HTML Box Score MANSFIELD, Pa. – A 14-0 run early in the second half broke open a tied game to lead the Kutztown University women's basketball team to a 63-50 road win over Mansfield University Wednesday evening in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup at Mansfield's Decker Gymnasium.
Tied at halftime, the Golden Bears (7-12, 6-9 PSAC) came out looking to press defensively and attack the basket. KU grabbed 10 offensive rebounds in the first 10:35 to fuel an 18-5 run to build a 13-point lead at 44-31.
10 of the 18 points in the run came from
Elisa Gaffney, who scored a career-high 17 points to lead KU to its sixth straight win over Mansfield. She shot 6-for-9 from the field with five free throws and five rebounds off the bench.
Nicole Donahue also shot effective on Wednesday. She was 6-for-10 from the floor and scored a season-high 14 points. She also had five rebounds.
Kalee Fuegel added eight points off the bench.
Kutztown outscored Mansfield (1-18, 0-15) 37-24 in the second half and forced the Mountaineers into 24 turnovers for the game. On the glass, Kutztown nearly had as many offensive rebounds as it did defensive rebounds. KU had 22 offensive rebounds, led by five from
Alyssa Bonenberger and four by
Kelsey Watson. Both players led the team with seven rebounds.
Bonenberger has 633 career rebounds, 10 shy of 10th place all-time at KU. She is also expected to make her 100th career start on Saturday.
Advia Campbell had four points to give her 900 in her career. Her one block puts her three shy of second all-time at KU (161), and her five rebounds give her 656 in her career, good for eighth all-time and one shy of seventh.
It took a bit of time for Kutztown to shake off the rust from the 3.5 hour bus trip to Mansfield. KU didn't score its first points until more than five minutes into the game and needed to overcome shooting 1-for-10 from the field to open the game.
Kutztown's defense dug in down the stretch and forced multiple turnovers in the final minutes of the first half. KU ended the half on a 10-2 run and held Mansfield without a field goal for the final 5:24, as a
Jenna Altomare three-pointer in the final minute gave KU a 26-25 lead, its first since 6-5. Fuegel led KU during the charge with five points, as the game was tied at 26-26 at halftime.
Kutztown shot 19-for-27 at the free throw line, compared to Mansfield's 5-for-10 performance, while holding a +9 turnover margin, +6 in rebounding and +4 in blocks.
Mansfield's Katie Fitzpatrick and Tianna Jackson scored 12 points apiece. Alyssa Mullins led the game with nine rebounds, followed by Alyssa Derichie with eight and Fitzpatrick at six.
The Golden Bears return back to Keystone Arena on Saturday, Jan. 31 to take on West Chester University at 1 p.m. West Chester won the earlier matchup this season, 76-52.
