SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – The Bloomsburg University women's basketball team relied on its stingy defense as the Huskies handed #24 Shepherd University a 71-60 loss on its home court, Wednesday night. The win for Bloomsburg was just its second away from Nelson Field House while the loss was Shepherd's first at home. Bloomsburg improved to 8-7 on the year and 5-3 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) action while the Rams slipped to 10-2 for the year and 4-2 in conference play.

The Huskies once again held a high-powered PSAC offense to one of its lowest scoring totals of the season as Bloomsburg held the Rams to just 60 points, their second-lowest total of the year. The Rams came into the game averaging 72.3 points per game, second best in the PSAC. Bloomsburg's defense also forced a 40.3% (25-for-62) day from the floor by the Rams, their lowest shooting percentage of the season.

For the Huskies, it was one of the best shooting days of the season. Bloomsburg shot 50.0% from the floor, 28-for-53, and 82.4% (14-for-17) from the free throw line. The Huskies field goal percentage was the second-best percentage of the season and it was the best free-throw shooting day for BU. The 71 points for Bloomsburg was the third-highest point total of the season and Bloomsburg had four players reach double figures.

Leading the way for Bloomsburg was Meghan Corridoni (Exeter, Pa./Holy Redeemer) with 15 points and eight rebounds while Katelin Starr (Berwick, PA/Berwick) made her first start of the season and chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds. Starr was 6-for-7 from the floor including her first career three pointer. Emma Saxton (York, Pa./Central York) hit double figures for the second time in two games as she chipped in 12 points and led the team with four assists. Megan Fisher (New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot) rounded out the double-digit scoring with 11 points.

Defensively, Corridoni finished the day with three of the Huskies four blocks and pulled down eight defensive rebounds. Saxton led the team with a pair of steals while grabbing three defensive boards.

Bloomsburg trailed 32-29 going into the second half. Starr opened the third with a jumper to cut the deficit to one. After Saxton hit a jumper with 8:04 to play to give Bloomsburg its first lead of the second half, Shepherd answered with a pair of buckets from Sydney Clayton to take a 36-33 advantage. The Rams held on to the lead until Ella Kale (Spring Grove, PA/Spring Grove) drained a three with 2:32 to play and give Bloomsburg a 43-42 lead. The Huskies ended the quarter on a 6-3 run to take a four-point advantage into the final 10 minutes.

Shepherd used a 4-2 run to open the fourth to tie the game at 51-51 but Saxton gave the lead back to Bloomsburg for good with a jumper at the 6:27 mark. A traditional three-point play by Emma Gochnauer (Strasburg, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) with 5:41 to go in regulation pushed the Huskies lead to five, 56-51, but the Rams threatened with a four-point run to get back to within one, 56-55. Saxton hit a pair of free throws and Fisher drained a three to extend the lead to five, 61-56, and the Huskies sank 10 free throws in the final 3:02 to seal the 71-60 victory.

Bloomsburg looks to continue its four-game winning streak as the Huskies head to Millersville University on Saturday for a 1:00 pm PSAC East contest against the Marauders. Bloomsburg will return to the friendly confines of Nelson Field House on Monday, January 17 for the first of four-straight home games for Bloomsburg. The home stand kicks off against Mansfield at 1:00 pm.