Brandywine Fends Off DuBois; Winning Run Reaches Seven

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine's winning streak reached seven games as the Lions eeked out a 66-63 Penn State University Athletic Conferene women's basketball triumph over Penn State Dubois on Friday night.

The Lions picked up a key PSUAC victory, moving to 3-1 in league play, while DuBois dropped to 3-2. The seven-game winning streak is the longest for Brandywine since the 2013-14 season when the team won eight-straight games from Jan. 27-Feb. 12.

Brandywine jumped out to a 9-2 lead through three minutes, but DuBois rallied to pull within one at the 4:08 mark. Madison D'Ambrosio (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) answered with a three-pointer, starting a string of eight-straight points for Brandywine and the Lions led 19-12 after 10 minutes.

The duo of Hope Bridge and Melody Young combined to score the DuBois' first 12 points of the second quarter. Young tied the game at 20-20 with a layup midway through the stanza and Young followed with a basket, giving DuBois its first lead of the game. DuBois extended its lead with an 7-0 spurt to end the half, capped by a Kristy Hanes triple from near mid-court just before time expired, and grabbed a 33-25 halftime edge.

Brandywine scored the first five points of the second half and steadily chipped away at the DuBois lead. The Lions were within one following a Chelsea Dent (Yeadon, Pa./Penn Wood) jumper at the 3:08 point, but DuBois responded with six consecutive points and held a 48-44 edge after three periods.

D'Ambrosio buried a jumper early in the fourth to knot the score at 50 and the teams traded baskets until Dent gave the Lions a 55-54 edge by sinking a layup with 5:38 to play. Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) tacked on a bucket and a free throw and Kendra Stanford (Philadelphia, Pa./William Bodine) followed with two points as Brandywine extended the lead to five points.

DuBois responded with seven of the next nine points to grab a 63-62 lead; however, Brandi James (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) pulled down her own offensive rebound and sank a layup to help Brandywine retake the lead with 1:09 to play. The Lions then clamped down on defense, holding DuBois off the scoreboard during the final minute to claim the victory. Brandywine forced a pair of turnovers and DuBois missed its final two shots in the final 69 seconds, while Velez sank a pair of free throws to provide the final margin.

Velez topped the Lions with 18 points and tallied five of Brandywine's 16 steals. The Lions forced 19 DuBois turnovers, while committing just eight miscues.

James recorded her second double-double in three games with 12 points and a team-best 12 rebounds, while Stanford added 11 points, six boards and three steals. D'Ambrosio contributed nine points and five boards for the Lions, who shot 33 percent from the field.

Bridge tallied 20 points and Young grabbed 16 rebounds for DuBois.

Brandywine (10-4, 3-1 PSUAC) hosts Penn State Mont Alto Saturday at 1:00 pm.