PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The La Roche University women's basketball team showed resilience and competitive fire Wednesday night in a tough Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference showdown, but the visiting Penn State-Behrend Lions ultimately pulled away for an 82-71 win inside Kerr Sport & Fitness Center.

La Roche came out energized, setting the tone with aggressive defense and purposeful movement on offense. The Redhawks worked to control the tempo early, pushing the ball in transition and mixing inside looks with perimeter threats to keep the game close through the first half. Despite Behrend's size and experience, La Roche's effort never wavered as the teams traded momentum in a spirited first half.

After halftime, Behrend's veteran backcourt took command, sparking a key run that gave the Lions a lead they would maintain down the stretch. Though La Roche continued to fight — answering with bursts of scoring and defensive stops — turnovers at crucial moments and Behrend's ability to convert in transition helped the visitors extend their advantage.

The Redhawks were led by several standout performances, as players contributed points, rebounds, and hustle plays across the lineup in an effort to keep La Roche within striking distance. The team's gritty performance featured tough drives to the hoop, timely three-point shots, and determined board work, reflecting the heart of a squad hungry to prove itself in conference play.

In the end, the final 82-71 score didn't reflect how hard La Roche competed through all four quarters.

With the regular season in the books, the Redhawks will be the #2 seed in the AMCC Tournament, which will be hosted by Penn State Behrend and the ladies return to the court on Friday, Feb. 27 when they face the winner of Tuesday's matchup between #3 Penn State Altoona and #6 Hilbert