Brandywine Unable To Complete Comeback; Lions Downed By Keystone

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine nearly overcame a 15-point deficit before falling 65-56 at home against Keystone College Saturday afternoon in United East Conference women's basketball play.

The teams were tied at 8-all midway through the opening period, but Keystone knocked down a trio of three-pointers during the final five minutes to build a 19-12 edge through one quarter.

Jazmyn Kemp's (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) layup to start the second brought Brandywine within five; however, Keystone answered with eight-straight points to extend the margin to 13 points. The Giants knocked down a pair of free throws at the 4:59 mark to make the lead 15, their largest of the half.

Brandywine responded by holding Keystone scoreless for more than four minutes, trimming the deficit to six. Anaiyah Allen (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner) got a 9-0 run started for the Lions with a layup. Taylor Mims (Yeadon, Pa./Penn Wood) collected a steal and fast-break layup before Allen completed a three-point play. Kiara Koger (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) completed the surge by canning a jumper with 53 seconds left in the half, but Anyah Ortiz netted a layup for the Giants to give the visitors a 33-25 edge at the break.

The Giants expanded their lead back to 15 early in the third quarter and held a double-figure lead for nearly the entire stanza before Sierra Diawara's (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) three-pointer and free throw trimmed the count to 47-39 with 39 seconds to go.

Keystone canned a triple just before the third quarter buzzer to lead by 12 points, but Brandywine fought back. Kemp knocked down two free throws and Allen followed with a layup to make the score 51-43. Kemp added a bucket to bring the Lions within six with 6:56 to go, but Keystone's three-point shooting again came up clutch as the Ortiz buried a triple to answer the Brandywine run.

The Lions cut the margin to five points twice more and then got within four when Allen finished off a three-point play with 1:56 on the clock; however, Keystone held on as Kamryn Ahlers answered with a basket and the visitors made five throws during the final minute.

Allen led three Brandywine scorers in double figures with 16 points, while Kemp produced a 10-point, 14-rebound double-double. Koger added 14 points, six rebounds and five steals.

Brandywine forced 28 Keystone turnovers, but was limited to 30 percent shooting, including 2-of-14 from three-point range. The Giants knocked down 9-of-21 triple tries and made 41 percent of their shots from the field overall.

Brandywine (1-15, 0-8 UEC) hosts Penn State Abington on Wednesday at 5:30 PM.