Millersville, Pa. - After shooting 44 percent from the floor in the first half and heading to the locker room down just three, the Millersville women's basketball team's offense cooled off in the second half (25.8 percent) and Kutztown held a 15-7 advantage in points off turnovers en route to a 58-54 loss for the Marauders.

Millersville (11-12, 8-10 PSAC) remained tied with East Stroudsburg for the fifth-place spot in the East and with Lock Haven's loss to Mansfield, the Marauders maintained their game and a half lead over the Bald Eagles who are vying for that final playoff spot in the division. The Golden Bears (10-12, 9-9 PSAC) improved their winning streak to four games and have a one game lead over Millersville/ESU for fourth place.

With 15:28 to play in the first half, the home team held a one-point advantage, 8-7 before Kutztown embarked on a 13-5 run over the next seven minutes and 31 seconds go up seven, 20-13.The Marauders answered the bell though and did so with a 14-4 run and led 27-24 with 3:43 to go in the first stanza. Six different players found the scoring column for Millersville during that stretch including Courtney Hinnant who had four of the 14. The Golden Bears closed the half by scoring eight of the final ten points and were up three, 32-29, heading into the intermission.

Out of the locker room, the Marauders scored five straight points to go back up by two, 34-32. The visitors' Kelsey Watson then hit a jumper to tie things up for the final time at 34-34 and Kutztown never gave up the lead from that point on. The visitors used an 8-2 fury to go up four, 40-36, but Millersville didn't go away quietly. Yasmin Cooper sank a free throw and Hinnant hit a jumper to pull the Marauders within one, 40-39. However, yet another 8-2 run by the Golden Bears helped them tie their biggest lead of the game of seven, 48-41 and after that, it was never closer than three on the way to the four-point decision. 

Hinnant turned in a team-high 12 points off the bench on 5-of-10 shooting to go with five rebounds and Aunjel Van Brakle was the other Marauder in double figures with 10 as well as four rebounds and one block. Cooper was one point shy of the double double to go with her 17 boards, three blocks, two assists and one steal. Team-wise, Millersville controlled bench scoring 23-15 and points in the paint 30-14. Millersville made just 14 of its 22 free throw attempts and has shot under 57 percent from the charity stripe so far this season.

The Marauders will travel to Cope Hall on Wednesday and take on Cheyney with tip set for 5:30 p.m.