ALTOONA, Pa. - The Penn State Altoona women's basketball team posted a 70-64 win over Penn State Behrend in an Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) key matchup on Saturday at the Alder Gym.
Both teams had four starters in double-figure scoring, but in the end there must be a winner and the Altoona Lions (8-11, 7-6 AMCC) were able to build a 32-24 lead over the Behrend Lions (4-16, 4-9 AMCC) and hold on for the conference victory.
Senior guard Ally Burke (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst) led all scorers with 23 points, draining four three-pointers. Brittany Kiger (White Oak, PA/McKeesport) posted her team-leading fifth double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The Altoona Lions never trailed in the game and did just enough to escape the Behrend Lions, especially in the second half.
Altoona slowly build a comfortable lead in the first half and took their largest advantage with 2:31 left to play. Nicole Gripp made a three-pointer to give the Lions a double-digit lead at 30-19. Burke scored Behrend's final five points of the half, including a non-tradition three-point play to pull within eight at the break.
Kiger stepped up in the second half and managed to get Behrend back in the game on two occasions. Her layup at the 12:39 mark made it 42-40, the closest the Lions had been since the opening basketball. Kiger then got two free throws to drop, a layup and two more free throws for one-point deficit at 62-61 with 1:38 remaining in the game.
From there, Altoona only missed one of eight free throws and Gripp hit another triple to keep the Lions out front. Gripp secured the win with two shots from the charity stripe with time expiring.
Fontaine Glenn (West Sunbury, PA/Moniteau) and Erika Woll (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst) added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Lions return to action on Saturday against Franciscan at the Junker Center. Game time is 2 p.m.
March 3, 2015
Burke Named First-Team All-Conference
February 21, 2015
Burke Reaches 1,000; Lions Fall to Pitt-Greensburg in Season Finale
February 18, 2015
Kiger, Burke Lead Behrend Past Hilbert
February 14, 2015
Mounties Halt Lions Late Comeback in AMCC Action
February 7, 2015
Franciscan Edges Behrend in Overtime
January 31, 2015
Tale of Two Halves; Altoona Defeats Behrend
January 28, 2015
Pitt-Bradford Downs Lions
January 24, 2015
Balanced Effort Leads La Roche Past Women's Basketball
January 22, 2015
Stingy Defense Helps Lions to Third Straight Win
January 19, 2015
Women's Basketball On a Roll; Lions Defeat Hilbert
January 17, 2015
Women's Basketball Downs Mt. Aloysius in AMCC Action
January 14, 2015
Lions Fall to Medaille, 66-54
January 11, 2015
Depth Helps Pitt-Greensburg Past Behrend
January 10, 2015
Zielinski Leads Women's Basketball to First Win
January 5, 2015
No. 25 John Carroll Tops Women's Basketball
January 3, 2015
Lions Fall to Pitt-Bradford in AMCC Action
December 13, 2014
Lions Fall Short Against Altoona
December 10, 2014
Bethany Outlasts Women's Basketball
December 6, 2014
Stifling Defense Helps La Roche Past Women's Basketball
December 3, 2014
D'Youville Defeats Lions in Conference Opener
November 22, 2014
Alma Defeats Penn State Behrend in Wilmington Tournament
November 21, 2014
Lions Fall to Wilmington; Burke Nets Career High
November 18, 2014
Thiel Holds Off Women's Basketball
November 16, 2014
Kenyon Defeats Women's Basketball in Tip-Off Consolation
November 15, 2014
Women's Basketball Drops Season Opener to RIT
November 12, 2014
2014-15 Season Preview With Head Coach Christine Slater