Lady Lions Note Second PSUAC Victory over Wilkes-Barre, 72-70

Wilkes-Barre, Pa. - Through a tie game at halftime, the Penn State Greater Allegheny women's basketball team notched their second Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) victory of the season over Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Friday night, in a 72-70 GA tilt.

The Greater Allegheny Lions zipped up to a 10-0 lead with a tag-team contribution from both freshman guard Ronnie Upsher (Pittsburgh, Pa./McKeesport) and junior guard Mandi Johnston (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin). Johnston continued with a pair of free-throws as Upsher slashed a jumper, 14-7.

Newcomers Justice Mitchell and Jayla Ellis put up points in the first half as Upsher added another jumper, sending the two teams into the second quarter, 20-15 GA.

Johnston denoted seven points as Upsher and Ellis put up points in the paint, 31-24 with just four mintues until half. Sophomore forward Andrea Burroughs (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) dropped a jumper as both Johnston and freshman guard Destanie Grayson slashed points from the free-throw line, tie ball game at the break 37 each.

Ellis opened the second half with a jumper before Johnston hit a three-pointer, 42-41 Lions. The gafme continued back-and-forth with contributions from Uphser, Ellis, Grayson and Johnston, 54-52 GA with just ten minutes remaining in regulation.

The same quartet completed shots from all over he floor, finding themselves up seven points over Wilkes-Barre with less than four minutes on the clock. WB worked their way back before Burroughs added free-throw points, leaving the ball in Johnston's hands with ten seconds remaining, finishing the game with points in the paint, Greater Allegheny on top 72-70.

Johnston managed 30 points, as she cleaned up 100% (9-of-9) of her foul shots, along with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Upsher registered 15 points with five boards and three steals while Ellis put up 13 points, six rebounds and four steals in her first debut with the Lions. Grayson pulled down nine rebounds with eight points.

As a team, Greater Allegheny completed 87.5% (14-of-16) of their shots from the foul line with 27 total buckets from the floor. Although out-rebounded 39-36, GA noted 20 points off turnovers, 16 points in the paint and six points off second-chance.

Greater Allegheny (4-7, 2-3 PSUAC) moves on to their second game of the PSUAC road trip in Penn State Worthington-Scranton, Saturday afternoon, for a 1 p.m. tip-off.