FROSTBURG, Md. – Kutztown University women's basketball could not match the hot-shooting pace of West Virginia Wesleyan in the opening game of the Jim Crawley Conference Challenge at Frostburg State, Friday. The Bobcats opened a 16-point lead after a quarter and went on to a 76-39 victory.
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Kilah Dandridge had 26 points and Ana Young 22 as the Bobcats shot 62.3% overall (33-of-53) and scored half of their points in the paint.
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Ariana Smuda (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) layup tied the game at two in the opening minute of play, but West Virginia Wesleyan (1-0) scored 19 of the next 22 points to break the game open 21-5 after 10 minutes.
Stella Higgins (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) converted a three-point play with 7:35 remaining in the quarter but the Golden Bears (1-1) didn't score again, missing their final 10 shots and committing seven turnovers during the drought.
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The Bobcats continued to expand their lead in the second, starting the period on a 14-3 run. Kutztown was unable to shake its shooting woes making just 4-of-12 field goals and 6-of-25 (24.0%) through the first half.
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WVWC, from the Mountain East Conference (MEC), outscored the Bears in all four quarters and led by as many as 38 in the fourth quarter.
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Kitty Randa (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) led Kutztown with nine points and grabbed four rebounds.
Maggie Coleman (Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights) added eight points off the bench and Smuda finished seven points and a team-high eight rebounds.
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Dandridge shot 12-of-15 from the floor and Young was 9-of-15 in leading the Bobcats' scoring efforts. Avery Childers had a game-high 11 boards, including six on the offensive end, to go along with eight points.
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Kutztown will take on host Frostburg State to wrap up the weekend tomorrow at 3 p.m.
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