ESU-Kutztown Women's Basketball

EAST STROUDSBURG - Sophomore guard Danielle Warntz sank a 3-pointer with nine seconds left in regulation to tie the game and then made another 3-pointer with 1:11 gone in an overtime period to put Kutztown ahead for keeps in a 68-61 women's basketball victory over East Stroudsburg University Wednesday night.

The win enabled the Lady Bears to clinch a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference playoff berth with a 6-4 record. They are 15-7 overall. ESU dropped to 7-16 overall and 3-7 in the conference.

The Warriors took a 56-54 lead in overtime on Niki Cox's driving layup, but Kutztown tallied eight straight points as Casey Reath hit a 14-footer and Warntz and Amanda Zinobile drilled in back-to-back 3-pointers.

ESU got the deficit back to three points at 64-61 on Tiffany Barnes foul line jump shot and Cox's 3-pointer wrapped around a driving layup by KU's Jessica Piecznski. The Bears scored the last four points, however, as Reath dropped a jump shot from the key and Warntz made two free throws.

Cox had put the Warriors ahead with 41 seconds left in regulation, 52-51, on a spinning left handed layup off the pivot. Megan Ross then upped the lead to three points by sinking two free throws with 19 seconds remaining.

The Lady Bears needed a 3-pointer and Warntz sank her fourth of the game from the left side of the key. ESU had a chance to win the game, but Heather Wolfe missed an eight-foot jumper from the left corner.

Warntz finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers, while Becky Savage had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Barnes also hit double figures in both scoring with a game-high 21 points and rebounding with 12 for ESU.

Warntz 4-9 2-2 14, Piecznski 3-12 0-0 7, Kline 2-6 0-1 5, Dougherty 0-3 0-0 0,

Zinobile 2-6 2-2 8, Reath 5-8 0-4 10, Savage 4-11 5-6 13, Vucetaj 5-7 1-3 11. Totals: 25-62 10-18 68

Ross 2-5 2-2 7, Cox 3-5 3-5 10, Wear 0-4 1-2 1, Wolfe 4-9 2-2 10, Pilenza 0-3 0-0 0, Garlach 0-2 0-0 0, Barnes 6-17 9-11 21, Wapinski 2-6 0-0 5, Kraft 3-12 1-2 7. Totals: 20-63 18-24 61

Three-Point Shots: Kutz - Warntz 4, Zinobile 2, Kline, Piecznski; ESU - Ross, Cox, Wapinski

Halftime: ESU, 27-21; Regulation 54-54

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