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Takeaways from Maryland-Penn State: Teniya Page, Taylor Mikesell and more

By Lindsay Gibbs

COLLEGE PARK, MD - DECEMBER 08: Taylor Mikesell #11,Stephanie Jones #24 and Kaila Charles #5 of the Maryland Terrapins celebrate during the game against the James Madison Dukes at Xfinity Center on December 8, 2018 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - DECEMBER 08: Taylor Mikesell #11,Stephanie Jones #24 and Kaila Charles #5 of the Maryland Terrapins celebrate during the game against the James Madison Dukes at Xfinity Center on December 8, 2018 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /
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PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 06: Penn State Lady Lions guard Teniya Page (11) during the Womens College Basketball game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Penn State Lady Lions on January 6, 2019 at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 06: Penn State Lady Lions guard Teniya Page (11) during the Womens College Basketball game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Penn State Lady Lions on January 6, 2019 at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Teniya Page is a dynamo, Lauren Ebo is one to watch

Page, obviously, is a star. Her ball-handling and ability to create shots is the engine of the Penn State offense, and she’s going to keep the team in many, many games in Big Ten play. However, I was most surprised by the play of freshman Lauren Ebo in the post. Ebo (7p, 9r) had the unenviable task of guarding Austin for most of the game, and that seemed like awful news for Ebo — while Austin has struggled at times against veteran post players in the Big Ten, a fellow freshman would seem like an easy target. But that wasn’t the case at all. Ebo, who is 6’4” and has a much larger frame than Austin, was both physical and agile in the post, and her movement really rattled Austin for stretches.

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When I looked closer, it became more obvious why Austin wasn’t rattling Ebo at all: They were actually high school teammates at Riverdale Baptist their senior year. In press, Maryland head coach Brenda Frese mentioned that Austin’s familiarity with Ebo helped her confidence going into the game, but it’s clear that worked both ways.

“Lauren Ebo is a kid for us that can be an impact player for us,” Penn State head coach Coquese Washington said in the postgame presser. “I thought she gave us great energy, great minutes, great energy off the bench, and if she can keep going like that, she can do great things for us.”

Shakira Austin gets her seventh double-double of the season

Of course, it’s important to note that while Ebo did a great job, Austin still had a double-double — her seventh double-double of the year. Austin had a rough start to Big Ten play, but is really starting to hold her position and impose her game down low. Coach Frese was particularly happy with how Austin bounced back after she had a bad game against Michigan State.

In press, Frese was asked about Austin’s ceiling, and she practically started drooling, thinking of how good Austin can be next year if she keeps training, studying, and developing. Expect her to be streaky the rest of this season, especially considering how many veteran post players are in the conference. But don’t take your eyes off of Austin.

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