KUTZTOWN, Pa. (December 28, 2011)—After a cozy, holiday break, the Kutztown University women's basketball team is returning back to action when it hosts the Lady Lions of Lincoln University on Friday, Dec. 30 at Keystone Arena in a non-conference contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The Golden Bears (3-8 overall) have faced some challenges in the early part of the season, but have now seemed to find some consistency on the floor. The youthful 2011-12 squad has displayed its fight in every game and continues to compete with all of its opponents.
Lincoln (4-5 overall) has a veteran squad that has also faced some tests but has found itself victorious in some close games this season.
This will be the first time that KU and LU have met since Kutztown's 75-48 feat on Nov. 25, 2008 at Manuel Rivero Hall.
KU currently sits in fifth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division. The Golden Bears lead the PSAC in defensive rebounds (28.1/game). Junior Steph Zewe (Lewistown, PA/Indian Valley) (Lewistown, PA/Indian Valley) has been essential to KU on the defensive side of the ball. She is fifth in the PSAC in rebounding (8.8/game).
Junior Ashley Wood (Limerick, PA/Spring-Ford) (Limerick, PA/Spring-Ford) leads the team in scoring (13.9/game). Wood's ability to be all over the court has allowed her to tab a team-high 14 steals and 27 assists.
Sophomore Andrea Sisson (Richmond, VA/Godwin) (Richmond, VA/Godwin) is averaging 12.5 points per contest and is shooting 43.8 % from the field. Sisson has hit 29 3-pointers this season and leads Kutztown in assists (29).
Sophomore Avery Hodgson (Surf City, NJ/Southern Regional) (Surf City, NJ/Southern Regional) is also averaging double figures in scoring (10.8/game). She leads the PSAC in free throw percentage (93.5 %) and has grabbed 65 rebounds.
Brittany LeVan (Centre Hall, PA/Penns Valley) (Centre Hall, PA/ Penns Valley), along with freshmen Alyssa Bonenberger (Walnutport, PA/Northampton Area) (Walnutport, PA/Northampton), Aly York (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) (Douglassville, PA/Daniel Boone), Advia Campbell (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape), and Keyla Pullen (Richmond, VA/Monacan) (Richmond, VA/Monacan) have also contributed off the bench for the Golden Bears, displaying KU's depth.
The Lady Lions are also fifth in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA). Lincoln has not started conference play but will face its first CIAA opponent on Jan. 5 against St. Augustine's College.
Junior Denyse Moore heads the Lady Lions in scoring (12.7/game). Moore has a team-high 24 steals and 39 assists. Moore has scored in double figures in six of Lincoln's nine games.
Senior Sharay Dubose has also chipped in 9.0 points per game. Dubose is Lincoln's best free throw shooter, yielding a 77.5 shooting percentage from the line.
Junior Krystal Fluellen has 71 points on the year and is shooting 52 % from the field. Fluellen is second on the team in rebounding (56) behind Mfon Ekanem who has grabbed a team-high 62 rebounds.
Kutztown and Lincoln will be evenly matched as KU scores 60.1 points a game and LU averages 59.1. Additionally, both teams are stronger in the second half and have the ability to put up more points.
KU will return after the New Year to visit Edinboro University for a PSAC game on Friday, Jan. 6 at 5:30 p.m.
