MANSFIELD – Freshman Jasmine Perez scored 10 points and forced a game-high five steals to help the Mansfield University women's basketball team lead heading into the final quarter, but Kutztown University was a plus-15 in the fourth to leave Decker Gymnasium with a 61-47 PSAC victory on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 22.
 
Hilton opened the fourth quarter with a jumper to extend the Mounties' lead to 46-43. However, the Golden Bears responded with an 16-0 run over the following four minutes to lead 59-46. After scoring the opening basket of the final period, the Mounties' (3-24, 1-20 PSAC) offense was limited to one point over a nine-minute span, allowing the Golden Bears to seal the victory.
 
The Mounties shot 60 percent (6-of-10) from the field in the third, but had that production erased in the fourth by going 1-of-9.
 
Perez was 4-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-3 from the line to lead the Mounties in scoring. Sophomore guard Sydney Reed knocked down two triples to finish with nine points and freshmen Jasmine Hilton and Bella Skatell each added eight points.
 
With the game tied at 28 coming out of the break, the Mounties hit their stride and jumped out to a 36-30 lead through the opening four minutes thanks to a 3-of-5 shooting effort. Kutztown responded with a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to two and eventually closed the gap to 40-39 with 2:37 to go in the third. Skatell got the crowd to their feet with five straight points to reup the Mountie lead to 44-39.
 
Kutztown scored the final four points of the period to trim the Mountie advantage to 44-43 heading into the final quarter.
 
Kutztown's leading scorer Rylee Derr led all scorers with 22 points.
 
In the first half, the Mounties trailed by three after the first period, but outscored the Golden Bears, 15-12 in the second to equalize the score heading into halftime. Perez scored seven of her ten points in the half to lead the Mounties. The Mansfield defense held Kutztown to 26 percent (4-of-15) shooting in the second quarter.
 
The Mounties close out the season by visiting Shepherd University at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29 in PSAC East action.