Widener Clips Brandywine

CHESTER, Pa. – The Penn State Brandywine women's basketball team was edged by Widener University by a score of 67-48 on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions scored six of the game's first eight points, but Widener closed the first quarter with a 17-1 surge to build a 12-point lead.

Widener expanded its lead to 16 points with just over four minutes remaining but back-to-back baskets from Cassidy Tolbert (Austell, Ga./Pebblebrook) and a free throw from Anaiyah Allen (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner) got Brandywine within 30-16 at halftime.

Brandywine faced a deficit as large as 18 points in the third quarter before battling back. Sierra Diawara (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) sank five consecutive free throws to trim the margin to 13. Diawara later added another free throw to make the score 41-30 and Trinell Watson (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown) converted a three-point play with 1:55 on the clock to get Brandywine within eight; however, the Pride scored the period's final seven points to hold a 48-33 edge through 30 minutes.

Widener's lead dipped as low as 12 points when Raelyn Loper (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) made a layup at the 3:53 mark, but the Lions could not get closer.

Watson notched a team-high 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting, while Diawara made eight of her 10 free throw attempts and tallied 10 points, along with seven rebounds. Jazmyn Kemp (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) added nine points and Allen contributed eight.

Both teams shot 34 percent from the field, but the difference in the game came on the boards as Widener held a 52-26 rebounding edge and recorded 24 second-chance points.

Brandywine (1-9, 0-3 United East) will close out the first half of the season Satruday, December 21 at Eastern at 1:00 PM.