Brandywine Opens PSUAC Slate With Victory At Schuylkill

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. -- The Penn State Brandywine men's basketball team got the Penn State University Athletic Conference portion of its schedule started on a high note Tuesday night as the Lions knocked off Penn State Schuylkill 98-87.

Brandywine, which won its PSUAC opener for the first time since 2013 (also against Schuylkill), improved to 3-2 overall this season by winning its third-straight game.

James Fisher (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Darby) powered the offense by burying seven three-pointers, tallying 25 points overall. His seven triples are the most in a game by a Lion since Fisher connected on eight three-pointers during his sophomore season at Division III Lycoming on Dec. 29, 2014.

Terrence Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech) and Ameer Staggs (Ridley, Pa./Ridley) each produced double-doubles as Brown went for 19 points and 11 rebounds and Staggs recorded 15 points and 10 boards. Brown's double-double was his second of the year, while Staggs sank 6-of-9 shots from the field.

Fisher's first three-pointer opened the scoring 68 seconds into the game, but Schuylkill netted the next 10 points to build a seven-point edge. Brandywine countered with a 10-0 run of its own, started by another Fisher three ball, and would break the game open three minutes later, surging in front 23-14 with 10-straight points.

Schuylkill rallied to take a 25-23 lead, but Brandywine limited the hosts to just three points, all from the free throw line, over the next eight minutes. The Lions took advantage, pushing in front by as many as 15 points after Rob Tindley (Lawnside, N.J./Haddon Heights) sank a free throw at the 3:37 mark.

David Graham's jumper with 12 ticks remaining before halftime forced Brandywine to settle for a 47-36 lead through 20 minutes.

The Lions swelled their lead to 16 points early in the second as a jumper from Staggs and triple by Fisher extended the margin to 52-36. Brandywine's advantage continued to grow, reaching 20 points for the first time when Donte Winfield (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz) canned a three-pointer with 14:59 to play.

After the lead reached its largest margin at 21 points with 10:37 to play, Schuylkill chipped away, closing to within eight following Graham's triple with 3:12 remaining, but Brown responded by converting a three-point play during the Lions' next possession and Brandywine would cruise the rest of the way.

Brandywine, which shot 48 percent (32-68) from the field, also received eight points and seven assists from Winfield and 12 points from Tindley, who was named PSUAC Player of the Week earlier on Tuesday.

The Lions buried 13 three-pointers, registering their third-straight game with at least 10 triples, while also forcing 20 Schuylkill turnovers.

Schuylkill was paced by Kody Jacoby, who registered 31 points and 11 rebounds.

Brandywine will host Davis College (N.Y.) in a non-conference game on Thursday at 8:00 pm.