CLARION, Pa. – Kutztown University women's basketball overcame a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime and finally put Clarion away in the third extra session when they exploded for 19 points in a thrilling 106-96 triple overtime non-conference victory at Tippin Gymnasium Wednesday evening.
Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) shared the game-high with 28 points for her ninth 20+ point game of the season, while
Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) (26 points),
Anna Stein (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) (19) and
Jess Aponik (Philadelphia, Pa./Germantown Academy) (13) all had career-highs for the Golden Bears.
Kutztown tied a nearly 40-year-old program record with 106 points while reaching the century mark for just the second time in school history. The Bears previously scored 106 against Millersville back on Dec. 2, 1985. It also marked KU's first triple overtime game after playing in eight double overtime contests during its 54-season history.
It didn't look like overtime would be in the cards for the Maroon and Gold, winners of three straight entering play, when a Malayziah Etheredge free throw put Clarion (12-7) up 61-46 just over a minute into the fourth quarter.
Pulliam and Hearn hit back-to-back threes and Stein converted a traditional three-point play all within 55 seconds to shave nine points off the Golden Eagles' lead. Kutztown continued to chip away while Clarion went cold from the field, missing nine of its first 10 shots of the period.
A pair of free throws from Hearn with five minutes to play capped an 18-3 run and put the Golden Bears in front for the first time since late in the first quarter, 64-63.
Kutztown (10-10) took four separate leads in the final 3:31 of regulation, but each time Clarion had an answer. The Golden Eagles tied it at 74 when Hannah Wilkerson converted a layup and was fouled with 33 seconds remaining but missed a chance to go in front on the ensuing free throw. Pulliam's attempt to win it for the visitors was off the mark with four seconds to go.
Clarion found itself down three in the final seconds of overtime but Autumn Taylor canned a 3-pointer to knot the score at 81 and extend the game another five minutes. Wilkerson tied it at 87 in the last minute of double overtime and tried to win it with a buzzer-beater but Pulliam swatted the shot away.
There would be no drama in triple overtime, however, as Kutztown got four points each from Hearn, Stein and
Bella Quinn (Ashland, Ky./Russell) to open the period on a 12-0 run that made it 99-87 with 2:09 to go. Two Stein free throws pushed the Bears over the century mark with 1:15 left and Clarion got no closer than eight the rest of the way.
Pulliam's 28 points came on 10-of-23 shooting, including 5-of-12 from three-point range. She added 12 rebounds for a double-double, four blocks and three assists. Hearn also finished with a double-double, putting up 26 points (10-of-24) and 10 boards.
Stein drained 11-of-13 at the charity stripe on her way to a 19-point outing and
Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) controlled the glass with a game-high 16 rebounds (10 defensive).
Kutztown shot 34-of-83 overall (41.0%) and were a solid 29-of-35 at the foul line (82.9%). The Bears outrebounded Clarion 64-45.
Wilkerson came off the bench to lead Clarion with 28 points on 12-of-19 from the floor. She accounted for exactly half of the Golden Eagles' bench points as they held a 56-35 advantage in that category. Fellow reserve DayLynn Thornton had 16 points, while Arianna Seitz had 14 and Taylor 13 for the hosts.
Kutztown returns to PSAC East play, Saturday, when it travels to Shepherd for a 1 p.m. tip.
