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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – In search of its first road win of the season, the Kutztown University women's basketball team will travel to Edinboro University for a Saturday matinee matchup with the No. 15-ranked Fighting Scots. Tip-off from McComb Fieldhouse is scheduled for 1 p.m.
There's been no place like home for the Golden Bears of late, as they claimed their seventh win this season in eight tries at Keystone Arena on Wednesday night, grinding out a 53-45 win over the Bloomsburg University Huskies. The victory improved KU's record to 8-5 overall and 3-4 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), a mark which puts it in third place in the PSAC's Eastern Division.
Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) continues to star in her inaugural campaign in Maroon and Gold, posting a team-high 12 points against Bloomsburg to record her 10th game this season with a double-digit scoring output. The reserve unit was equally as important as Derr's strong performance in a tilt in which points were at a premium, as
Kalee Fuegel (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy),
Kaila Brown (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill),
Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) and
Zoe Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) combined for 21 points off the bench.
As has been the case for much of the season, the stifling Kutztown defense pressured the Huskies all evening, collecting 18 steals on its way to forcing 27 BU turnovers. Tied at 38-38 with 7:40 to go, the Golden Bears continued to show their ability to perform in crunch time, ripping off a 9-2 run in three minutes to put the game out of reach. KU is now 7-0 in games decided by less than ten points and 6-0 when leading with five minutes or less remaining.
Now that the den has been successfully defended, the Maroon and Gold turns its attention to a tough road test with Edinboro (10-1, 6-1 PSAC) on Saturday afternoon. A traditionally strong program, this year's Fighting Scot squad is no different, sporting a No. 15 national ranking by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and suffering its lone defeat to No. 10 California (PA) on Dec. 30.
Edinboro features a high-powered attack, which leads the PSAC with 82.5 ppg, with four different players averaging double-digit points. Jontay Walton and Ciara Rosten make up a veteran guard-forward duo for the Fighting Scots, as the two collectively are team-leaders in points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocked shots. Walton ranks sixth in the PSAC with 18.6 ppg, second in the PSAC with 4.5 apg and first in the PSAC with 3.0 steals per game. Rosten's average of 9.2 rpg ranks third in the PSAC and her 3.5 blocks per game are first in the conference, a full block ahead of any other player.
In order for KU to change its road struggles against a formidable Edinboro team, the offense must produce early and often. As a team, the Golden Bears have been outscored 198-166 in the first quarter and 56-21 in road PSAC play. Additionally, the Maroon and Gold have scored less than 60 points in two straight games after going six consecutive games with 65 points or more. However, if it can keep the game within striking distance headed into the final frame, Kutztown has proved itself as a fourth quarter team, outscoring its opponents 262-235 in the final ten minutes.
Live stats, video and game notes are available via the links above, which can also be accessed on
www.kubears.com.
