PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — Kiyomi McMiller scored 37 points to propel the Penn State women’s basketball team to an 87-78 victory over Rutgers on Saturday at Louis Brown Center. The Lady Lions never trailed, building a 38-32 halftime lead and extending it with a 25-point third quarter. McMiller added eight assists and two blocks. Gracie Merkle contributed 26 points and six rebounds for Penn State, which shot a blistering 62% from the field and 70% from three-point range. The Scarlet Knights were led by Imani Lester with 17 points and seven rebounds. Zachara Perkins added a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Rutgers outrebounded Penn State offensively 16-3 but could not overcome its own 39.7% shooting. Penn State improved to 10-17 overall. Rutgers fell to 9-17.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — In a game defined by remarkable offensive efficiency and a standout individual performance, the Penn State Lady Lions avenged a loss from earlier in the season by defeating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 87-78 in a Big Ten women’s basketball matchup Saturday at Louis Brown Center. The most important part of the game was Penn State’s sustained offensive execution, which proved too potent for a gritty Rutgers squad to overcome. The Lady Lions shot a blistering 62% from the field and 70% from three-point range, turning the contest into a masterclass in scoring precision. This efficiency allowed Penn State to maintain control despite being dominated on the offensive glass, where Rutgers secured 16 offensive rebounds to Penn State’s three. Penn State guard Kiyomi McMiller was the catalyst, delivering a dominant 37-point, eight-assist performance. She orchestrated the offense with poise, adding four rebounds and two blocks while shooting 14 of 22 from the floor. Her backcourt partner, 6-foot-6 center Gracie Merkle of Mount Washington, Kentucky, provided an unstoppable interior presence, scoring 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting and adding six rebounds and four assists. Rutgers, which fell to 9-17 overall, was led by a trio of double-digit scorers. Imani Lester of Raleigh, North Carolina, scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Zachara Perkins of Houston, Texas, recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Nene Ndiaye of Saly, Senegal, added 16 points and nine boards. Kaylah Ivey of Forestville, Maryland, dished out eight assists. The game’s flow was established early. Penn State shot 70% in the first quarter to take a 21-18 lead and extended its advantage to 38-32 by halftime. The third quarter proved decisive, as the Lady Lions erupted for 25 points, hitting 10 of 13 field goal attempts to push their lead to 63-53. McMiller was central to the surge, scoring 11 points in the period, including a stepback three-pointer and a driving layup that helped blunt any Rutgers momentum. Rutgers, to its credit, refused to fade. The Scarlet Knights opened the fourth quarter with a 7-2 run, capped by a Faith Blackstone three-pointer, to cut the deficit to 65-60 with 7:44 remaining. However, McMiller answered with consecutive pull-up jumpers to restore a nine-point cushion. Every Rutgers push was met with a clinical Penn State response, often through McMiller finding Merkle for an easy finish or creating her own shot. A key sequence occurred with just over six minutes left. After Rutgers closed to within 66-63, Penn State’s Nyla McFadden of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, sank a crucial three-pointer off an assist from Merkle. On the ensuing possession, McMiller stripped Ndiaye and converted a fast-break jumper, forcing a Rutgers timeout and effectively halting the comeback attempt. Penn State’s statistical dominance was stark. The Lady Lions scored 1.21 points per possession, a mark of elite offense, while Rutgers managed just 1.01. Penn State outscored Rutgers 40-30 in the paint and, critically, converted 13 Scarlet Knight turnovers into 24 points. Rutgers managed only seven points off Penn State’s 13 giveaways. The Lady Lions also made 18 of 25 free throws, while Rutgers went 16 of 26 from the line. The victory improved Penn State’s record to 10-17 and snapped a two-game losing streak. It also avenged a 76-72 home loss to Rutgers on Jan. 18. According to the National Statistical ELO system, Penn State entered with a 54.7% probability to win and covered the pregame spread of -4.5. The combined score of 165 points sailed over the over/under line of 145.5. Penn State next hosts Southern California on Wednesday. Rutgers will face Indiana at home on the same night.

Preview: Penn State Lady Lions at Rutgers Scarlet Knights PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in the final stretch of the regular season will meet Saturday when the Penn State Lady Lions visit the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a Big Ten women’s basketball matchup. The game at Louis Brown Athletic Center pits programs with nearly identical records. Penn State (9-17 overall) enters after snapping a two-game skid with an 81-71 home victory over Northwestern on Feb. 15. Rutgers (9-16) looks to halt a five-game losing streak, most recently a 76-56 defeat at Illinois on Feb. 17. The contest is a quick rematch from last month, when Rutgers edged Penn State 76-72 on Jan. 18 in University Park. The Lady Lions will lean heavily on guard Kiyomi McMiller, who has been on a historic scoring tear. She is averaging 32.3 points over her last four games, including a 37-point effort against Michigan State on Feb. 7 and a 32-point, 12-rebound double-double in the win over Northwestern. Her ability to create offense will be central to Penn State’s chances. Rutgers counters with guard Faith Blackstone, who led the team with 13 points in the loss to Illinois. The Scarlet Knights have struggled offensively during their losing streak, failing to reach 60 points in four of the five games. Generating consistent scoring outside of Blackstone will be a key focus. Both teams have faced defensive challenges this season. Penn State allows an average of 80.1 points per game, while Rutgers scores just 54.8 points per contest. The matchup may hinge on whether the Scarlet Knights’ defense can contain McMiller and whether their offense can find a rhythm against a susceptible Penn State defense. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. tipoff on Saturday, Feb. 21.