SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton men's basketball team (1-1) fought hard for all 40 minutes, but a late 11-2 run by No. 8 Swarthmore (2-0) proved costly in a 73-67 setback for the Royals on Saturday evening at the John Long Center in Scranton.

The contest between the Royals and Garnet was the championship game of the annual Hilton Scranton Invitational.

A jumper from junior Ryan Ems (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) gave Scranton a 65-62 edge with 2:27 to play, but Vinny DeAngelo scored the next six points for Swarthmore to make it a 68-65 game in favor of the visitors with under a minute to play. Trailing by three in the final 20 seconds, the Royals were unable to get a shot attempt off.

DeAngelo nabbed Tournament MVP honors for the Garnet with 29 points on the afternoon.

The two teams traded baskets for most of the first nine plus minutes of the game and a pair of free throws from junior Stephen Braunstein (Colts Neck, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) tied things at 16 apiece at the 11:01 mark before the Garnet hit consecutive threes to ignite a 12-2 run that made it 28-18. Trailing by as many as 12 at one point, Scranton responded and sliced the deficit in half as a layup from junior Peter Hartrick (Binghamton, N.Y./Seton Catholic Central) in the final seconds of the half cut the Swarthmore advantage to 43-37.

Head coach Carl Danzig's squad was hot from the floor to start the second half and a Jackson Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights) jumper evened things at 46 apiece with 15:49 to play in regulation. A few minutes later, seniorJack Brockett (Shamong, N.J./Seneca) broke a 52-all tie with a three-pointer to give Scranton their first lead since the early stages of the first half. Swarthmore battled back to take a 60-58 edge with under six minutes to play, but Danzig tied things at 60 with a layup at the 5:22 mark. Following a scoreless two minutes, the senior connected on a three to give the host Royals a 63-60 lead with 3:25 left before Swarthmore was able to complete the afore-mentioned late rally.

Braunstein and Danzig paced Scranton with 17 points apiece, while Brockett buried four threes for 14 points of his own.

DeAngelo was the lone member of the Garnet in double figures with his game-high 29 points.

On the day, the Royals shot 41.8% (23-of-55) from the floor and 7-of-17 (41.2%) from long range, while Swarthmore was 25-of-49 (51.0%) on the day and 3-of-14 from beyond the arc.

The Garnet held a 34-27 edge in the rebounding battle as Ems led the Royals with eight boards to go along with his seven points.

Scranton returns to the court on Wednesday as Wilkes comes to town for a 7 p.m. tip at the Long Center.

--ROYALS--