Tommy Morgan	Michael Barr
Ross Danzig	Brendan Boken

Box Score

MADISON, NJ—If The University of Scranton men’s basketball team makes a run at the top seed in the Landmark Conference tournament, it’ll need more performances like it got from senior guard Tommy Morgan (Greenlawn, NY/Chaminade) Wednesday evening against Drew University.

Morgan connected on 10 of 16 shots from the field and finished with 23 points, nine rebounds, five steals, and four assists in leading the Royals to an 82-72 victory at the Baldwin Gymnasium.  

Scranton, which won its third straight and eighth in its last nine games, also received 21 points and six rebound from junior guard Ross Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights/Blair Academy-NJ), 14 points from sophomore forward Brendan Boken (South Pasadena, Calif./Loyola), and 11 points from senior guard Michael Barr (North Wales, Pa./Lansdale Catholic).

Sophomore guard Mike Klinger (Franklin Park, NJ/Rutgers Preparatory School) led the Rangers, now 8-8 overall and 2-3 in the conference, with 26 points and sophomore guard Jason Huelbig (Middletown, NJ/Middletown North) added 23 points.

Danzig and Morgan combined for 27 points in the second half after the Royals opened up a 7-point halftime lead.  And even though Scranton shot nearly 54 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes of play, it led by only two with 5:33 left, 65-63.

That’s when Danzig took over, kick-starting an 11-0 run with a 3-pointer and Boken and Morgan followed with four points apiece that gave the Royals some breathing room, 76-63, with 2:32 left.

Nevertheless, the Rangers still managed to whittle the lead down to six with 1:38 left before Morgan canned two free throws and Danzig followed with a traditional 3-point play to push the lead back up to 11, 81-70, with 16 seconds left.

Barr, who scored in double figures for the first time since December 16, got the Royals going early, scoring all 11 of his points in the first half on 4 of 6 shooting from the field.   He, Morgan, and Danzig combined for 28 points as Scranton shot 50 percent from the field to scratch out a 42-35 lead.

The Royals took advantage of the Rangers' inability to hang on to the basketball, making 12 steals and converting 15 Drew turnovers into 28 points.

Scranton returns to action Saturday, January 25, against defending champion and Landmark-leader Catholic University (11-5 overall/5-0 conference) beginning at 1:00 p.m. in the Long Center.  Immediately following the game, the University will induct the seven newest members into the athletics department Wall of Fame.

--ROYALS--