SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – The 21st-ranked Kutztown University women's basketball team was able to erase the taste of defeat in a big way Saturday as KU left the state and earned an important road victory, 68-59, the 20th of the season, at Shepherd in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division game.
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The Golden Bears (20-5 overall, 13-3 PSAC) bounced back after a 63-60 setback at Millersville last Wednesday, Feb. 9, their first defeat in their previous five games. The 20 victories this season is tied for second-most in program history, as both the 2008-09 team and 1995-96 teams under current head coach
Janet Malouf also finished with 20 wins. Only the 1999-00 team finished with more, 21.
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It was a matchup of two of the top three teams in the East, and the second time this season Kutztown came out on top.
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After the opening 1:10, the Maroon and Gold found their groove and had a blazing rest of the first quarter, which carried over into the second. The Rams (18-5, 12-5) scored the game's first four points and connected on their first two shots. But from that point, KU scored 22 of the next 30 points over the final 8:50 of the opening frame and led 22-12 after one. Four different players scored that quarter and KU connected on two 3-pointers to help build its advantage.
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Kutztown shot 52.9% (9-for-17) from long distance, fourth-most three's in a game this season and the highest percentage in a game. KU took its largest lead of the first half, 30-16, after a corner 3-pointer from
Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) with 4:16 until halftime. The teams went to the locker rooms with the Golden Bears leading 33-20.
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Shepherd made a run at cutting its deficit in the third quarter.
Rylee Derr (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) connected from distance to put KU up 43-22 with 7:15 on the clock, but the Rams went on a 19-6 run to end the quarter and trailed 49-41 heading to the fourth.
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Kutztown scored the first seven points of the fourth to go back on top by double figures and Shepherd never got closer than 10 the rest of the quarter until a 3-pointer as time expired gave the final tally.
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Derr led all scorers with 17 points and added six rebounds.
Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) recorded her first career double-double, finishing with 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, while adding three blocks and three assists.
Casey Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) tallied nine points and four rebounds and both
Bella Arcuri (Fallsington, Pa./Pennsbury) and Pulliam had eight points.
Annie Whalen (Ivyland, Pa./Archbishop Wood) contributed six points for KU.
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Kutztown has a quick turnaround and will play a makeup game against Millersville, looking to amass some revenge, Monday, Feb. 14, at 5:30 p.m., from Keystone Arena.
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