Brandywine Starts Fast; Rolls Through Beaver

MEDIA, Pa. -- The Penn State Brandywine women's basketball team opened up a 31-9 lead through one quarter and never looked back as the Lions thumped Penn State Beaver 94-72 on Friday night in Penn State University Athletic Conference action.

Brandywine ran out to a 9-0 lead as Chrissy Gledhill (Secane, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) got the rout started with a three-pointer and Brandi James (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) netted the next six points. The Lions' lead reached 18-2 following James' free throw at the 4:51 mark and swelled to 24 points with 62 seconds to play in the quarter on the heels of an 8-0 spurt.

Beaver cut into the lead, getting with 35-18, four minutes into the second quarter, but Brandywine answered with eight-straight points to maintain control. With 43 seconds to play before the half, Crystal Miller's (Pleasant Valley, N.Y./Arlington) layup secured the Lions' biggest lead of the game at 28 points before a Beaver triple made the score 53-28 at the break.

Brandywine was not challenged in the second half as the lead never dipped below 22 points.

Four players scored in double figures for Brandywine topped by a 17-point performance from Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City). Gledhill and James each tallied 15 points, while Miller contributed 12 points.

James pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and Miller grabbed seven boards. Madison D'Ambrosio (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) chipped in nine points and six rebounds, while Kendra Stanford (Philadelphia, Pa./William Bodine) added eight points and six boards.

Brandywine made 42 percent of its shots from the field, including 9-of-22 from three-point range. The Lions trekked to the free throw line 36 times, sinking 29.

Brandywine (11-5, 7-0 PSUAC) is back at home on Saturday against Penn State Greater Allegheny at 1:00 pm.