MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – In a matchup of the two sides currently slated to host a first-round playoff game in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), the Kutztown University women's basketball team couldn't overcome a hot-shooting Millersville University side on the road, falling to the Marauders, 85-58.
Millersville outscored KU 43-28 in the first half, led by 13 points in the first 20 minutes from star point guard Alayah Hall. Hall scored a game-high 24 points, tying a career-high for the senior, and Kendra Bamberger tallied 13 points and seven rebounds to lead the Marauder attack. As a team, MU shot 53.3 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from distance, feeling very comfortable in its home gym.
Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and Alexis Smith (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) each totaled 11 points, but had to work hard for every one of them, shooting a combined 8-of-28 on the afternoon. Derr and Smith both scored in double-figures for the sixth time, making three 3-pointers each. Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) added 10 points, recording a double-digit scoring output for the sixth time this season.
Smith was joined by Gabby Bloshuk (Easton, Pa./Easton Area), Kaila Brown (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill), Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) and Zoe Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon), as the five Golden Bears to score in the reserve unit. Kutztown totaled 25 bench points, accounting for 43.1 percent of its total scoring. Brown scored six points in nine minutes, going 3-of-4 from the floor.
The Golden Bears had a tough time getting their shots to fall in a traditionally unfriendly gym to the opposition, shooting 34.8 percent from inside the arc, 28.1 percent from three and going 1-of-4 from the free-throw line. The foul discrepancy also seems to be an item of note in this tilt, as the Marauders committed just eight personal fouls in the game while KU had 24 fouls called against it.
8-1 at home this season, the Maroon and Gold return to Keystone Arena for their next contest, a 'swapped' matchup with the Cheyney University Wolves on Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 5:30 p.m.
Live stats and live video with commentary via the Golden Bear Network will be available via links on the homepage of www.kubears.com.
