BLOOMSBURG, Pa. – The Bloomsburg University women's basketball team posted the most blocked shots in a game since the 2016-17 season but it was not enough to stop the high-powered Shepherd University offense. The Huskies fell 69-59 to the Rams inside Nelson Field House, Monday night. Bloomsburg dropped to 6-5 on the year and 3-4 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference games while Shepherd improved to 10-3 on the year and 4-3 in the conference.
 
The Huskies held the Rams to their second-lowest point total in a PSAC game (69) and their third-lowest shooting percentage in any game this season (41.3% • 26-for-63). Bloomsburg posted the most blocked shots that Shepherd has allowed this season – nine blocked shots.
 
As a team, the Huskies shot 38.3% (23-for-60) from the field for the game and was just 3-for-10 from beyond the arc. Bloomsburg made just 10 of its 21 free throws for the game. The Huskies did win the rebounding battle, 44-36, including a 14 offensive rebounds, their second-best total of the year. Bloomsburg turned the 14 offensive boards into 10 second-chance points.
 
Individually, junior Emma Saxton (York, Pa./Central York) led the way with 12 points, four assists, and three steals while junior Megan Brandt (Lebanon, Pa./Northern Lebanon) chipped in 11 points, two blocks, and four steals. Senior Taylor Montana (Berwick, Pa./Berwick) finished the day with a game-best 10 rebounds and eight points and two blocks. Senior Bella Ricci (Etters, Pa./Red Land) chipped in two blocks as well to go with five points and five rebounds.
 
The Huskies opened the first quarter with an 8-3 run to take their largest lead of the game before the Rams took the lead, 11-10, with 6:18 to play. The Huskies tied the game three more times in the final five minutes of the quarter and Ricci kept the game tied at 21-21 with a block of Anna Ross' layup in the final seconds.
 
The Huskies took the lead back with their first possession of the second thanks to a jumper from Brandt in the paint and extended it to four, 25-21, with another Brandt layup at the 8:25 mark. Abby Beeman and Sydney Clayton retook the lead for the Rams, 26-25, but the advantage wouldn't last long as the two teams traded the lead twice more. Shepherd took the lead for good with 4:49 to play on a layup from Clayton. The Huskies trimmed the lead down to one twice more before the Rams ended the half with a 6-0 run to carry a 40-33 lead into the break.
 
Shepherd maintained its lead for the rest of the game and extended it to as many as 10, 56-46, with a layup from Beeman as time expired in the quarter.
 
A pair of free throws to open the fourth quarter pushed the Rams lead to 12, 58-46, but the Huskies went on an 8-2 run over the next two and half minutes to cut the lead down to six, 60-54, with 6:59 to play in regulation. A layup from Jordan Smith pushed the lead back to 10, 64-54, but Montana hit the second of two free throws to cut it back down to single digits, 64-55. The Huskies trimmed the gap to single digits twice more but could not get closer than nine as Beeman sealed the 69-59 win with the second of two free throws at the 36 second mark. The Rams forced a turnover during the Huskies final possession and were able to run out the clock.
 
The Huskies and Rams were even in the first and fourth quarter (21-21 in the first, 13-13 in the fourth), though Shepherd out-scored Bloomsburg 35-25 between the second and third quarters.
 
Bloomsburg looks to get back in the win column as the Huskies travel to East Stroudsburg on Wednesday for a 6:00 p.m. PSAC contest. The Warriors enter Wednesday's contest with a 9-4 overall record and a 5-2 slate in the PSAC after defeating Millersville, 78-59, Monday evening.