MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - Penn State Harrisburg's women's basketball team overcame an early deficit and held off Gallaudet's late comeback attempt in a 74-66 victory over its conference counterpart at the Capital Union Building on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 2. 

Jenna Montana led the way with a team-high 17 points and five steals. Ciani Redd-Howard finished with 14 points and six rebounds, while Giahny Correa and Jayla Galbreath added 10 points apiece. Correa also added five boards and three assists off the bench. 

The Lions (4-5, 2-0 United East) got out to a 4-0 lead but saw Gallaudet (3-4, 1-1 United East) respond with an 18-5 run. Redd-Howard converted a layup in the final minute of the opening quarter to cut the deficit to seven heading into the second frame.

The Bison pushed the lead back to nine thanks to a Cassidy Perry layup early in the second quarter but the home team got back into it with a 7-0 spurt capped by a Correa layup at the 7:01 mark. The visitors clung to a narrow lead until a Redd-Howard layup off a Makayla Claggett assist put Penn State Harrisburg back in front for the first time since the game's opening minutes. 

The home team stretched the advantage to 36-28 behind a 9-0 run capped by a Galbreath 3-ball with 1:29 remaining until halftime. 

Gallaudet scored scored the first four points of the second half to draw to within 36-34 early in the third quarter but eight straight points from the Lions pushed their advantage to double digits for the first time midway through the frame. The home team led by as many as 13 in the stanza and held a 12-point lead heading into the final quarter.

Trailing by 12 with less than five minutes to play, the Bison made a last push and pulled to within six thanks to a 6-0 run punctuated by a pair of Perry free throws with 3:16 remaining. Montana halted the Gallaudet momentum with a corner 3-ball the next time down the floor and a pair of Correa foul shots pushed the lead back to double digits and effectively put things out of reach in the final minutes.

NOTABLES

- The teams shot nearly identically from the floor but the Lions hit seven 3-pointers while Gallaudet went 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.

- Both teams got to the foul line 17 times. 

- The game consisted of 52 combined turnovers and 58 points off those miscues. 

- Penn State Harrisburg's bench outscored the Gallaudet reserves 19-6. 

- Montana hit four 3-pointers en route to a team-high 17 points. She also swiped a game-high five steals.

- Redd-Howard netted 14 points and grabbed six rebounds. 

- Correa finished with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals off the bench. 

- Galbreath added 10 points and three assists. 

- Mikayla Wright chipped in with nine points off the bench.

WHO'S NEXT?

The Lions host Arcadia for non-conference action at the Capital Union Building on Monday night.  

STAY CONNECTED 

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