McKeesport, PA. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Women’s Basketball team (1-6, 0-0) dropped their final non-conference tune-up of the season to Point Park (2-7, 0-0) 65-38 on Wednesday night. PSUGA competed early on in the contest, but the Pioneers proved to be too much in the end pulling away to pick up the victory.
PSUGA jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after Tearia Hartley (East Stroudsburg, PA./East Stroudsburg North HS) hit a three-pointer just 52 seconds into the game. However, Point Park went on a 9-0 run to jump ahead 9-4 lead and put PSUGA’s backs to the wall early. The girls would fight back and brought it to just a one-point game with 4:08 left in the first quarter.
That is as close as PSUGA would get in this contest as Point Park scored the final 22 points of the quarter and held a 23-12 lead and never looked back. PSUGA scored 21 first half points but the offense fizzled out in the second half as they only scored 17 points and couldn’t complete the comeback.
Hartley continued her strong season leading the way with 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in the loss. Hartley was the only PSUGA player to finish in double-digits in the game with Tina Clybourn (Pittsburgh, PA./Brashear HS) finishing behind Hartley with eight points in the loss. PSUGA had one of their best performances from the free throw line shooting 46.5%, 6-13, in the loss.
PSUGA has now dropped their last six contests, but have been battle tested with three of those six games coming against top NCAA Division II and NAIA opponents. Head Coach Chrissy French wants to see her girls tested and hopes that the tough competition they have been facing this season prepares her girls for what is to come as they start conference play this weekend on their quest for a Penn State University Athletic Conference Playoff Spot.
They open PSUAC play on Friday when they go on the road to take on Penn State Hazleton at 6 p.m. They will wrap up their weekend doubleheader the very next day on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they take on PSU-Schuylkill at 1 p.m.
