MILLERSVILLE, Pa. – Kutztown women's basketball found itself in a huge hole after the opening quarter, trailing by 11. But since the middle of January, KU has been playing its best basketball of the 2024-25 regular season, and continued its winning ways by rallying for a 54-52 victory at Millersville Wednesday night inside Pucillo Gymnasium in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division game.
It was the ninth victory in-a-row for the Golden Bears (15-10 overall, 10-6 PSAC), who haven't lost since falling at West Chester back on Jan. 11. The nine consecutive wins is the most since KU won nine in-a-row during the 2021-22 season. They can tie the program record for consecutive victories (10 during the 1971-72 season) with a win Saturday.
The Maroon and Gold also swept the season home-and-home with the Marauders (13-10, 8-8) and stayed ahead of them in the East standings, a half-game behind Lock Haven (16-7, 11-6), which KU also swept, for first place.
It's the second straight contest Kutztown rallied after trailing following the first quarter. In its last game, last Wednesday, Feb. 5, KU fell behind Lock Haven after one and into the second, but came back to win.
The Golden Bears trailed 15-4 after the opening 10 minutes, but used the next two quarters to cut their deficit and eventually take a lead, one which they didn't relinquish. They outscored Millersville 18-13 in the second quarter and trailed 28-22 at halftime. The Maroon and Gold then had a 21-13 third quarter to hold a 43-41 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.
The teams traded baskets in the final frame and the biggest lead of the final 10 minutes was four for Kutztown. KU led 54-52 with 0:44 left after a Marauders basket and then gave the ball right back to MU with 0:20 to go, but forced a turnover with just 0:01 to play to hold on for the victory.
Bella Quinn (Ashland, Ky./Russell) led the way with a season-high 14 points and added three rebounds.
Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) finished with 12 points, including going 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, and grabbed three rebounds.
Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) and
Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) both scored eight points with the former adding five rebounds and the latter seven.
Shannon Remolde (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Basil Academy) tallied five points, five rebounds and two steals.
Alexa Windish (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Wood) contributed five points and
Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) rounded out the scoring with two points and added six rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Kutztown has another challenge on Saturday, as it takes on another top-three team in the East on the road in Bloomsburg, with tip-off set for 1 p.m. The Golden Bears are looking to take the season series from the Huskies (15-9, 9-8).
