McKeesport, PA. – After dropping their first Penn State University Athletic Conference game of the season on Monday, the Penn State Greater Allegheny Women’s Basketball Team (6-7, 4-1) look to get back in the win column when they take on Penn State Fayette (4-8, 2-2) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. After their offense had been soaring for the three games before the break it was a slow start that sent PSUGA their first conference loss and it will be something they look to avoid doing on Wednesday.
PSUGA was able to score just 14 first half points against PSU-Beaver on Monday and fell behind 38-14 by the time the team’s broke for halftime. It was the largest halftime deficit in conference play that PSUGA has faced this season and they would have to find a way to fight back into the game.
Their two leaders, Tearia Hartley (East Stroudsburg, PA,/East Stroudsburg North HS) and Jayla Ellis (Pittsburgh, PA./Woodland Hills HS), stepped it up in the second half contributing 17 of the team’s 33 second half points. PSUGA scored 16 in the third quarter to cut the lead to 61-30 and followed it up with 17 points in the fourth quarter, but the damage had already been done and PSUGA fell to 4-1 in conference play sitting in second place in the PSUAC West Standings.
Ellis started off 2019 strong with 14 points to lead the way while Hartley contributed 11 points in the loss. Lexus Santiago (Pittsburgh, PA./Imani Christian Academy) had her best defensive game of her career snagging 15 rebounds as well as the team’s only assist.
PSUGA has seen a lot of improvement this season from a year ago, however, Beaver has still proven to be PSUGA’s achilles heel. In 17 all-time matches, PSUGA has picked up just two wins against Beaver. However, with another game looming in late February that very well could determine the number one seed, PSUGA still has a chance for some payback.
PSU-Fayette looks to start their 2019 on the right note after having dropped their final game of 2018 to Loraine CCC 84-71. Fayette also fell behind early in their game and, despite scoring 28 in the fourth quarter, couldn’t complete the comeback. Lyndsey Huhn led the way for Fayette with 17 points on the day while Kaitlyn Riley scored 16 in the loss.
In 15 previous matches with PSU-Fayette, PSUGA holds an all-time record of 5-10 against the roaring lions. However, it was PSUGA that got the advantage a year ago sweeping the season series, including picking up their first win of the season 52-51 to break a 14-game losing streak to start the year last year.
Tip-off for Wednesday’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside the Wunderly Gym and you can watch all the action live at bit.ly/PSUGAYT.
