Women's Hoops Downs Penn State Altoona

ERIE, Pa. – Holly Bourquin (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel) and Julia Myers (Edinboro, PA/General McLane) each recorded a team-best 12 points to pace the Penn State Behrend women's basketball team past Penn State Altoona 73-40 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) action on Sunday night.

Bourquin and Myers were just two of four Lions' (13-3, 9-2 AMCC) in double figures to earn the regular-season sweep of the Lions (5-12, 3-8 AMCC). Kimmy Pol (Erie, PA/Collegiate Academy) scored all of her 11 points in the first half and Brittany Wilwohl (Erie, PA/Villa Maria Academy) added 10 points and five assists in the win.

For Altoona, Jessica Murray came off the bench to shot 6-for-9 from the floor for a game-high 14 points. The Lions committed 32 turnovers, the most by a Behrend opponent this season, giving the hosts the 30 extra points to make the difference.

It was the best first-half shooting for the Lions, going 16-for-28 from the field for 57.1 percent that paved the way for a 38-21 lead at intermission.

Both teams had a slow start to the game, combining for 10 points in the first five minutes. Back-to-back layups from Pol sparked the Lions 10-2 run for a double-digit lead at 18-8 with 10:03 remaining. Ally Burke (Erie, PA/Mercyhurst Prep) nailed her first three-pointer of her collegiate career and Emily Detsch (St. Mary's, PA/Elk County Catholic) followed with a layup to push the lead to 25-10.

The defense stopped Altoona, allowing just six points in the final 7:18 of the half. Pol scored her last two points on a fast-break layup to help the Lions take a 17-point lead into the locker rooms.

That same defense from the first half carried over into the second with Behrend holding the Lions scoreless for the first seven minutes, 29 seconds. While the defense was working hard, so was the offense at building a 31-point advantage.  

The win marks the Lions fourth victory over 30 points this season.

Behrend returns to action on Wednesday at Hilbert. Game time is 8 p.m.