Video Highlights

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) scored a season-high 20 points, going 6-of-11 from distance and making three of those in the fourth quarter, to lead the Kutztown University women's basketball team (4-3 overall) over the Jefferson University Rams, 73-69, in Wednesday evening hoops action from Keystone Arena.
 
Trailing 47-44 with 1:53 remaining in the third quarter, the Golden Bears ripped off an 11-0 run, which included two Derr threes, to take a 55-47 lead with 9:16 left in the game. A resilient Ram squad showed no quit, however, trimming the deficit to one down 61-60 with 4:33 to go. Clinging to a one point advantage, Derr delivered in the clutch again with three consecutive crucial plays. She first made a driving layup in the paint, then assisted on a Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) three and capped off an 8-0 KU run with her third triple of the period to put Kutztown ahead, 69-60, a lead it would not relinquish.
 
As a team, the Maroon and Gold had 23 assists on the night, led by Taylor Thames (Colmar, Pa./North Penn) who dished out a career-high eight dimes, working the pick-and-roll game expertly. Lapkiewicz chipped in four helpers of her own, adding nine points, eight rebounds and one steal in 29 minutes of well-rounded play.
 
On the inside, Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) and Keifonna Ferguson (Norristown, Pa./Norristown Area) were the main beneficiaries of the Golden Bears' affinity for sharing the basketball, scoring 14 points each, many of which were from point-blank range. KU outscored Jefferson, 42-20, in the painted area and outrebounded the Rams, 40-32, with Ferguson leading the charge with nine rebounds, coming one board shy of a double-double.
 
Derr captained the hot start for Kutztown, making two threes in the opening stanza, to pace her team to a 21-15 advantage. The Golden Bears had to weather the storm of losing starting point guard Sierra Taylor (Williamstown, N.J./Camden Catholic) in the second quarter, which helped Jefferson to go on an 8-4 run to close the first half, trailing 31-29 at the break. An even third quarter saw both sides put in 18 points each, setting the stage for a climactic final quarter. Both fourth quarter spurts proved to be the difference in this contest, as the Maroon and Gold hung on for the victory, 73-69 despite one final Ram push of five unanswered late.
 
Kalee Fuegel (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) contributed four points, one rebound, one assist and a steal off the bench. She also had a significant sequence late in the third quarter of a layup, drawn charge and steal, nearly hitting a buzzer-beater which seemed to energize the team as it headed into the fourth. Alexis Smith (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) also hit a big three-pointer towards the end of third quarter, scoring 10 points on the evening.
 
For Jefferson, the trio of Beverly Kum, Rachel Day and Erin Maher combined for 48 of their 69 points, with Kum going 9-for-10 from the free-throw line and tallying 21 on her own.
 
KU will look to extend its home winning streak to four-in-a-row and get its first win in PSAC play on Saturday, Dec. 2, taking on Mercyhurst in a 1 p.m. tip-off from Keystone Arena.