Penn State secures Big Ten title

By Josh Daeche
Collegian Staff Writer

Lackluster and sloppy are words that could describe the play of the Penn State women's basketball team yesterday, but just like they have done all season the Lady Lions were successful as they won the Big Ten regular season title for the first time since 1994.

Led by the strong play of All-American candidate Andrea Garner -- the senior pulled down eight of her 11 rebounds in the first half — No.6 Penn State (22-3, 14-1 Big Ten) defeated Northwestern 66-34.

The opening part of yesterday's game could have been summed up in one word — ugly.

The Lions and Wildcats could not find the bottom of the basket. The two teams combined for nine points in the first nine minutes of action before Penn State blew it open on a 9-0 run midway through the first half.

Northwestern kept it close compared to the first meeting when Penn State destroyed them by 65 points on Jan 2.

The Lions went into halftime up 29-17.

The Wildcats played a 2-3 zone, which forced Penn State to keep the ball outside and into its guard's hands. The play of the Lions' backcourt has been effective much of the season and was again yesterday. The Lions saw solid production from hometown hero Ashley Luke.

Luke, who attended Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora Ill., had several family members, friends and former coaches on hand to watch the freshman score a career-high 10 points off the bench.

This did not come to much of a surprise to Penn State women's basketball coach Rene Portland who has tried to get Luke more involved with the team throughout the season.

"We continue to use her more and more in practice than we use Helen," she said prior to yesterday's game. "The playing of Ashley is very, very important."

And Sunday the practice paid dividends for the freshmen. Luke was making smart decisions, while working side by side with Lions star Helen Darling.

Darling played much of the game and chipped in with eight assists and six points in 35 minutes of play.

"Helen Darling has run that show and it seems like she has been there forever and ever and ever," Indiana women's basketball coach Jim Izard earlier this week.

Just as Luke was stepping up fellow freshmen Nicole Anaejionu saw some time.

Like Luke, stepping up her game has been expected of her lately

"We just need the two freshmen to pick it up," Portland said. "Their not freshmen anymore. The season is long and they have come along way since November."

The win gave the Lions No.1 seed in the Big Ten tournament as well as reaching a goal they set out to accomplish before the season started -- a championship.