ANN ARBOR, Mich. —A 29-point first quarter for No. 19/21 Michigan was too much for the Penn State women’s basketball team to overcome on Thursday (Dec. 28) evening inside the Crisler Center, as the Lady Lions dropped an 89-69 decision to the Wolverines in the Big Ten opener for both squads.

The two teams traded baskets to open the game, with Michigan (12-2, 1-0 B1G) grabbing an early 6-5 lead thanks to a pair of 3-pointers. Teniya Page (Chicago, Ill.) scored all five of Penn State’s (9-5, 0-1 B1G) points to open the game, before the Wolverines raddled off 20-straight tallies to build a 21-point lead, 26-5, on a Hallie Thome layup with 3:05 to play in the opening frame.

Michigan took a 50-23 lead into the half, but the Lady Lions outscored the Wolverines in the second half, 46-39, to account for the final margin.

The loss dropped Penn State to 14-12 all-time in Big Ten openers, including 5-8 all-time in Big Ten openers on the road.

Page moved up three spots on the all-time scoring list with her 19-point effort, passing Amanda Brown (1,233; 2004-07), Kam Gissendanner (1,238; 2005-08) and Tina Nicholson (1,240; 1993-96) to push herself into No. 23 on the Penn State scoring charts at 1,248. She added three rebounds, two steals, one blocked shot and one assist in the game.

Amari Carter (Washington, D.C.) added 16 points and Jaida Travascio-Green (Lisle, Ill.) chipped in 10. For Carter, it was her 11th double-figure scoring game of the year and it was the ninth double-digit scoring game for Travascio-Green this season.

Katelynn Flaherty scored a game-high 33 points on the night, including a Penn State opponent record 10 3-pointers. Thome finished with a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Nicole Munger was the third Wolverine in double-digits with 15 tallies.

Up Next
Penn State returns to the Bryce Jordan Center for a Sunday, Dec. 31 matchup with No. 15/14 Maryland (12-2, 1-0 B1G) at 2 p.m. Fans who cannot make it to the game can catch all the action live on the Big Ten Network or over the airwaves of the Penn State Radio Network.