Box Score

SCRANTON - Junior Stephen Braunstein (Colts Neck, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) nailed a three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime, and The University of Scranton men's basketball team outscored Franklin & Marshall, 17-9, in the extra frame to come from behind and take an 89-81 victory in non-conference action in the John Long Center Wednesday night.

With the thrilling victory, Scranton snapped a two-game losing streak and evened their record up to 4-4. Franklin & Marshall dropped to 3-5 with the tough defeat.

From the opening tap on Wednesday, both teams stayed within striking distance of each other with really no one taking control of the contest the entire way.

Despite opening an early lead on the visiting Diplomats (21-14 with 9 minutes left in the first half), Scranton saw F&M come back and take the edge at 30-27 with three minutes to go in the first stanza. And, once F&M grabbed the lead in the first half, they never gave it up, as the Diplomats held a 35-33 advantage on the Royals entering intermission.

Out of the break, the Royals quickly grabbed the lead back at 40-37, but the lead for Scranton did not last long, as the Diplomats held Scranton off throughout the second half and grabbed a 60-53 edge with 8:11 left.

Here, the Royals began their comeback.

Over the next four minutes, Scranton went on a 10-2 run to grab the lead back, as a made Braunstein layup gave the Royals a 63-62 edge with 4:05 left. But, F&M went right back down the floor and scored, and eventually held a 70-66 edge with 1:45 to go.

With 1:36 left, junior Ryan Ems (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) made one of two free throws to make it a one-possession game, and then after a defensive stop, sophomore Tahaj Parland (Neptune, N.J./Mater Dei) sank a jumper with 29 seconds left to slice the F&M lead down to one point at 70-69.

After a Scranton foul and two made F&M free throws made it a 72-69 game with 16 seconds left, the Royals had one last chance to tie things up.

First, senior Jackson Danzig (Clarks Green, Pa./Abington Heights) got a good look at a three but missed. However, freshman Mason Thompson (Prairie Village, Kan./Rockhurst) made a huge offensive rebound and found an open Braunstein in the corner who sank the game-tying three with seconds left to tie the game up at 72-all.

At the buzzer, F&M had a desperation half court shot rattle out, sending the game to overtime, where Scranton quickly took control and never looked back.

Up by three with 2:32 left (78-75), Scranton put F&M away for the night with a flurry of baskets by Ems, who scored back-to-back buckets to put the Royals up for good at 82-75 with 1:32 left. Two made free throws by senior Peter Hartrick (Binghamton, N.Y./Seton Catholic Central) extended the lead out to nine (84-75), which was far too much for F&M to come back from the rest of the game.

In the final minute of OT, Scranton salted the game away at the foul line, as the Royals went to take a victory in their first overtime game of the 2021-22 season.

Overall on the night, Danzig once again led the Royals with 24 points and 11 rebounds to notch his first double-double of the year. Danzig also dished out five assists and had three steals in the win, as well.

Elsewhere, Braunstein finished with 18 points, while Ems had 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor. Parland rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Royals with 14 points and 5 assists.

F&M was led in the defeat by Solomon Mathis, who had a game-high 28 points.

The University of Scranton men's basketball team returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Penn State Harrisburg. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

--ROYALS--