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EAST STROUDSBURG - Junior guard Rachel Falkowski had a putback at the buzzer, capping a frantic final minute and giving East Stroudsburg University a 66-65 win over Kutztown in PSAC East women's basketball on Saturday afternoon at Koehler Fieldhouse.

Falkowski tied her career-high with 13 points and followed a missed shot in the lane by senior guard Tyeca Reviere to give the Warriors (8-8, 6-6) their seventh win in eight games and a key PSAC East victory over the Golden Bears (7-9, 4-8).

The putback was the fourth and final lead change in the last 40 seconds and helped ESU recover from a six-point deficit (61-55) with 2:40 remaining as the Warriors outscored Kutztown 11-4 down the stretch.

Reviere completed a 7-0 run with two free throws that gave ESU a 62-61 edge with 1:01 remaining. Then Kutztown's Natalya Lee (19 points, nine rebounds) scored with 40 seconds remaining, before ESU sophomore guard Imani Brown (7 points) answered with a driving layup that put ESU in front, 64-63, with 24.2 seconds left.

At the other end, Lee was fouled with 5.5 seconds remaining and made both to give KU a 65-64 advantage to set up the finish. ESU called timeout, followed by a timeout by Kutztown, before Reviere drove and Falkowski trailed the play for the game-winner.

Falkowski, sophomore forward Rebecca Rutkowski (13 points, 4 blocks), junior forward Allison Howard (11 points, 9 rebounds) and Reviere (11 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) combined for 48 of ESU's 66 points in the contest. Brown added her 7 points and 6 rebounds, senior guard Melissa Poderis had 5 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks and senior center Michelle Boggs had 5 points and 4 blocks.

Lee led Kutztown with 19 points, Kelsey Watson had 18 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks and Jenna Altomare had 11 points and 6 rebounds. Mariah Maciejewski added 8 points and 10 rebounds.

ESU held Kutztown to 35.2 percent (19-for-54) shooting and had a season-high 11 blocked shots, after leading the PSAC in blocks (4.7) and ranking second in field goal defense (37.5) entering the weekend.

Neither team led by more than six points the entire contest, with ESU holding a 15-10 advantage after the first quarter and 31-29 at the break.

Kutztown outscored ESU 19-15 in the third quarter, closing on a 7-0 run, to lead 48-46 entering the final 10 minutes.

KU stretched its lead to six points on three occasions, on a bucket by Maciejewski with 6:20 left (54-48), a three-pointer by Altomare with 4:40 left (58-52) and another three by Lee with 2:40 remaining (61-55).

Brown had answered Altomare's previous three with one of her own, then scored to get the Warriors within 61-57 with 2:20 left to start the rally.

The Warriors grabbed two offensive rebounds on their next trip and Reviere scored, was fouled and completed the three-point play to make it 61-59 with 1:14 left. Lee turned it over for Kutztown, with Reviere collecting the steal, and sank both free throws to put the Warriors in front, 62-61, with 1:01 left for their first lead in the fourth quarter.

ESU won at the buzzer at Koehler Fieldhouse for the second time in 13 days, as Reviere hit a three-pointer for a 74-73 win over then-No. 22-ranked and defending NCAA DII champion California (Pa.) on January 3.

The Warriors were 1-7 following a 74-67 loss to Edinboro on December 4, but have rattled off seven wins in the last eight games starting with a 59-50 victory vs. Mercyhurst on December 5.

ESU won 70-61 at Holy Family on December 14 and topped Cheyney 96-60 on December 19 entering the semester break, which was followed by the upset of California.

The Warriors won 78-71 (OT) at Slippery Rock on January 6 for their first five-game winning streak since early in the 2008-09 season. They fell 84-67 at West Chester last Saturday before a 79-65 win vs. Mansfield on Wednesday.

ESU travels to Lock Haven (7-10, 4-9) on Wednesday after LHU fell to Bloomsburg, 66-55, on Saturday.


GAME NOTES
* The two schools had split the last 8 meetings since 2012-13 (ESU 499 points, Kutztown 496)
* 3 of the previous 7 games had gone to overtime
* Watson (Kutztown) entered the game ranked 3rd in the PSAC in scoring (17.3 ppg) and 9th in rebounding (8.9)
* Rutkowski (ESU) entered the game as the PSAC leader in blocks (1.9) and had 4 blocked shots