NCAA Tournament 2000

Penn State Lady Lions
RECORD: 30-5 COACH: Rene Portland | SEASON RESULTS

OUTLOOK

First round: Defeated Youngstown State, 83-63

Second round: Defeated Auburn, 75-69

Sweet 16: Defeated Iowa State, 66-65

Elite Eight: Defeated Louisiana Tech, 86-65

Final Four: Lost to Connecticut, 89-67

Despite losing to Purdue in the Big Ten tournament championship, Penn State looked unflappable in the regular season, running up a 12-game winning streak and posting a 15-1 conference record en route to the Big Ten title. Senior point guard Helen Darling, who became the first Lady Lion in school history to earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors, and senior center Andrea Garner combine for nearly 30 points a game, and have been two of the most outstanding players this season. Those two were the primary reasons Penn State was even in contention for a No. 1 seed for the Big Dance. Still, for as talented as the Lady Lions are, however, Darling and Garner -- as well as junior forward Maren Walseth -- will have to continue carry this team for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

PROBABLE STARTERS

F - Maren Walseth (6-3, Jr., 13.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
F - Andrea Garner (6-3, Sr., 14.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg)
G - Helen Darling (5-7, Sr., 10.3 ppg, 7.7 apg)
G - Chrissy Falcone (5-6, Jr., 7.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg)
G - Lisa Shepherd (5-11, Jr., 12.9 ppg, 4.3 rpg)

NOTABLE

NCAA Tournament titles: None
Final Four appearances: None
Best Finish: 1994, lost to Alabama in region finals
Total NCAA appearances: 16
NCAA Tournament Record: 15-15
Last NCAA appearance: 1999, lost to La. Tech, 79-62, in second round

RANKINGS
Final ESPN/USA Today Top 25 ranking: No. 5.
Final The Associated Press poll ranking: No. 6.
Final Ratings Percentage Index ranking: No. 4.

ROSTER

NO. PLAYER              POS    HT    CLASS
12  Katrena Carr         G     5-10   SO
20  Lisa Shepherd        G     5-11   JR
22  Marissa Graby        F     6-2    SR
24  Nicole Anaejionu     C     6-2    FR
25  Chrissy Falcone      G     5-6    JR
30  Helen Darling        G     5-7    SR
31  Rashana Barnes      F-C    6-1    SO
40  Andrea Garner        C     6-3    SR
44  Ashley Luke          G     5-6    FR
54  Maren Walseth        F     6-3    SO


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