Center Valley, PA (January 8, 2006) – Junior Kirby Lutz (Easton, PA/Pen Argyl) scored a career-high 28 points, 20 in the second-half, to lead the DeSales University women’s basketball team past Baruch College, 78-71 in non-conference action on Sunday afternoon.

 

        Lutz was sensational in leading the Bulldogs (6-5 overall) to its second straight win in the New Year.  She shot 9-of-12 from the field, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists.  DSU shot 52.1 percent from the field and canned 9-of-14 three-point attempts.  DSU also out-rebounded the Bearcats, 35-32, and held BC (7-5 overall) to 36.9 percent shooting.

 

        The game seemed to a one-sided affair over the first eight minutes with DSU jumping out to a 22-4 lead as Baruch opened the game shooting just 1-for-19 from the field.  An 11-0 run over the next 4 ½ minutes cut the 18-point lead down to seven points and the two teams went back and forth the rest of the half with the Bulldogs taking a 38-32 advantage into the locker room.

 

        Baruch finished the opening half shooting just 24.3 percent from the field but 12 DSU turnovers kept the Bearcats close.  Freshmen Kim Rarick (Ringtown, PA/North Schuylkill) and LeighAnn Burke (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) each had 10 points in the opening half to lead DSU.

 

        The Bearcats got even closer to start the second stanza cutting the margin to two points, 42-40, at the 16:24 mark.  An 8-2 run led by four points from Lutz pushed the lead to 50-42 and DSU continued to lead by seven after Rarick connected on her third triple of the game with 7:45 to go.

 

        A 13-5 run over the next 3 ½ minutes erased that seven point lead and gave the Bearcats their first lead of the game at 65-64 with 4:12 to play.  Jessenia Marrero was unstoppable during the spurt hitting three treys and making three more foul shots after being fouled on another three-point attempt.

 

        After a DSU timeout, the Bulldogs answered BC’s first lead with a 7-0 run that was started with a Lutz lay-up and gave DSU a comfortable 71-65 edge with 2:01 remaining.  Lutz canned 5-of-8 freebies the rest of the way and DSU had escaped with a 78-71 win.

 

        In addition to her 9-of-12 shooting from the field, Lutz finished 8-of-12 from the charity stripe for her 28 points.  Also reaching double digits were Rarick with 17 points, Burke with 13 points and sophomore Amanda Kuperavage (Port Carbon, PA/Nativity BVM) with 11 points.  Rarick also totaled five assists and six steals and Burke grabbed a career-high eight rebounds.

 

        Chiresse Paradise led the Bearcat attack with 23 points, Marrero totaled 17 points, Ally Stamatiades added 15 tallies and Racquel Reid rounded out four double figure scorers with 10 points.

 

        DSU returns to action on Wednesday, January 11^th as they host FDU-Florham in Freedom Conference action beginning at 6:00 pm.