Brandywine Falls In PSUAC Title Game

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Third-seeded Penn State Brandywine's run in the Penn State University Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament came to a close at the Bryce Jordan Center Saturday night as the Lions dropped a 73-56 decision to top-seeded Penn State York in the tournament title game.

Brandywine, which overcame a 0-5 start in conference play, had won 14 of its final 17 games against PSUAC opponents entering Saturday. The Lions claimed three victories in the span of five days to reach the league's title game.

Johnta Dunson (Philadelphia, Pa./Freire Charter) scored 10 of his team-high 13 points in the second half and pulled in six rebounds, while Jamar Wright (Wilmington, Del./Conrad School of Science) notched seven points and both Vince Zulli (Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) and Colin Hockenbrock (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) netted six points.

Bryce Barrouk (Glen Mills, Pa./Rustin) hauled in a career-high 20 rebounds, one shy of a Brandywine single-game record, in 36 minutes of action. Barrouk tallied 11 points, finishing the season with 541 points in 31 games. He is the third-leading scorer in Brandywine history with 1,239 points.

Brandywine held a 42-40 edge on the boards, but was limited to 31 percent shooting from the field. York shot 39 percent, recorded 16 assists on 27 baskets and made 15-of-19 free throws.

A three-pointer from Jordan Graves (Media, Pa./Strath Haven) had Brandywine within four at the 3:37 mark of the first half, but York closed the period with six of the final eight points to build a 28-20 lead at the break.

After York opened the second period with a basket, a Barrouk triple and Dunson layup closed the margin to five points. York countered with an 8-2 spurt over the next three minutes to swell its lead to double figures.

Brandywine trimmed the deficit to six points twice over the next two minutes, first following a pair of Barrouk free throws and then a Barrouk layup, but each time York had an answer.

Dillon Jones' (Wilmington, Del./Hodgson Vo-Tech) triple brought the count to 47-39 with 9:16 to go; however, that would be the final time Brandywine would be within single digits as Evan Brady answered with a three-pointer, beginning a 10-2 run for York.

Brady scored a game-high 19 points in 27 minutes off the bench, while Deriq Brown produced 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Brandywine finished the year with a record of 16-18 and reached the PSUAC title game for the third time in team history.