Brandywine Holds Off Late Beaver Rally For 70-57 Win

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine's 15-point lead had shrunk to one point with under three minutes remaining, but the Lions bounced back to score the game's final 12 points and hold off Penn State Beaver 70-57 for their seventh Penn State University Athletic Conference men's basketball victory of the season on Friday night.

The teams battled back-and-forth through the opening 12 minutes before an 18-2 Brandywine surge pushed the hosts in front by a score of 35-20. Terrence Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech) got the run started with a layup at the 8:05 mark and James Fisher (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Darby) added back-to-back baskets to make the lead five points. Brown tacked on a three-pointer and Donte Winfield (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz) sank a layup before Fisher capped the run with two more buckets.

Beaver countered with the next nine points, but Brandywine answered before the end of the half, outscoring the visitors 9-2 during the final 1:40, including Winfield's four-point play with six seconds to go, to take a commanding 44-31 lead into the break.

The Lions' lead sat between 13 and nine points throughout the first 10 minutes of the final half before Beaver made a late charge. Between the 11:20 and 2:58 marks, the Lions connected on just one field goal, allowing Beaver to close within one point at 58-57 on Andrew Brady's layup with 3:36 to go; however, Brandywine locked Beaver down defensively over the final three minutes, holding the visitors without a made basket on six shots, while forcing three turnovers.

Isiah Cook (Reading, Pa./Reading) broke the Lions' scoreless spell with a free throw with 2:57 to play and then added two more free throws during Brandywine's next possession. Brown sank a layup and a triple before Winfield canned a jumper and a pair of free throws during the final 60 seconds to account for the final margin.

Brown produced team highs with 21 points and 10 rebounds four his fourth double-double of the season. Winfield added 18 points and six boards, while Cook tallied nine points and four rebounds.

Fisher collected five of Brandywine 16 steals in addition to scoring eight points. The Lions scored 28 points off of 25 Beaver turnovers.

Brandywine (11-5, 7-1 PSUAC) hosts Penn State Greater Allegheny in a showdown of the two one-loss teams remaining in the PSUAC Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm.