Stingy Defense Helps Lions to Third Straight Win

BUFFALO, NY – Ally Burke (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst) scored 16 of her game-high 22 points in the first half to lead the Penn State Behrend women's basketball team past D'Youville 65-49 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Thursday night.

The Lions (4-13, 4-6 AMCC) held the Spartans (8-8, 4-6 AMCC) to just 19 points in the second half while overall surrendering a season-low 49 points to avenge a 75-63 loss to D'Youville in early December. Behrend also had a season-low 11 turnovers attribute to its third consecutive conference victory.

Sadie Zielinski (Erie, PA/ Harbor Creek) was in double figures with 12 points and Brittany Kiger (White Oak, PA/McKeesport) helped the Lions hold a 46-29 advantage on the boards with a game-high 10 rebounds.

Behrend never trailed in the game and started with a statement thanks to a three-pointer by Zielinski with 12 seconds off the opening clock. Burke then spear-headed a 9-0 run with seven of those points, giving the Lions a quick 12-2 lead.

A pair of D'Youville triples made it a two-point game at 12-10, but Maggie Lawrence's (Harborcreek, PA/Harbor Creek) five straight points put the Lions ahead at 19-14. Zielinski added five more points of her own for a 28-23 lead, before Burke's jump shot from behind-the-arc got back Behrend's 10-point advantage.

With the offense on fire in the first half, the stingy defense stepped up in the second half. The Lions never let the Spartans back in the game and relied on free-throw shooting down the stretch to reinforce it. Behrend scored its final 10 points from the charity stripe, going 10-for-12.

Fontaine Glenn (West Sunbury, PA/Moniteau) added eight points, six rebounds and three assists.

The Lions return to action on Saturday against La Roche at the Junker Center. Game time is 2 p.m.