Women’s Basketball Hosts Fayette In PSUAC Quarterfinals Wednesday
MEDIA, Pa. -- The Penn State Brandywine women's basketball team has earned the No. 4 seed in the Penn State University Athletic Conference Tournament and is set to host No. 5 Penn State Fayette on Wednesday at 6:00 pm in the quarterfinal round.
The Lions finished the regular season with a league record of 11-3 with one of those 11 victories coming at home against Fayette. Brandywine knocked off Fayette 79-70 as five players netted double figures, led by Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City), who poured in 22 points. Brandi James (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) added 15 points, while also setting a program record with 20 rebounds.
Velez is the third-leading scorer in the conference, averaging 16.8 points per game, and the top three-point shooter in the league with 61 made triples this winter. She has connected on at least one three-pointer in 22 consecutive games. James is the top rebounder on the team as she is pulling down 7.6 boards per outing. She has produced five double-doubles and is also Brandywine's second-leading scorer (10.6 ppg).
Brandywine and Fayette are meeting in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season and fourth time during the last six PSUAC Tournaments. Last year, the Lions scored an 89-75 road victory, using an 18-1, fourth-quarter surge to pull away from Fayette.
A victory Wednesday night would send Brandywine to the semifinals for the 11th-straight season under the direction of Head Coach Larry Johnson. Wednesday's game will also be an opportunity for Johnson to earn his 200th career victory. He owns a record of 199-100 (.665) and has led Brandywine to a pair of PSUAC titles and three USCAA Tournament berths. Brandywine won 18 games this winter for the fourth consecutive year and the ninth time during Johnson's tenure.
Fayette is led by senior Taylor Smith, who tops the PSUAC in rebounding (12.7 rpg), while ranking second in points per game (17.7). During the teams' January meeting, Smith registered a 28-point, 16-rebound double-double; however, she averaged just 15.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in two previous games against Brandywine.
Top-seeded Penn State Lehigh Valley awaits the winner of Wednesday's quarterfinal game. Lehigh Valley went undefeated in the conference during the regular season to earn the No. 1 seed. The semifinal and championship rounds of both the men's and women's PSUAC Tournaments will be held on the campus of Penn State York on Saturday and Sunday.
