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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's basketball team will tip-off its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) schedule this weekend with home contests against No. 3 Indiana (PA) University and Clarion University on Dec. 1-2, respectively, at 1 p.m. on the Keystone Arena hardwood.
 
KU (1-5) has had a trying non-conference slate, suffering two tough losses at home to Lincoln and Fayetteville State to begin the season. Kutztown broke into the win column with a 76-59 defeat over Georgian Court, but was then swept in three games on its Thanksgiving Trip in Texas.   
 
Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) has led the Golden Bears in scoring with 16.3 ppg, 10th best in the PSAC, an increase of nearly three ppg from last season. Karen Lapkiewicz (Southampton, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) joins Derr as the two KU players scoring in double-figures with a career-best average of 10.2 ppg. Alexis Smith (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) has had a hot start from beyond the three-point line, ranking second in PSAC in 3-PT percentage at 43.5 percent. As a team, KU averages 7.5 made 3-PTs per game, fifth best in the conference.
 
Despite the slow start, the Maroon and Gold know the path to reach their ultimate goals remains simple. Post a strong record in the PSAC that qualifies you for the playoffs and then look to make a deep run.
 
That message then turns the Golden Bears' attention to their immediate future with the opening conference weekend against third-ranked IUP and Clarion on the horizon. The Crimson Hawks, a perennial national power out of the PSAC Western Division, are off to a 6-0 start, winning all six of their contests by 27 points or more. IUP features a high-powered offense, which has averaged a PSAC-best 89.2 ppg thus far.
 
Senior guard Carolyn Appleby averages a team-high 15.0 ppg for the Crimson Hawks, whom have five players with averages of 8+ ppg. Natalie Myers and Lexi Griggs patrol the paint, averaging a combined 18.0 ppg and 13.8 rpg.  The Crimson Hawks boast a veteran lineup with all five projected starters being upperclassmen and a total of eight juniors and seniors on the roster.
 
Clarion, much like IUP, is also off to a good start in 2018-19, bringing a 5-1 record into its opening conference weekend. The Golden Eagles sit just outside the top-10 in the latest D2SIDA Atlantic Region Poll and are looking much improved from last season's 7-21 overall record.  Kadijah Dickson, a junior guard, is Clarion's leading scorer and rebounder with 14.7 ppg and 8.2 rpg. Haille Hart, a 6-0 center, is the Golden Eagles' primary option on the inside, averaging 8.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg.
 
In looking at both matchups, KU will have its work cut out for itself in defending its home court against two solid opponents from the PSAC West. The Maroon and Gold will be looking to rekindle some of last season's home-court magic in which they boasted a 13-3 overall record at home and 9-3 mark in conference play.
 
Game notes, live stats and video are available via the links above, which can also be accessed on www.kubears.com.