CLARION, Pa. --- The Golden Eagles women's basketball team and Kutztown needed 55 minutes to determine a winner on Wednesday night, with the Golden Bears winning one of the longest games in the history of Tippin Gymnasium, a 106-96 triple-overtime decision over Clarion.
 
The three-overtime game was the longest game in the history of Golden Eagles women's basketball. Only two other games had ever gone to double-overtime, the most recent of which was Jan. 7, 2001 against West Chester. Only other game in the history of Tippin Gym has gone to three overtimes; the men's basketball team lost a 126-124 triple-overtime game to IUP on Jan. 26, 1991.
 
Clarion led by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter, but the Golden Bears got on a hot run in the final period to erase that deficit. The Golden Eagles were ahead 61-46 after a free throw make from Malayziah Etheredge but Kutztown scored 22 of the next 27 points, taking a 68-66 lead on a bucket by Naia Pulliam. The teams traded scores the rest of the way, with Hannah Wilkerson driving and scoring with 30 seconds to play to tie the game at 74. The Clarion defense got a stop on the other end before time expired but could not convert on the offensive end to send the game to the first overtime.
 
The drama was far from over. Kutztown took an 80-74 lead in the first overtime period, going ahead by two possessions with 1:39 to play. Arianna Seitz scored to cut it to 80-76, and Wilkerson laid one in with 31 seconds left to make it 80-78. The Golden Eagles caught a break when Shannon Remolde made just one of two free throws in a trip to the line with eight seconds remaining, setting up a remarkable play by Autumn Taylor. The sophomore guard pulled up and drained a three-pointer from 28 feet, tying the score at 81.
 
Clarion erased another deficit in the second overtime period, pulling to within 87-85 on a bucket by Seitz, and Wilkerson scored with 54 seconds to go to tie it up. The Golden Eagles had the chance to clinch the win again but Wilkerson's last-second shot was off the mark, sending it to the unprecedented third overtime. In that period Kutztown got the better of the Golden Eagles and made it stick, scoring 12 straight points and holding on for the win.
 
Wilkerson tied for the game-high with 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting, while DayLynn Thornton also came off the bench for 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field. Taylor finished with 13 points while Seitz added 12.
 
Kutztown controlled the game on the glass, out-rebounding the Golden Eagles 64-45 and outscoring Clarion 24-8 in terms of second chance points. Meanwhile Clarion was the better team in terms of protecting the basketball, forcing 18 Golden Bears turnovers and beating them 19-12 in that regard.
  Read Full Article