Women's Basketball Upsets Top-Seeded Brandywine En Route to PSUAC Finals

Media, Pa- Avenging earlier season losses has become the theme of women's basketball's PSUAC playoff run thus far, as they dethroned top-seeded Penn State Brandywine- on their home court- by a score of 55-48; Brandywine defeated GA earlier this season, 70-51.  The victory will send Greater Allegheny to their first PSUAC Championship appearance.

  A scoring drought of over five minutes early in the first half saw GA trailing 16-10, following a Brandywine triple.  Sophomore guard Nakayla Layne (Pittsburgh, PA/Allderdice) nailed a jumper at the 6:34 mark to end the slide, and began an 8-2 run that tied the game at 18 apiece.  Freshman guard Shelby Bendick (McKeesport, PA/McKeesport) gave Greater Allegheny a 22-20 lead at the break, as she drilled a jumper with just four ticks remaining.

  In the first four minutes of the second half, Brandywine pushed back in front by six, following an easy layup.  Sophomore guard Taylor Fulton (West Mifflin, PA/West Mifflin) knocked down a three, followed by a jumper from sophomore forward Christina Floyd (Philadelphia, PA/Sts. Neumann-Gorett), to give GA their biggest lead of the afternoon, at 39-34. 

  The number one seed would not go quietly, however, as they retaliated to tie the score 42-42.  To keep the lions at bay, sophomore guard Ciera Hussey (Philadelphia, PA/Overbrook) hit a huge three-pointer, putting GA on top for good.  They would knock down six free throws in the final minutes, holding on for the Final Four triumph.

  Christina Floyd led GA with a double-double on 18 points and 15 rebounds, with Fulton adding 15 points and seven assists.  Hussey was also in double-figures, with 10.  Greater Allegheny survived being heavily outrebounded, 40-25, by forcing 26 Brandywine turnovers. 

  The win improves their record to 15-12 overall and pits them against Penn State Beaver in tomorrow's 1 PM, Championship game.