JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University women's basketball team began the game on a 16-0 run on its way to a 67-49 win over Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play on Saturday afternoon. 
 
KU (3-6, 2-1 PSAC) outscored the Mountain Cats of UPJ 23-11 in the opening quarter and held a 40-23 halftime advantage, cruising to an 18-point victory, its largest of the season. Brianna Tarabocchia (Woodcliff Lake, N.J./Northern Valley Regional (Saint Peter's)) posted her second double-double in her first year in Maroon and Gold with 13 points and 11 rebounds in 32 minutes of action. Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) led the Golden Bears with 15 points, making three 3-PTs, her 31st straight game with at least one three-pointer made. Taylor Thames (Colmar, Pa./North Penn) was very effective from her point guard position, posting a season-high six assists and 14 points, going 8-for-9 from the charity stripe. 
 
In what has been a slow start to a promising 2018-19 campaign, Kutztown was able to put it all together in its first road PSAC contest of the season. Derr kicked off the game with a triple, fueling a 16-0 Golden Bear run to open this tilt, during which Derr scored eight points. With this margin in hand, KU kept UPJ at bay with its staunch defense and ability to convert off of Mountain Cat mistakes. 
 
The Golden Bears scored 34 points off of Pitt-Johnstown's 23 turnovers and held the Mountain Cats to just 26 percent shooting from the field. Gabbi Wright (Elkins Park, Pa./Cheltenham) delivered a solid game for KU off the bench to the tune of 10 points, three blocks and two rebounds in 28 minutes. 
 
With the loss, UPJ falls to 4-5 overall and 1-2 in the PSAC Western Division. 
 
Kutztown will have 10 days off before taking on Mercyhurst on Tuesday, Dec. 18 on the road at 1 p.m.