Penn State Behrend Women's Basketball Earns Convincing Win Over D'Youville

The Penn State Behrend women's basketball team had no problem defeating the D'Youville Spartans and sending its current conference win streak to four games with a 92-62 home victory in the Junker Center on Monday, February 15.

There was a downpour inside the Junker Center in the first half, as the blue and white made it rain with three-point buckets.  Behrend knocked down 10-of-16 (62.5%) from long distance to build a 22-point halftime advantage.  Amy Oldach (Erie/Villa Maria) and Taylor Lotis (Jefferson Hills/Thomas Jefferson) each drained three buckets from long range, as both starters finished with ten first-half points.  Behrend used full court pressure to force D'Youville into 22 first half turnovers as Oldach had six thefts, while Kelly Nowacinski (Erie/Mercyhurst Prep) tallied five steals as Behrend led 48-26 at the break.

In the second half Behrend cooled from behind the arc but continued forcing turnovers and sharing the ball to remain in command throughout.  The Behrend Lions finished the game with 26 steals and 25 assists.  Nowacinski, Kim Pol (Erie/Central), and Christine Krankota (Conneaut Lake/Conneaut Lake) joined Oldach and Lotis in double figures in scoring by the game's end.  Pol finished with 11 points and five assists, Nowacinski added ten points and six boards, and Krankota scored 11 on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor.

The Behrend women finished with 14 3-point baskets in the game and shot 49% from the field.  D'Youville shot 43% from the floor and had two players in double figures.  Melissa Kanalley scored a game-high 30 points for the Spartans, while Holly Beats added 14 points. 

With the win, the blue and white improve their record to 13-9 overall and 11-7 in the AMCC.  D'Youville sees its record fall to 5-18 overall and 5-13 in the conference. 

Next up for the Behrend Lions will be the two final conference games beginning on Wednesday, February 17 when they host the Hilbert Hawks.  Behrend will then take to the road for the final regular season game at Penn State Altoona on Saturday, February 20.  The first round of the AMCC basketball tournament is set to tip off on Tuesday, February 23 at times and locations TBA.