After failing to win any January games, Penn State is experiencing a turnaround. The Lady Lions continued to improve this week, splitting their two games.
The blue and white suffered a 19-point loss against No. 20 Maryland, after trailing behind at just four at halftime. Penn State picked itself up with a 10-point win over Northwestern to earn its second conference victory of the season.
The McMiller show
With a 30-point showing against Maryland and 32 against Northwestern, sophomore guard Kiyomi McMiller has now posted fourth straight 30-point performances. The Silver Spring, Maryland, native has been a big part of the Lady Lions late season success.
Additionally, in the two games combined, McMiller recorded six assists, eight steals and 15 rebounds, all the while missing less than a minute of action in each contest.
After last week’s performance, McMiller boosted her team-high scoring average to 21.0 points per game, while also pacing Penn State with 4.3 assists per game.
If McMiller’s last few performances indicate anything, it’s that she’ll be the centerpiece to getting the Lady Lions to the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis.
Pink Zone victory
Sunday afternoon marked the 20th anniversary of Penn State’s annual ‘Pink Zone’ game. In a day that was bigger than basketball, the Lady Lions fought hard for their second conference win over Northwestern.
The blue and white led for all but 24 seconds, and got up by as many as 20 points. The Wildcats had their chances to creep back, cutting the lead to as few as three late in the fourth quarter, but Penn State held its own.
Aside from McMiller, the Lady Lions had double-digit outings from redshirt juniors Gracie Merkle and Moriah Murray. Merkle was the team’s second leading scorer with 19 points, 12 of which came in the second half. Murray finished with 14 points behind a 4-of-11 effort from beyond the arc.
Guard Moriah Murray (3) talks to her team during the women’s basketball game against Northwestern at Rec Hall on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2026 in University Park, Pa. The Lady Lions beat the Wildcats 81-71.
Sawyer Hadlum
Penn State shot a strong 46.7% from field goal range, while holding Northwestern to a 37.3% shooting percentage.
Despite being outscored by the Wildcats 49-45 in the second half, the Lady Lions’ 14-point cushion after the first half was enough to keep the game in their hands.
Opening strong, closing struggles
The biggest takeaway from Penn State’s last two games was its ability to start quickly. On the other hand, the Lady Lions struggled in the second half in both contests.
The blue and white ultimately fell to No. 20 Maryland 81-62, but trailed 38-34 at halftime, and even had the slight 17-16 edge over the Terrapins after the first quarter.
Comparing the two halves against Maryland, Penn State shot 46.8% from the field in the first half, but that number fell to 35.7% in the second.
The Lady Lions kept the game close enough in the first half to trail by just eight after the third quarter, but the closing frame is where the game slipped away from the blue and white.
Penn State was outscored 23-12 in the fourth quarter, and nine of those points came from McMiller. The Lady Lions shot 4-of-16 in the final frame, while turning the ball over six times. Maryland capitalized on the blue and white’s shaky ending and scored 12 points off turnovers in the fourth quarter alone.
The final frame was the only one in the entire game where Penn State never held a lead.
Guard Kiyomi McMiller (23) throws up a shot during the women’s basketball game against Minnesota at Rec Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 in University Park, Pa. The Golden Gophers beat the Lady Lions 87-66.
Sawyer Hadlum
Similarly, against Northwestern, the Lady Lions led 36-22 through two, but allowed the Wildcats to creep back late in the game.
The blue and white opened its Sunday afternoon matchup on a fast start, leading Northwestern 22-13 after the first quarter. Penn State forced seven Wildcats’ turnovers, while committing just two of its own.
The Lady Lions had a strong third quarter, shooting 57.1% from the field, but allowed Northwestern to score 27 points, cutting the lead to nine heading into the final frame.
Penn State committed nine second-half turnovers, after just five in the first half. Sloppy offense allowed the Wildcats to come back and make it a one-possession game.
The Lady Lions’ saving grace in the fourth quarter was taking 16 trips to the foul line, with just eight attempts from the field. The blue and white went 12-of-16 in this frame, which was enough to keep its lead intact.
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