ST. DAVIDS, Pa. - In its most complete performance of the season, Eastern Women's Basketball (2-7) closed out its 2022 home slate with a 77-68 victory over Penn State Brandywine on Saturday at the NEST. Four Eagles finished in double figures and Eastern scored 24 points in the fourth quarter to secure its second win of the season.

Graduate forward Wynter Bess carried the offense for the Eagles in the first quarter, scoring 10 of her 15 points in the frame. With the contest tied at 4-4 in the early stages, Bess hit her first triple of the game to put the Eagles up 7-4. After the Lions (5-6) tied it up again with a three of their own, Bess scored in transition off a steal from Trinity Upton to put the Eagles up 9-7. Ebony Johnson hit a pair of free throws to put the Eagles up by four, before another three from Bess capped off a 7-0 run and put Eastern ahead 14-7. The Philadelphia native put a bow on a strong first quarter in the final 14 seconds, hitting a jumper in the paint to give the Eagles an 18-12 lead heading into the second quarter.

Back-to-back baskets from Ebony Johnson and Jeriyah Johnson early in the second quarter put the Eagles up by 10 at 22-12 in the first 1:10. However, the Lions came roaring back, using a 14-4 to tie the contest at 26-26 with 3:21 remaining in the first half. The Eagles regained a four-point advantage with 24 seconds to play, but the Lions took advantage of a late Eastern foul to pull within 32-30 at the halftime break.

The third quarter was back-and-forth, with neither team leading by more than five points. With the score tied at 42-42 with 5:18 to play in the quarter, the Lions scored five straight points to take their biggest lead of the afternoon at 47-42. Eastern answered with a 6-1 run of their own, taking the lead on a Jakaylah Holland layup, a three-pointer from Jeriyah Johnson, and free throws from both Upton and Ebony Johnson. Eastern increased their advantage to four points on two more free throws from Johnson, but the Lions scored four straight points to tie the contest at 53-53 heading into the final frame.

After getting fouled, Ebony Johnson hit another free throw to give the Eagles the lead for good, and Jeriyah Johnson followed with a jumper in the paint to put the Eagles up by three. After the Lions cut the lead down to two on a pair of free throws, Kayla Worsley-Wooten's first three of the afternoon put the Eagles back up by five. The Lions once again trimmed the Eagles' advantage back down to two with 5:11 to play, but back-to-back baskets from Upton put the game firmly in Eastern's hands. The Eagles never trailed by more than seven the rest of the way, securing the nine-point triumph.

"We will take the win," Eastern Head Coach Eric Houston said. "It was a good win, but we have to be a lot better in a variety of ways. But I am happy we got the W. We are moving forward and getting ready for Roanoke."

Jeriyah Johnson led the Eagles in scoring for the sixth time in eight contests. The first-year guard from Lancaster scored 22 points on nine-of-14 shooting and three-of-six from beyond the arc to go along with six rebounds, three assists, and five steals. Bess, along with her 15 points, finished with five assists. Ebony Johnson recorded her first collegiate double-double with 13 points and 10 boards, while Upton rounded out Eastern's double-digit scorers with 13 points, four assists, and six steals.

Eastern Women's Basketball will be back in action for the Susan Dunagan Holiday Classic on Dec. 29 and 30 in Salem, Va. The Eagles will begin tournament play against Roanoke College on Dec. 29 beginning at 5:00 pm.