BILLINGS, Mont. -- The start was everything Kutztown could have hoped for, but the ending was not.

The Golden Bear women's basketball team outscored host Montana State Billings 20-11 in the first quarter and led all the way into the fourth before the host Yellowjackets turned the tables and pulled away for a 66-55 victory in the D2CCA Tipoff Classic at the Trailhead Sunday night.

Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) had 15 points to lead KU (1-2) and Alexis Smith (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) chipped in 13, on 3-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.

Kutztown trailed 11-6 following a Taryn Shelley bucket with 5:51 left in the first quarter, but held the Yellowjackets (2-1) scoreless over the remainder of the quarter to go in front. Smith hit threes on back-to-back possessions and had eight of her 13 points in the quarter, while Hearn scored four points in the 14-0 quarter-ending run. MSUB missed its last four shots of the period and committed four turnovers.

When Sydney Pierson (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) converted a layup eight seconds into the second, the Maroon and Gold's run grew to 16 unanswered points, but a 3-pointer from Cariann Kunkel a minute later finally ended a seven-minute scoring drought for the home team.

Zara Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) had five points in the second and the Bears only allowed MSUB to shave a single point off its advantage, heading to the half with a 34-26 lead. Kutztown shot 50% in the first half (12-of-24) and was 7-of-8 at the foul line.

Though Kutztown finished the night at nearly 91% from the charity stripe, they would only get there three times in the second half and couldn't find their touch from long distance, misfiring on 10-of-12 3-point attempts. Shelley countered with five of her game-high 17 points, while Natalie Andreas and Dyauni Boyce each had four to bring the Yellowjackets within 45-43 heading to the fourth.

The two teams would swap the lead early in the fourth, but MSUB went ahead for good, 49-48, on Shelley's layup with 7:08 to play. The Yellowjackets started the fourth on a 19-5 run and had run their lead to 12, 62-50, with just 1:27 left on the clock.

The Golden Bears were a solid 20-of-50 (40%) shooting overall, but just 5-of-21 from 3-point land. All-tournament team selection Casey Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) went 4-of-6 from the floor for eight points and blocked a pair of shots. Zerman also finished with eight points.

Shelley (17) and Kunkel (15) were the only MSUB players in double figures. Shayla Montague and Danielle Zahn added seven points apiece. Ten of the 14 Yellowjacket players to see time had at least two points.

MSUB won the board battle 36-25 and held distinct advantages in points off turnovers (15-3) and second chance points (10-0).

Remolde was the only Golden Bear named to the All-tournament team. The junior from Philadelphia averaged 14.7 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game and blocked eight shots.

Kutztown will return to Pennsylvania for this weekend's CIAA/PSAC Challenge at Lincoln University (Pa.). The Golden Bears face Shaw Friday at 6 p.m. and the host Lions Saturday at 6 p.m.