CHEYNEY, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's basketball team's playoff chances took a huge hit in a 78-62 loss to Cheyney University during a late season Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division game Tuesday evening at Cope Hall.
 
Kutztown found itself up by two with 5:18 left in the third, but Cheyney ended the quarter on a 13-4 run and wouldn't look back for the rest of the evening.
 
With the loss, the Golden Bears (9-15, 6-14 PSAC) find their playoff-chances on life support, being down two games behind Lock Haven for the East's sixth and final playoff spot with just two games remaining. KU will need to win its final two games and need Lock Haven to drop its final two games to force a tiebreaker for the final playoff spot.
 
It was Kutztown's first loss to Cheyney since 2009.
 
The game went back and forth for much of the first quarter, with the two teams trading the lead to each other a total of four times. Kutztown found itself up by as much as seven in the second quarter, but Cheyney ended the half on a 12-5 run to give them a 35-32 lead. 
 
Kutztown found itself down 54-47 heading into the fourth, but couldn't survive a strong 24-15 Cheyney outburst during the final frame.
 
Natalya Lee (Feasterville, Pa./Rancocas Valley Regional) led the way for the Golden Bears on offense, finishing the day with 15 points, six assists and seven rebounds.
 
Keifonna Ferguson (Norristown, Pa./Norristown Area) just nearly missed a double-double (nine points, nine rebounds) and Kelsey Watson (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton) and Gina Lewis (Atlantic City, N.J./Holy Spirit) both chipped in 12 in the defeat. 
 
Cheyney (4-19, 2-17 PSAC) got the win off strong games from Kyra Hines-Allen (23 points, eight rebounds), TaKayla Ellis (16 points), and Amber Genwright (13 points, seven assists).
 
The Wolves finished the game with a 32-16 advantage in the paint.
 
In the loss, Jenna Altomare (Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa./State College Area) improved on her school-record for 3-pointers attempted in a game to 14.  She already set the record with 13 earlier in the year.
 
Kutztown stays on the road this week with a Saturday, Feb. 20, PSAC matchup against Mansfield University. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.