Kutztown, PA (Nov. 15, 2023) - Georgian Court Women's Basketball came back all night long, but in the end fell just short playing at Kutztown. The Lions came all the way back from down 10 in the second half to take a lead in the fourth, but couldn't hang on in a 74-66 loss to the Golden Bears. GCU drops to 0-3 to start the season. 

How it Happened
• Neither team shot better than 40% from the floor. GCU was 21-54 while Kutztown connected on 23-61.
• Georgian Court did find success from three going 7-14 while Kutztown struggled behind the arc hitting just 6-23.
• This game featured a lot of fouls, free throws and stoppages. The game took an hour and 49 minutes to complete, 12 minutes longer than their first two games this season.
• At the foul line, Georgian Court was 17-28, but struggled late. They were 8-8 to start the game in the first quarter, but just 2-8 in the fourth. Kutztown took 33 free throw attempts, hitting 22.
• Both teams turned the ball over 19 times. The Lions made the most of those though scoring 25 points off of Golden Bear giveaways. 
• Kutztown did a number on the glass with 46 rebounds, 19 offensive. Georgian Court grabbed 36 total boards. 
1st Quarter
• Georgian Court led by as many as 12 in the first, getting off to a 18-6 lead after Paula Perez-Fabregas made her second three-pointer of the night.
• Kutztown regrouped though, finishing the period on a 13-4 run to close to within three, 22-19.
• GCU was 8-8 at the foul line in the quarter and 4-6 from three.
2nd Quarter
• Kutztown took the lead early in the quarter as the teams traded it back-and-forth a few times.
• After Marta Guilera made it a one-point game, 29-28, Kutztown scored four straight to turn it into a five-point lead.
• Safiatu Kolliegbo buried a three with two minutes to play, but the Lions were 0-2 with a turnover the rest of the half.
• The Golden Bears hit a layup late in the period and led at the breat, 35-31.
3rd Quarter
• Kutztown pushed their lead to as much as 10 at the 3:40 mark in the third.
• They started the second half on a 15-9 run, but scored just four points the rest of the way.
• Georgian Court started to mount their comeback with a Kolliegbo layup with 3:12 left in the period.
• The Lions finished out the quarter outscoring Kutztown 12-4 and got to within two, 54-52 with one quarter left to play.
4th Quarter
• Marta Guilera tied the game early in the fourth and Niyell McCargo hit back-to-back baskets to put the Lions up 58-54 as Kutztown called timeout.
• The Golden Bears came out of the break and scored six straight of their own, reclaiming the two-point lead.
• Tied again at 60 with less than five minutes to play, Kutztown pulled ahead again with a layup and two baskets as the fouls started being called. The Lions were called for 12 fouls in the fourth quarter alone. 
• Georgian Court cut it to three and had possession with less than 30 seconds left and a chance to tie. GCU missed on the field goal attempt and Kutztown finished out the game at the line going 5-6 in the final 20 seconds to keep it out of reach.

Lion Stat Leaders
• Safiatu Kolliegbo led GCU with 24 points going 4-6 from three and 10-14 at the foul line. She also grabbed seven rebounds.
• Erika Aspajo was also in double-figures with 17 points shooting 7-12 overall with seven boards, six assists and four steals.
• Niyell McCargo added nine points and four steals.

For the Golden Bears
• Naia Pulliam scored a game-high 27 going 5-7 from deep with six rebounds.
• Abbey Hearn scored 12 with six boards and five assists.
• Casey Remolde was a rebound away from a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. 

News and Notes
• Georgian Court is now 1-6 all time against the Golden Bears.
• Erika Aspajo passed out her 150th assist.
• The Lions .500 shooting percentage from three is their highest since they were also .500 (6-12) against Kutztown, December 14, 2019. 
• The game featured a total of 61 free throw attempts. It was the most combined in a GCU game since the Lions and Southern Connecticut combined for 62 nearly two years ago to the day, Nov. 13, 2021. 

Up Next
• Georgian Court takes the weekend off. They'll play again Monday, Nov. 20, against Division I Fordham in the Bronx at 7 p.m.