BOX SCORE STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (Nov. 8, 2013) – The No. 13 Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions used a 33 point effort from reigning Big Ten Conference Player of the Year Maggie Lucas to take down the Saint Francis University women's basketball team, 117-77, in the 2013-14 season opener for both teams on Friday evening.

Four Red Flash (0-1) players reached double-digits in points, led by junior guard Alexa Hayward (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) who notched 20 in the scoring column after knocking down six three-pointers. Alli Williams (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) registered 14 points and tracked down five rebounds, while freshman Samiah Bethel (Jacksonville, Fla./Potter's House Christian Academy) added 12 points in her Saint Francis debut.

"I am proud of the way we played hard until the end tonight, we didn't give up," SFU head coach Joe Haigh said. "It is all about learning and getting better from here."

Ariel Edwards also scored 23 points while shooting 9-11 from the field for the 2012-13 Big Ten Champion Lady Lions (1-0).

PSU jumped out to an 11-3 lead in the first two minutes of the first half; SFU narrowed the margin to just three after Hayward knocked down a triple.

Penn State shot 50 percent in the first half and took a 55-38 lead into the locker room. The Saint Francis defense was able to force 14 turnovers in the first period of play.

The Flash orchestrated a quick 6-0 run in beginning of the second half sparked by a no-look dish from Alexa Hayward (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) to give Alli Williams (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle) an easy lay-up. PSU then extended its lead after a 16-3 run midway through the second frame sparked by a few lay-ups in transition.

Penn State led in the rebounding column, 57-33 and in the free-throw comparison as the Lady Lions went 37-43 from the charity stripe.

"We need to be better towards the end of games, we have to avoid giving up big runs," Haigh continued.

Erin Blaine (Washington, D.C./H.D. Woodson) posted 10 points, while Bridget Murphy (Bethlehem, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) went 2-2 from downtown and registered six points, both freshmen made their first appearance for SFU.

Saint Francis returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 16 as Colgate visits DeGol Arena for a 5 p.m. match-up.