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Kaitlyn McGeary
Thomas Herstich

PREVIEW: Women's Basketball Returns to Action at Kutztown on Tuesday

1/26/2026 11:37:00 AM

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. -- The East Stroudsburg University women's basketball team is back in action after a six-day break, traveling to face the Kutztown Golden Bears on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
     
GAMEDAY CENTRAL        
ESU (11-7, 6-5 PSAC) at Kutztown (10-8, 6-5 PSAC)  
Tuesday, January 27 - 5:30 p.m.   
Keystone Arena | Kutztown, Pa. 
Game Coverage: Live Video | Live Stats | Game Notes

EAST STROUDSBURG NOTES     

  • After a six-day break, the Warriors return to action on the road against the Kutztown Golden Bears on Tuesday, Jan. 27. 
  • The ESU women's basketball team enters the matchup 11-7 overall and 6-5 in conference action. 
  • Brooke Droege has ESU's lone PSAC East Athlete of the Week award so far this season, winning the honor on Nov. 18. She totaled 35 points, 15 rebounds, eight steals, and three blocks across two games.     
  • Consecutive starters for the Warriors have been Lacie Kringe, Avery White, Brooke Droege, Brie Droege, and Caitlin Marten.  With this lineup, the Warriors have gone 8-5.  This past week, Lilly Riggi has started in place of Brooke.  
  • The Warriors average 63.8 PPG, 36.9 RPG, 14.9 APG, 10.8 SPG, and have shot 39.3% from the field.     
  • Against PSAC opponents, the Warriors average 64.9 PPG, 35.3 RPG, 14.6 APG, 10.4 SPG, and have shot 40.6% from the field.   
  • Despite ranking 13th in the conference in scoring offense, the Warriors sit eighth in scoring defense, holding opponents to 62.2 points per game.    
  • 12 of ESU's 16 games have been decided by 10 points or fewer, with the Warriors owning an 8-4 edge in those contests.    
  • The Warriors are most productive after halftime, averaging 33.3 points in the second half versus 30.5 in the opening half.   
  • Brie paces the Warriors with 14.7 points per game and has notched nine games of 15 or more points. Her performance against Shepherd pushed her past 500 career points.  
  • She has led the team in scoring 10 times this season, including four of the last six games. Brie recorded her first two career double-doubles against Mansfield and Shippensburg.  
  • Brie has been an efficient scorer for the Warriors, making 46.4% of her shot attempts from the field. That figure is the seventh best in the conference.    
  • The Warriors are third in the PSAC in turnover margin (3.56) and fifth in steals per game (10.83). Jess Devine leads ESU in steals per game, averaging 2.2, the 12th-most in the PSAC.    
  • Kringe and Marten both lead the Warriors in rebounding, grabbing 5.3 boards per game.  
  • Kringe and White rank 9th and 11th respectively in the conference in assists per game.   

KUTZTOWN NOTES   

  • The Golden Bears enter the contest 10-8 overall and 6-5 in conference action. 
  • Kutztown is on a two-game losing streak with losses against Millersville and Shepherd. The Golden Bears fell to Millersville by five on Wednesday, 63-58, and by three against Shepherd on Saturday, 66-63. 
  • Kutztown averages 61.4 PPG, 37.2 RPG, 13.3 APG, 9.9 SPG, and have shot 39.2% from the field.   
  • Leila Hurley leads the Golden Bears in PPG with 9.9, while Danae Elizy is the other player who averages above nine points per game (9.4). 
  • Hurley ranks second in the conference in 3-PT field goal percentage (.357) and is third in 3-PT per game (2.2) 
  • Kutztown has two players who average above 5.0 RPG. Olivia Smelas averages 8.3 per game and ranks sixth in the PSAC, while Ariana Smuda averages 6.3 RPG to rank 13th in the league.  
  • Bella Quinn and Olivia Smelas rank 10th and 17th respectively in the PSAC in assists per game. 
  • Ariana Smuda ranks second in the conference in blocked shots per game (1.8), leading her team with 33. Smelas also ranks seventh in BPG (1.4) and fifth in SPG (2.6). 
  • The Golden Bears have collected four total PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Week honors, with Smelas claiming three and Smuda claiming the one on Jan. 20. 
  • Kutztown's scoring offense ranks 14th in the league, while their scoring defense ranks third, limiting opponents to 55.3 PPG. 
  • The team ranks third in BPG (4.72) and is eighth in SPG (9.94). 
  • Consecutive starters have been Smelas, Hurley, and Quinn. 

SERIES HISTORY   

  • ESU is 42-45 in all-time against Kutztown and is 20-23 on the road.  
  • The Warriors won the most recent meeting, defeating the Golden Bears 77-64 on Feb. 26, 2025. In the first meeting of the 2024-25 season, the Golden Bears defeated the Warriors in overtime, 62-58. 
  • The Warriors hold a 6-4 edge in the past 10 matchups. 
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