KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) etched her name in the Kutztown University women's basketball record book, and KU secured its ninth consecutive victory in extra time Saturday afternoon as Mercyhurst's three-point play with 0:07 left in regulation took the game to overtime. KU outscored the Lakers 14-9 in the overtime period to walk off the Keystone Arena floor with a 73-68 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover win.
 
With a three-pointer at the 4:45 mark of the first quarter, Derr recorded her record-breaking 1,624th career point, surpassing the previous program record of 1,623 by Melissa McQuade (2007-11). The Lititz native finished with a game-high 25 points, including 4-of-6 from long distance and was 9-for-12 from the line. She added four rebounds and a steal.
 
The Golden Bears (15-3 overall, 8-1 PSAC) have been on a roll, winners of nine straight, the second-longest win streak in program history. The 1971-72 team won 10 games in-a-row.
 
Kutztown held a 19-point advantage (42-23), its largest of the contest, 0:47 into the third quarter, and led 50-37 heading into the final quarter. But Mercyhurst (6-8, 4-4) woke up in the fourth, netting its highest output of a quarter and holding KU to its lowest, outscoring the Maroon and Gold 22-9.
 
After two free-throws by Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen), KU led 59-56 with 0:23 left. On the other end of the floor, Jayde Boyd drove to the hoop, made a contested layup, and was fouled in the action. She converted the three-point play to tie the game at 59-59 with just 0:07 to go. On the ensuing possession, Zara Zerman (Jonestown, Pa./Northern Lebanon) was called for an offensive foul that left a little under 0:01 on the clock.
 
Grace Centrulla of Mercyhurst gave the Lakers the lead with a layup 0:17 into overtime. That would be the only lead they would hold as Derr, Alexis Smith (Dauphin, Pa./Central Dauphin) and Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) connected on back-to-back-to-back possessions and Kutztown took a 66-61 advantage with 2:40 remaining. The Lakers pulled to within two at 70-68 with 0:29 remaining, but Derr hit 3-of-4 from the charity stripe to help KU hold on for the win.
 
Hearn tallied 13 points and three rebounds. Casey Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) recorded her second double-double of the season, totaling 11 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, while adding four blocks and two steals. Zerman had eight points, two rebounds and one assist. Smith and Pulliam both tallied six points and Smith also tied a season-high with four steals.
 
Kutztown next takes on Bloomsburg on Wednesday night, Jan. 19, at 7:30 p.m.