LAKEWOOD, N.J. (11/16/22) - In an absolute thrilling way to start the 2022-23 home season, Georgian Court Women's Basketball defeated Kutztown in the final seconds on freshman Imani Gillette's buzzer beater. The win is the Lions first of the season and gets them off to a 1-0 mark at the GCU Wellness Center this year. 

How it Happened
• We're going to start with the most exciting part first. The final two minutes were an absolute roller coaster of emotions with momentum swings going each way. Kutztown brought the Lions lead down to one, 55-54, after Abbey Hearn made a pair of free throws with 2:19 left. 
• The next minute saw each team with opportunities, for the Golden Bears to tie or take the lead and for the Lions to extend it. After a GCU missed jumper, Kutztown was put at the free throw line trailing by just one. They proceeded to miss both as GCU maintained their lead and were then sent to the line themselves with a chance to extend it. Like Kutztown before, Gillette missed both, but she had a chance to redeem herself not long after.
• Still trailing by just one with possession, Kutztown had another chance to tie or take the lead. A missed layup saw Jariah Patterson grab the rebound. Erika Aspajo then found Savawn Hughes who's layup pushed the lead to three with 51 seconds to play.
• Kutztown with an empty next possession then played strong defense late into the shot clock, but ended up committing a foul resetting the shot clock with less than 20 seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds pass, Annie Whalen picked it off and made a beeline to basket. She was fouled by Aspajo and made one of two, bringing the Golden Bears within two, 57-55.
• GCU Coach Jazz Perazic called timeout to advance the ball on the inbound with 15 seconds left. On the inbound, another GCU turnover, this time Naia Pulliam with the interception. She raced down the court and finished to tie the game at 57-all.
• With just five seconds left, Aspajo couldn't connect but the ball went out of bounds off of Kutztown with 0.6 on the clock, giving the Lions one last shot to end it in regulation. Following a Kutztown timeout, Hughes with the inbound to Gillette who just got the shot off before the buzzer, falling backwards, hit glass and buried the game winner for the Lions, 59-57.
• For the game, each team shot 33% overall. The Lions were 19-58 overall and the Golden Bears 20-60. GCU struggled from three going just 3-13 from deep while Kutztown knocked in seven on 21 attempts.
• Both teams made a living at the foul line. Georgian Court was 18-27 while Kutztown was 10-16. 
• It was an evenly contested game. The Lions led in rebounds 44-42. Each team passed out 12 assists. The Lions turned it over 16 times to Kutztown's 14. 
• The Lions depth came up clutch. The Georgian Court bench outscored Kutztown 23-7. 
• Things started out very well for Kutztown who had an early 10-point lead, 17-7, nearing the end of the first quarter. The Golden Bears started the game hitting seven of their first 11 field goal attempts. Things cooled down though in the second quarter as GCU outscored them 18-13 and at the end of the first half, Kutztown led by just two, 30-28.
• Erika Aspajo gave the Lions their first lead of the game at the 4:05 mark of the third quarter, 40-38, with a layup. GCU went 9-11 at the line in the third to help them close the gap and take the lead.
• Kutztown regained the lead on a couple of occasions in the fourth. Annie Whalen's three put them up 52-50 with 4:29 to play. Aspajo answered right away with a three of her own and although Kutztown came back to tie, the Lions never trailed again. 

It Was Over When...
• This one needed all 40 minutes to determine a winner. Gillette played the hero hitting the game winning shot as time expired to break a 57-57 tie. 

Lions Stat Leaders
• Imani Gillette picked up another double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds. She also blocked three shots.
• Erika Aspajo led the Lions scoring a game-high18 on 8-19 shooting and made two of the Lions three triples. She also dished our four assists and came away with four steals. 
• Savawn Hughes was in double-figures going 3-7 from the floor and 4-6 at the free throw line for 10 points. She was a rebound shy of a double-double.
• Jariah Patterson chipped in six points off the bench and added six boards.
• Tian Addison scored seven, going 4-4 at the free throw line. 

For the Golden Bears
• Naia Pulliam scored a team-best 15 points on 6-12 shooting with six rebounds and three assists.
• Abbey Hearn added 12 points with nine boards.
• Annie Whalen splashed three triples and scored 10 points.

News and Notes
• The double-double for Gillette is the second in consecutive games for her. 
• Just nine times last season did GCU hold an opponent below 60 points. They are now 7-3 the last 10 games holding opponents below 60.
• Jariah Patterson's six points and six rebounds are season-highs.
• This was the first game this season, Georgian Court won the rebounding battle.

Up Next
• The Lions remain at home as they take on the University of the District of Columbia in a Sunday matinee. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.