Lions Secure PSUAC Tournament Berth With Win At Wilkes Barre

WILKES BARRE, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine clinched a bid to the PSUAC Women's Basketball Tournament for the 10th consecutive season following a 76-63 victory at Penn State Wilkes Barre on Friday night.

Brandywine, which improved to 15-8 overall and 8-4 in the PSUAC, can be seeded no lower than fifth in next week's tournament. Victories during its final two games coupled with a Penn State Fayette loss to Wilkes Barre on Saturday would give Brandywine the No. 4 seed and home game in Wednesday's quarterfinal round.

Cashae Hinton (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) just missed a triple-double, recording 10 points, 10 assists, nine steals and six rebounds, while Jessy Gledhill (Secane, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) paced all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

Lauren Munro (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) produced 17 points, four assists and three steals and Melanie Kempf (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) added 11 points and five boards.

Brandywine led 19-11 after 10 minutes as the Lions closed the opening quarter with a 12-0 run after trailing by as many as six points during the early stages of the game.

Sierra Eskridge ended the Lions' run with the second quarter's first points, but Munro, Hinton and Chelsea Dent (Yeadon, Pa./Penn Wood) combined for eight-straight points to extend the lead to 27-13.

Wilkes Barre rallied to within six, but Gledhill buried a jumper just before the half closed, giving the Lions a 33-25 edge at the break.

Olivia Encarnacion's (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) three-point play pushed Brandywine's advantage to double figures midway through the third period, but Wilkes Barre fought back, climbing within two after an Eskridge layup and free throw.

However, Brandywine had an answer, putting the game away with a 14-4 surge late in the fourth quarter, keyed by a Gledhill triple and two buckets from Hinton.

Brandywine shot 52 percent from the field and forced 30 Wilkes Barre turnovers. Majeedah Nealy was the lone player from Wilkes Barre to reach double figures in scoring with 11 points.

The Lions are on the road again Saturday at Penn State Scranton at 1:00 pm.