ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College basketball team was defeated by Keystone College in a 59-38 final in United East Conference action on Tuesday night at Lees Gymnasium.

The teams played an even first quarter as the Falcons and Giants tied at 11 at the end of one. After the teams split the opening eight points, 4-4, Keystone netted five straight to open up a 9-4 advantage. Cedar Crest closed the stanza on a 7-2 run to knot the score at 11.

The Giants began the second quarter on an 8-2 run, finished off by a triple from senior Izzy Rosario (Bethlehem, Pa.) with 6:19 to play, to extend its lead to six, 19-13. The Falcons answered back with a 6-0 spurt to tie the score at 19. Keystone then capped the frame with an 8-0 run to enter the locker room up, 27-19.

The Giants stretched its margin to as many as 14 in the third quarter and concluded with a 12-point advantage, 43-21.

Keystone pushed the lead to as large as 23 in the final frame after a 12-1 run to go up 57-34 before ending the game with the 59-38 final.

The Giants shot 37.3 percent for the game compared to 34.2 percent for Cedar Crest. The Falcons held a 37-32 edge on the glass, while Keystone scored 28 points off 30 turnovers for the Falcons.

Sophomore Caylie Long (Powder Springs, Ga./Hillgrove) tallied a team-high 11 points to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Senior Bryanna Rivera (Reading, Pa./Greenfield (Mass.)) joined Long in double figures with 10 points, three boards, and two assists. Senior Rachel Bilger (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Dublin) collected nine points, three rebounds, and one assist. First-year Maliya Gonzalez (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) recorded three points, two caroms, four assists, and three steals. Senior Francess Suah (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution) registered three points and seven rebounds. First-year Emily Matoushek (Waymart, Pa./Forest City Regional) had two points and a steal. Sophomore Megan Perrine (Mount Vision, N.Y./Gilbertsville-Mount Upton) closed out the box score with four rebounds and a block.

Junior Tamari Hubbard (Bronx, N.Y.) led all scorers with 17 points and chipped in three rebounds, one assist, and one steal for Keystone. Rosario followed with 13 points, three boards, one assist, and five steals. First-year Iysis Nickens (Bethlehem, Pa.) supplied 10 points, four rebounds, one assist, and three steals to round out the Giants with double-digit points.

Cedar Crest (7-10 overall, 5-9 United East) remains home to play Cairn University on Thursday, February 13 at 7:00 p.m. Keystone (15-9 overall, 9-6 United East) concludes its regular season with a home date with Penn State Brandywine on Saturday, February 15 at 1:00 p.m.