Notre Dame Edges Brandywine 60-52

BALTIMORE, MD. – Notre Dame University of Maryland completed a season sweep of the Penn State Brandywine women's basketball team by edging the Lions 60-52 on Saturday afternoon.

Anaiyah Allen (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner) netted half of Brandywine first 14 points as the Lions ran out to a 14-5 edge through the game's first 7:30.

The Gators added a bucket to close the first quarter and then used an 11-1 run spanning over seven minutes of the second period to jump in front 18-15. Sierra Diawara (Glenolden, Pa./Interboro) ended Brandywine's field goal drought with a three-pointer that tied the count at the 2:42 mark and Jazmyn Kemp (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) and Raelyn Loper (West Chester, Pa./Rustin) added baskets during the next 48 seconds to send Brandywine into halftime with a 22-20 edge.

Notre Dame went back in front by scoring the first six points of the second half. The hosts extended the margin to four points before Diawara canned a triple with 3:51 to go in the stanza that brought the Lions within one.

The Gators scored six of the final eight points of the third quarter to lead by five points and continued their run early in the final period, outscoring Brandywine 8-0 through the opening 3:45 to build a double-figure lead.

Brandywine trimmed its deficit to six on two occasions. First, a layup from Allen made the score 51-45 at the 4:04 mark. Later, a Diawara triple cut the Gators' advantage to 54-48 with just over two minutes to play; however, Brandywine could not get closer as Notre Dame answered Diawara's three-pointer with four-straight points.

Diawara buried five triples and poured in a team-high 18 points. She also collected five rebounds and four steals, while Allen added 15 points. Kiara Koger (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) contributed eight rebounds, six assists and five steals.

Brandywine's defense forced 29 turnovers, but the Lions were limited to 34 percent shooting from the field, compared to 41 percent shooting by the hosts.

Brandywine will begin a three-game home stand Wednesday against St. Elizabeth at 5:30 PM.