against the Huskies, including a 67-52 decision in Storrs last season. Penn State is 2-0 all-time against UConn in home games. This is the first time that the Lady Lions and Huskies have met in Happy Valley since Jan. 8, 1983. PSU is 44-35 all-time against current American Athletic Conference members.
LAST TIME VS. UCONN: The Lady Lions hung tough with the second-ranked Connecticut Huskies, but a 20-5 run late in the second half ended the Lady Lions' upset hopes on the way to a 67-52 loss at Gampel Pavilion on Dec. 6, 2012. Maggie Lucas had a team-best 15 points with four rebounds. Ariel Edwards added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting to lead the offensive effort, while Mia Nickson added eight points, eight rebounds, two assists and three steals.
MEETING #1: This will be the third time in program history the #1 team will visit Penn State. The previous visits by #1 were Jan. 21, 1984 vs. Louisiana Tech (L, 68-61) and Nov. 18, 2005 vs. Duke (L, 82-64). Penn State is 1-9 all-time against the top-ranked team in the country. The lone victory over a #1 foe was a 73-71 decision at Virginia on Jan. 3, 1991 that propelled the Lady Lions to their first #1 ranking in program history. The last time Penn State met the #1 team in the land was a 77-63 loss to UConn in the Maggie Dixon Classic in New York City on Dec. 14, 2008.
HOSTING A TOP 5 TEAM: When the top-ranked Connecticut Huskies visit the BJC, it will mark the 20th time that a Top 5 team has come to Happy Valley. Sunday will be the first time since #1 Duke came to town on Nov. 18, 2005 that Penn State will host a Top 5 squad. The Lady Lions are 12-7 all-time in home games against Top 5 teams.
The Lady Lions close out their season opening homestand against Bucknell Wednesday at 7 p.m. It will be Club Sports and Fitness Night in the BJC. The Lions will recognize those Club Sports athletes that compete for Penn State at halftime. Additionally, fans that show their fitness center membership card and get a ticket for $5.
Lady Lion Basketball single-game and season tickets are available by calling 1-800-NITTANY. Single-game tickets are $15 and $12 for adults and seniors and $9 and $7 for youth (12 and younger). Season tickets are $99 for adults and $50 for youth (12 and under), this includes a Nittany Lion Kids Club Membership for 2013-14. New this year, the Lady Lions have introduced a Family Season Ticket package. For $200, fans will get two adult tickets and two youth tickets for the 2013-14 campaign. The PNC Flex Books are available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game and the Lady Lions' Pink Zone game.
The 2014 Pink Zone at Penn State will take place on Sunday, Feb. 16 as the Lady Lions take on Wisconsin in the Bryce Jordan Center at 1 p.m. Last year, the Lady Lions donated a record $260,000 to breast cancer causes. This year's fundraising efforts will benefit the Mount Nittany Medical Center, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital and Lewistown Hospital. For more information on the Pink Zone at Penn State, visit the official Pink Zone website at www.pennsylvaniapinkzone.org.
The Lady Lions are on Twitter. Follow sports information contact Kris Petersen (@ladylionsid) and the Lady Lions and coaches (@pennstatewbb) to get the inside scoop. The Lady Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstateladylions.