Second-Half Surge Lifts Wilkes Barre Past Brandywine

WILKES BARRE, Pa. -- Penn State Wilkes Barre outscored Penn State Brandywine 43-26 over the final 20 minutes, pulling away for a 76-55 PSUAC men's basketball victory on Friday evening.

Brandywine (6-17, 5-9 PSUAC) trailed by just four at halftime following a tightly-contested opening half, but Wilkes Barre made 17-of-31 shots from the field during the second stanza to earn the home victory.

The Lions trailed by six, but a pair of free throws from Naifes Smalls (Philadelphia, Pa./PE&T Charter) knotted the score at 21-21; however, Wilkes Barre buried back-to-back three-pointers to go back in front.

Cyrie Spencer's (Sharon Hill, Pa./Academy Park) triple to open the second half drew Brandywine within one, but Wilkes Barre answered with the next eight points and late used a 16-0 surge to pull away for good.

Spencer poured in 17 points and added five boards for Brandywine, which shot 33 percent from the field. Smalls tallied a team-best nine rebounds and Marcus Turner (Claymont, Del./Chichester) recorded 13 points.

Christopher Cantine registered 31 points for Wilkes Barre, which shot 48 percent from the field.

Brandywine plays its final road game of the season on Saturday at Penn State Scranton at 3:00 pm.