McKeesport, Pa. - In their first game back after winter break, the Penn State Greater Allegheny women's basketball team overtook Penn State DuBois in a PSUAC conference match-up, 57-48.
Greater Allegheny was the first to answer on the board, as junior guard Nakayla Layne (Pittburgh, Pa./Taylor Allderdice) bucketed a jumper. Senior point guard Taylor Fulton (Duquesne, Pa./West Mifflin) earned two points off of a free-throws, before she and Layne added two more apiece, finding themselves ahead 8-5. The GA defense held DuBois to five while junior power forward Christina Floyd (Philadelphia, Pa./Saints Neumann-Goretti) continued the swell, as she slashed a three-pointer followed by two lay-ups.
Freshman power forward Aaquila Youngblood (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy) and freshman power forward Tenisha Gibson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy) both contributed a lay-up, GA up 21-11. Floyd, Fulton and Layne all contributed tallies toward their score, as Greater Allegheny continued to flex, 27-14. Floyd cashed-in for a lay-up before Fulton dropped a jumper to close the first half. Greater Allegheny went into halftime leading Penn State DuBois, 32-21.
Floyd contributed a lay-up off the first play of the second half, before DuBois managed five points off of GA fouls. Fulton hit 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, which was followed by a lay-up from freshman guard Tra-Esha Carswell (Homestead, Pa./Steel Valley). Floyd and Fulton paired up for five points, as GA ballooned to a earn their highest lead of the contest, 43-26. The Greater Allegheny offense was held to just seven points over a course of eight minutes, as DuBois sliced their deficit, 50-42. Carswell, Floyd and Gibson earned the last six points notched toward the Greater Allegheny tally, 58-47.
Floyd was an outlaw on the floor, as the 5'11" power forward concluded 37 minutes of playing time with 20 points and 20 boards, nine of them being offensive. Floyd boosted her team as she went 2-for-2 in three-pointers attempted, alongside shooting 52.9% (9-of-17) from the floor.
Fulton was a force to be reckoned with throughout the game, as the senior contested the DuBois offensive and earned herself 13 steals. The point guard also shot a team-best 70% (7-of-10) from the free-throw line. Dishing out a total of six assists, Fulton also dumped 19 points to heighten GA's mark.
As a team, Greater Allegheny (5-7, 3-2 PSUAC) shot 31.9% (23-of-72) from the floor, 66.7% (2-of-3) of three-pointers attempted and 50% (9-for-18) of the free-throws taken. The Greater Allegheny Lions out-rebounded their conference match-up, 54-43. GA not only forced 26 turnovers, but they also earned 24 points off of them. The offense noted 32 points in the paint, 12 fastbreak points along with 17 second-chance points.
Greater Allegheny looks to continue their win streak on Saturday, as Pitt-Titusville comes to Wunderley Gymnasium for a double-header with the men. Women are set for tip-off at 1 p.m.
