KUTZTOWN, Pa. – It looked eerily similar from the last time out and the result was the same, as top-seeded Kutztown women's basketball opened up play in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament with a 63-50 victory over fifth-seeded West Chester Wednesday night in a quarterfinal round game inside Keystone Arena.
The Golden Bears (20-11 overall) won their 20th game for the first time in three seasons and just the second time since 2008-09. They will now advance to the final four and a semifinal round matchup with defending PSAC champion and the second seed from the Western Division, Gannon, on Saturday afternoon at Edinboro University, the top seed from the West. KU last played in a semifinal back in 2021-22.
KU and WCU met in the regular season finale this past Saturday at Keystone, one which Kutztown also came out on top.
Just as it did in the last matchup, Kutztown started fast and got off to an early lead and with the help of
Abbey Hearn (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen), who scored the game's first five points to stake her team to the 5-0 lead 1:06 into the contest. In the regular season finale, Hearn dropped the first seven points on the Golden Rams.
Bella Quinn (Ashland, Ky./Russell) also got off to a fast start as the freshman point guard tallied 11 first quarter points and facilitated the offense smoothly. In her first collegiate postseason game, Quinn shined bright, finishing with a game-high and season-best 23 points, along with five rebounds, three assists and two steals. She went 5-for-6 from beyond the arc, also a season-high for made 3-pointers.
KU led 8-2 just under two minutes in, but the Golden Rams (15-15) went on a 10-3 run the next 3:46 to go on top 12-11. But two 3-pointers and a layup by Quinn ended the first quarter on an 8-2 run for the Maroon and Gold and a 19-14 lead after one.
Naia Pulliam (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) opened the second quarter with five unanswered points to extend the Golden Bears' lead to double figures at 24-14. The senior racked up 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. WCU kept it in single digits the rest of the quarter and ended the frame with four straight points as the teams went to halftime with KU ahead 31-26.
The Golden Rams came out of the locker room and scored first to cut their deficit to 31-28, but Kutztown scored six straight, three each from Hearn and Quinn, and ended the quarter on an 8-2 run to lead 48-38 heading into the final frame.
In a game of runs, West Chester made another and opened the fourth with six unanswered points to pull within 48-44 with 7:57 to play, but the Maroon and Gold scored eight of the next 11 points and went back on top by double figures with 1:53 remaining and were able to run out the clock.
Leila Hurley (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) finished with 12 points and four rebounds, draining three 3-pointers. Hearn recorded 10 points six rebounds and two blocks.
Earlier in the day, Kutztown was ranked eighth in the final NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional poll to decide who makes the NCAA Tournament. Eight teams from the region will go dancing with Selection Sunday set for this Sunday, March 9.
