Brandywine Storms Back To Clip Widener 63-62

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine trailed by 14 points with 9:04 to play, but Alyssa Abbonizio (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) sank a free throw with 1.2 seconds left to complete the Lions' comeback as Brandywine rallied for a 63-62 victory over Widener on Wednesday night.

The Pride had an opportunity to hold for the final shot; however, Allison Gallagher's jumper was off the mark and Abbonizio was fouled while pulling down the rebound during the final seconds. She missed the first of two free throws, but rebounded to make the back end and a desperation three from Widener as the buzzer sounded missed off the backboard.

Brandywine (8-4), which won for the fifth consecutive outing and the eighth time in nine games, bested Widener for the first time in six all-time tries.

Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) led all scorers and produced a career-high point total for the second consecutive game with 26 points. She drained a trio of three-pointers and also collected six steals.

Brandi James (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) produced a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Chelsea Dent (Yeadon, Pa./Penn Wood) filled the stat sheet by contributing 10 points, seven assists, six rebounds and a pair of steals.

Widener appeared to be pulling away in the second half as its two-point halftime lead extended to double figures on Kylie Herman's jumper with 2:06 left in the third quarter. Julia Venturelli and Allison Gallagher combined for seven-straight points for the Pride, growing the lead to 14 points on a Venturelli jumper with 9:04 to play in the game.

However, Brandywine stormed back, using a 12-0 run over the next two minutes, spurred by two Velez triples, to cut the deficit to two points.

A free throw by Kendra Stanford (Philadelphia, Pa./William Bodine) knotted the score at 58-58 at the 3:50 mark and Velez connected on a jumper two possessions later to give the Lions their first lead since early in the first quarter.

Gallagher answered for Widener with a three-pointer and free throw after she was fouled, but Dent sank a pair of shots from the charity stripe with 1:17 left to once again tie the score at 62-62. Those would be the final points before Abbonizio sank the game-winning free throw with under two seconds to play.

Brandywine shot 40 percent (22-55) from the field and forced 20 Widener turnovers. Gallagher paced Widener, which was limited to 33 percent shooting, with 20 points and 11 boards.

Brandywine is on the road Monday for a 5:00 pm tip-off at Vaughn College (N.Y.).