Women’s Basketball Makes 11th Consecutive PSUAC Semifinal Appearance Saturday
MEDIA, Pa. -- For the 11th consecutive year, Penn State Brandywine is one of the final four teams still standing entering the Penn State University Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Tournament semifinals on Saturday as the fourth-seeded Lions face top-seeded Penn State Lehigh Valley at 5:00 pm. Penn State York is serving as the host for both the men's and women's semifinals and championships this weekend.
Brandywine (19-7) advanced to the semifinals by virtue of an 80-77 victory over Penn State Fayette on Wednesday in the quarterfinals. The Lions overcame a slow start by scoring 33 third-quarter points and held on for the narrow triumph. Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) topped the 20-point mark for the ninth time this season as she netted 16 of her game-high 24 points during the third-quarter surge, while Chelsea Dent (Yeadon, Pa./Penn Wood) and Brandi James (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) both produced double-doubles.
The Lions are 5-5 in the semifinal round during 11th-year Head Coach Larry Johnson's tenure. Johnson, who earned the 200th victory of his career on Wednesday night, can guide his team to a 20-win season for the third time in his career with a victory on Saturday. A five-time PSUAC Coach of the Year, Johnson last led Brandywine to the championship game during the 2013-14 season.
Lehigh Valley earned a bye through to the semifinals by claiming the top seed with a perfect 14-0 conference record. Two of those victories came against Brandywine, including just seven days ago during both teams' regular-season finale. Saturday will be the teams' first-ever postseason meeting, while Brandywine and Lehigh Valley have split eight all-time regular-season contests.
No. 2 Penn State Beaver will battle No. 3 Penn State Hazleton in Saturday's second semifinal game at 7:00 pm. The winners of each semifinal game will meet in Sunday's championship game, which is slated to begin at 3:00 pm. The conference will also be announcing end-of-year individual and all-conference awards at a luncheon prior to the start of the women's championship game.
