Seniors Pace Brandywine To Victory In Regular-Season Finale

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine seniors combined to score 60 points on Senior Night as the Lions' men's basketball team claimed a 78-66 victory over Penn State Lehigh Valley during the regular-season finale on Friday.

The four seniors were honored at halftime, having all played a major part in Brandywine's turnaround this winter. Donte Winfield (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz) poured in 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting, while Terrence Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech) collected a 22-point, 15-rebound double-double. James Fisher (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Darby) added 10 points and nine rebounds and Isaiah Lester (Morton, Pa./Ridley) chipped in four boards and three assists.

With the victory, Brandywine is now assured a top-two seed in next week's PSUAC Tournament and will receive a bye through the quarterfinal round. Brandywine, making its first postseason appearance since 2012-13, will play the semifinal game on its home floor after the Brandywine women's team locked up first place and hosting rights for both tournaments earlier in the night. The Lions' will face an opponent to be determined following Wednesday's quarterfinal round on Saturday, Feb. 17.

Brandywine led only briefly during the first half and trailed by as many as seven points before Chima Lawrence (Wilmington, Del./Concord) buried a three-pointer just before the buzzer to give Brandywine the momentum as the Lions headed into the break trailing 40-36.

Brandywine used a 13-0 surge, aided by six points from Winfield, to vault into the lead with 12:06 to play in the game. Ameer Staggs (Ridley, Pa./Ridley) gave Brandywine a 57-50 lead by knocking down a jumper at the 11:07 mark, but just three minutes later, the Lions' edge had dwindled to two points at 59-57.

Lehigh Valley's Jonathan Buie tied the score with a free throw, capping a 9-2 spurt, but Brown immediately answered with a layup, sparking a run of eight-straight Brandywine points. Brown's three-point play with 3:02 remaining upped the margin to nine points and Winfield followed by canning a jumper that gave the Lions a double-figure lead they would not relinquish.

Staggs added 11 points and seven boards for Brandywine, which won its 18th game of the season, just two fewer than it had won combined over the previous four years. The Lions shot 42 percent from the field, while holding a commanding 50-36 margin on the boards.

Brandywine currently sits as the No. 2 seed in the PSUAC Tournament, but can claim the No. 1 spot if Penn State Greater Allegheny loses one of its final two regular season games.