SCRANTON, Pa. – Graduate student Abby Anderson (Scranton, Pa./Holy Cross) matched her career-high with 27 points and The University of Scranton women's basketball team (9-2, 2-0 Landmark) put together a dominant second half in a 78-50 victory over the Juniata Eagles (4-8, 0-2 Landmark) in Landmark Conference action on Saturday afternoon at the John Long Center in Scranton.

The Lady Royals trailed by one at halftime before outscoring Juniata by a 45-16 margin in the second half.

Anderson's 27 point outing tied her career-high that was set in a win over TCNJ on Dec. 22. This marked the fourth time in her last five games that the Scranton native has scored 20 plus points.

Anderson also added 15 rebounds in the victory for her third double-double of the season.

Juniata was hot out of the gate on the afternoon as a layup from Dani Scipioni made it 16-10 with 2:39 left in the first quarter. The Lady Royals rallied with a quick 6-0 spurt to tie things at 16 apiece, but the Eagles hit a late three for a 21-17 lead after one. In the second quarter, Juniata opened up their largest lead of the game at 28-21 with 6:58 to play before a 7-0 Scranton run capped by an Anderson layup tied things at 28. From there, a layup by the Eagles' Hailey Sherman gave the visitors a 34-33 edge at halftime.

Scranton took control of the game immediately to start the second half and led 45-40 with 3:58 to play in the third quarter when senior Carly Heineman (Abington, Pa./Gwynedd Mercy Academy) sank a free throw to ignite an 11-0 run over the remainder of the quarter. Anderson scored six of the 11 points during the run and the Lady Royals led 56-40 after three. Juniata was unable to get any closer than 16 the rest of the way and a layup from sophomore Maddie Hartnett (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) opened up the largest lead of the game at 78-47 in the final minute of regulation.

Joining Anderson in double figures for Scranton were Hartnett with 14 points and Angelini with 12, while Heineman added eight points and six rebounds off the bench.

On the afternoon, the Lady Royals shot 34.4% (22-of-64) from the floor and 7-of-26 (26.9%) from three-point range, while connecting on 27-of-33 (81.8%) from the charity stripe. Juniata was 19-of-62 (30.6%) from the field and 10-of-26 (38.5%) from beyond the arc.

Scranton held a dominant 57-33 edge in the rebounding battle led by Anderson's 15 caroms and seven from sophomore Jenna Larrabee (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill). The 57 rebounds includes 20 offensive boards, the second-highest total of the season for head coach Nick DiPillo's squad. 

The Lady Royals return to action on Monday night when they host Clarks Summit in a non-conference game beginning at 6 p.m. 

--LADY ROYALS--