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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Kutztown shot just 32% (6-for-19) in the first half, but came out firing in the second half, going 50% (13-for-26).
 
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.
 
Kutztown had a slow start to this one and had more turnovers (17) than points (16) in the first half.
 
Pulliam added five rebound and five assists. Hearn tallied 10 points, three rebounds and two blocks. Smelas totaled eight points and 10 rebounds.
 
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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