POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Despite a career-high 28 points from Zach Bromfeld (Woodmere, NY), the Vassar College men's basketball team (1-1) fell to Penn State Abington (2-1) by a 79-75 count in the championship game of the Vassar Tip-Off Tournament at the Athletic & Fitness Center on Saturday afternoon.  Bromfeld, who had a double-double in the Brewers' victory over New Rochelle on Friday night, was named to the all-tournament team.
 
Penn State Abington jumped out to an early 14-8 advantage before Vassar came storming back, taking the lead, 18-16, on a Bromfeld three-point play with 11:43 left in the first half.  After the Nittany Lions went back in front, 26-25, a Kyle Kappes (San Diego, CA) layup sparked an 11-0 rally that gave the Brewers a 10-point cushion, 36-26, with 4:29 remaining before halftime.  Penn State Abington cut its deficit to four late in the period, but a Bromfeld three-point play with 12 seconds to go secured a seven-point edge, 43-36, at the break.
 
A Grinde layup opened the second-half scoring, but Penn State Abington rattled off 10 of the next 14 points to get back within three, 49-46.  The Nittany Lions took the lead, 57-55, on Devin Hill's trey at the 10:36 mark, and another Hill three-pointer extended that margin to five, 64-59, with 9:15 left.  However, Vassar countered with eight straight points, and the Brewers regained the advantage, 67-64, when Hugh Durham (Savannah, GA) was fouled shooting a three-pointer and sank all three foul shots.
 
After the Nittany Lions scored the next five points to go back in front, 68-67, Alex Seff's (Arlington, VA) long ball on the other end made it 70-68 in favor of the Brewers.  The sides then traded one-point leads before Charles Ervin hit a layup with 1:35 remaining to put Penn State Abington ahead for good.
 
Trailing 78-75 with 20 seconds left, the Brewers had the ball and a chance to tie.  However, Durham's three-point attempt with five seconds remaining fell short, and Jordan Lomax grabbed the rebound for Penn State Abington.  He was fouled immediately and missed the first free throw.  Lomax sank the second, though, icing the Nittany Lions' 79-75 victory.
 
Bromfeld went 12-for-15 from the field and 4-for-4 at the line in the game.  He also grabbed nine rebounds.  Paul Grinde (Virginia Beach, VA), meanwhile, posted 20 points, nine boards and three assists.  This marked the first time since Dec. 30 of last season that Vassar had two players score 20 points in the same contest (Jesse Browne-23, Seff-22 at Marymount).  Durham added 11 points and three assists for the Brewers.
 
Both teams shot 43.8 percent from the floor (28-of-64) and grabbed 40 rebounds.  However, the Nittany Lions went 7-for-25 (28 percent) from long range, while the Brewers but were just 4-for-26 (15.4 percent).  At the free throw line, Vassar shot 68.2 percent (15-of-22) and Penn State Abington shot 66.7 percent (16-of-24).
 
Five Nittany Lions scored in double-figures, led by tournament MVP Pernell Ghee's 17 points.  He also recorded seven rebounds and four steals.  Bobby Olsen, who joined Ghee and Bromfeld on the all-tournament team, finished with 15 points, while Jay Fitzgerald and Hill both had 11 points.  John Ryan added 10 points for Penn State Abington.  Lomax pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, and Charles Ervin handed out seven assists to go along with eight points and seven boards.
 
Earlier in the day, Misericordia defeated New Rochelle, 89-74, in the consolation game.  Misericordia's Noah Rivera and New Rochelle's Hunter Schenkel rounded out the all-tournament team.
 
Vassar concludes its season-opening three-game homestand on Tuesday night, when Mount St. Vincent (0-1) visits the Athletic & Fitness Center for a 7 p.m. matchup.