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STATE COLLEGE — Penn State women’s basketball earns 84-80 overtime win over George Mason in the Bryce Jordan Center using a full team effort. The Lions advance to the second round of the inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament as they host Belmont on Monday.
Penn State erased a 12-point deficit to come back in overtime to earn a gutsy 84-80 win. The team shot and effective 49.2% from the field and more than doubled George Mason up in the paint by a 50-24 clip. This was the Lions first overtime win since 2019.
Redshirt-junior Leilani Kapinus led the squad on both ends of the court with her fourth double-double of the season. She had a career high 15 rebounds along with 13 points. Graduate guard Ashley Owusu posted a team high 20 points to go with four boards and four assists. Senior forward Ali Brigham rounded out the trio Lions in double figures with 15 points.
George Mason got the first points of the game using a three pointer, but Ciezki had the response with five straight points. The Lions made four-straight stops on defense to bolster their lead to 14-5.
Makenna Marisa found her first three of the game after an offensive rebound and pass across the front court from Kapinus. The teams traded baskets before PSU ignited a 7-0 run to pull ahead by a score of 19-7 and force the Patriots into a timeout.
The visitors grabbed a 12-point edge using a three-pointer out of the break. Some back and forth action was ended by four consecutive points from Owusu to pull back within seven before the media timeout. Jayla Oden brought the Lions even closer driving to the basket for a layup to complete the 6-0 run. George Mason managed a basket before sending Kapinus to the line where she sunk a free shot.
A stop on defense and a layup from Grace Hall lit up the Bryce Jordan Center and surged Kapinus to force a turnover on the other end of the court.
Kapinus pushed her way to the basket to notch her 10th point of the game to seal a double-double and the Lions forced a shot clock violation on the other side of the court out of a timeout. Another trip to the free throw line for Owusu took PSU within one point at a score of 66-65. George Mason earned a pair of free shots to extend the margin back to three points but a response from Owusu reversed it back to a one-point deficit.
The score was 70-69 with the Patriots ahead by one entering the final minute of play with George Mason in possession of the ball. Chanaya Pinto forced a turnover on the inbound. Penn State was unable to convert the following offensive possession but a massive block from Kylie Lavelle gave the ball back to the Lions and Kapinus drew a foul on the offensive end. She made one of her two to tie the score at 70-70 with 4.7 seconds on the clock. The Patriots advanced the ball using a timeout and the Lions drew a charge to get the ball back with .5 seconds on the clock. Head coach Carolyn Kieger advance the ball. PSU could not convert, sending the game to overtime.
GEORGE MASON (23-8, 14-4 ATLANTIC 10)
Paula Suarez 9-15 0-0 24; Ta’Viyanna Habib 6-15 1-3 16; Sonia Smith 5-17 1-2 13; Jazmyn Doster 1-4 1-2 3; Nekhu Mitchell 0-7 0-0 0; Zahirah Walton 9-16 4-5 24; Jada Brown 0-2 0-0 0; Taylor Jameson 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 30-81 7-12 80.
PENN STATE (20-12, 9-9 BIG TEN)
Ashley Owusu 7-16 5-9 20; Ali Brigham 7-12 1-1 15; Leilani Kapinus 4-6 5-8 13; Shay Ciezki 3-8 0-0 7; Chanaya Pinto 2-3 0-0 4; Makenna Marisa 2-5 2-2 8; Jayla Oden 1-1 4-4 6; Moriah Murray 2-4 0-0 5; Kylie Lavelle 1-3 0-0 2; Alli Campbell 1-2 0-0 2; Grace Hall 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 31-63 17-24 84.
George Mason 20 19 19 12 10 — 80
Penn State 21 13 15 21 14 — 84
3-point goals: GM 13-35 (Suarez 6-10, Habib 3-7, Walton 2-4, Smith 2-7, Mitchell 0-2, Brown 0-2, Jameson 0-3), PSU 5-15 (Marisa 2-3, Murray 1-3, Ciezki 1-5, Owusu 1-2, Lavelle 0-1, Pinto 0-1). Fouled out: GM-Walton; PSU-none. Rebounds: GM 38 (Doster 7), PSU 47 (Kapinus 15). Assists: GM 19 (Suarez 6), PSU 16 (Owusu 4). Technical fouls: GM-none; PSU-Owusu. Total fouls: GM 19, PSU 15. A: 1,635.