KUTZTOWN, Pa. – For the second time in three games, Kutztown women's basketball had to play past the 40-minute regulation.
Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) drilled a turnaround 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime and then KU used that momentum to finish off East Stroudsburg 62-58 in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Divisional game Wednesday night inside Keystone Arena.
The Golden Bears (12-10 overall, 7-6 PSAC), who just won a three OT game at Clarion last Wednesday night, won their sixth game in-a-row and climbed above .500 in the PSAC standings for the first time this season.
Trailing by one point with just under a minute to play in regulation, the Maroon and Gold defense got the stop they needed, but could not capitalize on their offensive end in a pivotal possession, having to foul the Warriors (8-11, 5-8) with just 1.2 seconds left. Brie Droege connected on both free-throws to put her team ahead 53-50, and after a KU timeout, Pulliam took the inbounds pass from
Shannon Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy), did a quick turnaround and hit the pressure-cooker shot to tie the score as the buzzer sounded.
In the extra period, the Golden Bears were able to keep that high level and outscored ESU 9-5 to complete the come-from-behind victory.
Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen), fresh off scoring her 1,000th career point in her last game last Saturday, led the team with 14 points and added seven rebounds and tied a career-high with five assists. The two-time reigning PSAC Athlete of the Week, Pulliam, had an efficient night, scoring 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting from the floor, including going 3-of-3 from the free-throw line and connecting on her lone 3-pointer, albeit the most important shot of the game for KU. The senior also grabbed a career-best 14 rebounds to secure her fourth double-double of the season and third in the last five contests. Remolde,
Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) and
Bella Quinn (Ashland, Ky./Russell) all finished with eight points and
Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) contributed six points, four rebounds and three blocks.
KU trailed 10-9 after the opening quarter, but had the widest quarter margin for either team in the second, outscoring East Stroudsburg 17-12 to go into the locker room at halftime on top 26-22. The Warriors pulled to within just 40-39 heading into the fourth quarter after outscoring the Golden Bears 17-14 in the third.
Bella Arcuri (Fallsington, Pa./Pennsbury) totaled four points and
Alexa Windish (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Wood) rounded out the scoring with two points.
Kutztown, which just had its first matchup with Mansfield, will travel to take on the Mounties for the second time in less than three weeks this Saturday, Feb. 1, at 1 p.m.
