ALLENTOWN, PA (February 17, 2016) - The Penn State Lehigh Valley Women's Basketball team defeated visiting #6 Penn State Wilkes Barre in the 1st Round of the PSUAC Tournament, 92-49, Wednesday evening at Cedar Crest College to advance to the PSUAC Semifinals this Saturday at #2 Penn State Hazleton. With the win, Lehigh Valley improves to 17-6. 

Four Lehigh Valley players scored in double figures led by sophomore Andrea Watkins who had an explosive night scoring a game-high 36 points. Junior Nikita Brady scored 18 points coming off the bench to ignite Lehigh Valley's explosive offense. Sophomore Hannah Bankes recorded 15 points. Junior Ashley Gordon recorded a double-double scoring 13 points and collecting 12 rebounds.

Wilkes Barre hung with Lehigh Valley in the first quarter keeping it tight leading by a point, 20-19, after the 1st quarter. Lehigh Valley would explode in the second quarter and go on a monster run to go into halftime leading, 43-27. Wilkes Barre would come out on fire in the 3rd quarter going on a 7-1 run to close the gap to 9 but baskets by Watkins and Brady would fuel Lehigh Valley the rest of the way before taking a commanding 53 point win in the 1st round of the PSUAC playoffs.

Lehigh Valley will travel to Penn State Hazleton this Saturday, February 20 to take on the #2 seed Penn State Hazleton. Lehigh Valley is looking for redemption from a regular season loss to Hazleton on January 30. Hazleton beat Lehigh Valley, 84-83, on last second free throws. The winner of the semifinal game will advance to the PSUAC championship on Tuesday, February 23 at the Bryce Jordan Center at University Park against the winner of Penn State Beaver and Penn State Brandywine.

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