ABINGTON, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College basketball team dropped a 78-40 decision to Penn State Abington in United East Conference action on Tuesday night.

The Nittany Lions raced out to an 8-0 lead in the opening 3:38, capped off by a layup from junior Nia Newman (Rockville, Md.). The Falcons pulled to within six, 10-4, following a jumper from senior Bryanna Rivera (Reading, Pa./Greenfield (Mass.)). Cedar Crest hung around and only trailed by seven, 15-8, at the end of the first quarter.

Penn State Abington started the second stanza on a 7-0 spurt to stretch the margin to 14, 22-8. The Falcons responded with five consecutive points, finished off by a free throw to convert a three-point play from first-year Maliya Gonzalez (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) to make the score, 22-13, with 5:11 to play in the half. The Nittany Lions embarked on another run, scoring 14 unanswered to push its margin to 23, 36-13, and entered the locker room up 21, 38-17.

The Nittany Lions came out of the halftime break hot, going on a 17-0 run to increase its margin to 38, 55-17. The home team led by as many as 43 in the frame and would come into the final quarter with a 40-point lead, 64-24.

Penn State Abington extended its margin to as many as 45 points in the last quarter and Cedar Crest would eventually fall by the 78-40 final score.

Rivera registered 15 points, which was tied for the game-high and added two rebounds, one assist, and two steals. Senior Rachel Bilger (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Dublin) contributed 13 points, nine boards, one assist, and one steal. Gonzalez pitched in seven points, six caroms, four assists, and one steal. Sophomore Megan Perrine (Mount Vision, N.Y./Gilbertsville-Mount Upton) rounded out the scoring for the Falcons with five points, eight rebounds, and four blocks.

Sophomore Amirah Hackney (Philadelphia, Pa.) paced four Nittany Lions in double figures with 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Cedar Crest (6-7 overall, 4-6 United East) begins a two-game homestand on Saturday, February 1 as the Falcons host the University of Valley Forge at 1:00 p.m. Penn State Abington (13-5 overall, 9-2 United East) will play host to Neumann University in a non-conference contest on Thursday, January 30 at 7:00 p.m.