Brandywine Upends Defending USCAA Champions 73-65

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Bryce Barrouk (Glen Mills, Pa./Rustin) and Ketquan Gatewood (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Collegiate Prep) combined for 45 points as the Penn State Brandywine men's basketball team knocked off Penn State Wilkes-Barre, the defending USCAA national champion, Tuesday night.

Gatewood, named USCAA Player of the Week earlier Tuesday, scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting, knocked down two three-pointers and pulled in eight rebounds, while Barrouk tallied 21 points (8-16 FG) behind four triples. The duo combined for 22 of Brandywine's 31 points during the final 20 minutes to help the Lions preserve their nine-point halftime lead.

Brandywine faced a 10-point deficit nine minutes into the game, but registered points during eight consecutive possessions to vault into the lead.

Gatewood scored seven points, Barrouk notched a three-point play and Johnta Dunson (Philadelphia, Pa./Freire Charter) sank a jumper during a 14-4 run that tied the score at 23-23. Forty seconds later, Andrew Persaud (King of Prussia, Pa./Upper Merion) gave the Lions their first lead, while Gatewood, Barrouk and Pat Gallagher (Broomall, Pa./Maple Newtown) combined for 12 of the final 17 points of the half to give Brandywine a 42-33 edge at the break.

The margin reached 15 points, the largest of the night, when Barrouk sank a triple and Gatewood tallied five-straight points during a 1:39 span early in the second half.

Wilkes-Barre rallied to within four, but Gallagher, Gatewood and Jordan Graves (Media, Pa./Strath Haven) connected on jumpers during three consecutive possessions to extend the lead back to double figures. The hosts made one final push, bringing the score to 68-65 with 1:17 to go; however, Gatewood countered with a basket and Brandywine held Wilkes-Barre without a point the rest of the way to secure the victory.

Gallagher added 11 points, nine in the first half, while Dunson tallied eight points and four boards for the Lions, who shot 52 percent from the field and 8-for-13 from beyond the arc.

Brandywine, which dealt Wilkes-Barre its second-straight home loss following a 25-game home winning streak, limited the hosts to 4-for-25 shooting from deep to avenge a 20-point home loss to Wilkes-Barre in December.

Brandywine (4-14, 4-9 PSUAC) returns home Saturday to host Penn State Hazleton at 3:00 pm.