KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown women's basketball erased a double-digit, halftime deficit and turned the tides in the second half in earning its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference victory of the 2024-25 regular season, defeating California (Pa.) 54-49 in a crossover game Saturday afternoon at Keystone Arena.
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The Golden Bears (5-8 overall, 1-4 PSAC) found themselves behind 29-16 at halftime, but stormed back out of the locker room and outscored the Vulcans (6-6, 3-3) 38-20 in the second half, including an 18-5 spurt in the third quarter.
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Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) was once again the main catalyst in the comeback win. The senior finished with a game-high 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor.
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Kutztown shot just 32% (6-for-19) in the first half, but came out firing in the second half, going 50% (13-for-26).
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The Maroon and Gold scored the first 12 points of the third quarter and tied the score at 34-34 at the end of the third. They took their first lead since 2-0 when
Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) converted a layup with 7:32 left to play and then once again rallied from down 49-47 with 0:51 remaining as Pulliam hit 1-of-2 at the free-throw line and then scored off a rebound and pass on the missed free-throw by
Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) to put her team on top 50-49 with 0:29 left. She then went 4-for-4 at the charity stripe to finish off the game.
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Kutztown had a slow start to this one and had more turnovers (17) than points (16) in the first half.
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Pulliam added five rebound and five assists. Hearn tallied 10 points, three rebounds and two blocks. Smelas totaled eight points and 10 rebounds.
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Kutztown has off until 2025 and will next hit the court on the road at Lock Haven in the first PSAC Eastern Division game on Friday, Jan. 3, at 5:30 p.m.
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