SCRANTON, Pa. – The No. 6 University of Scranton women's basketball team (9-0, 4-0 Landmark) shot 52.6% from the field and dismantled the visiting Goucher College Gophers (0-9, 0-4 Landmark) in a 98-31 victory on Saturday afternoon at the John Long Center.
The 98 points are the most the Lady Royals have scored since a 98-32 victory at Marywood on Nov. 11, 2021.
With the victory, Scranton remains unbeaten against the Gophers all-time with a perfect 32-0 mark.
Things were tied at three apiece just over two minutes into the game when sophomore Kaci Kranson (Scranton, Pa./Holy Cross) buried a three to ignite a 23-0 run that included a trio of three-pointers from freshman Meghan Lamanna (New Providence, N.J./New Providence). Scranton held a 26-5 lead after one quarter and continued its dominance in the second quarter with a 14-0 run to begin the period as Kranson's layup made it a 40-5 game at the 5:34 mark. Following a Goucher three, freshman Elizabeth Bennett (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph Hill Academy) converted a three-point play and classmate Natalie Stoupakis (Totowa, N.J./Morris Catholic) scored 10 points over the final five plus minutes of the quarter to give the hosts a 61-9 advantage at the half.
Scranton scored the first 19 points of the third quarter and led 80-9 with 2:51 left before taking an 82-14 lead into the fourth. Head coach Ben O'Brien's team added 16 more points in the fourth quarter and rolled to the victory to remain unbeaten.
Lamanna sank four threes and led five Lady Royals in double figures with 12 points to go along with 11 from sophomore Kaeli Romanowski (Lake Ariel, Pa./Western Wayne) and 10 apiece from the trio of Bennett, Kranson and Stoupakis.
The 10 points marked a season-high for both Bennett and Stoupakis.
Briyah Haggins paced the Gophers with 12 points.
The Lady Royals were 41-of-78 (52.6%) from the floor and 10-of-22 (45.5%) from deep, while holding Goucher to 20.0% (11-of-55) from the field and 24.2% (8-of-33) from three. Scranton also forced 23 Goucher turnovers behind seven steals from Romanowski and four from sophomore Jenna Sloan (Central Square, N.Y./Bishop Grimes).
Graduate student Kyra Quigley (Drexel Hill, Pa./Sacred Heart Academy Bryn Mawr) collected a game-high nine rebounds as the Lady Royals held a dominant 50-23 edge on the glass.
Scranton will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 19 with a Top-25 showdown at No. 20 DeSales. Opening tip is slated for 5 p.m.
--LADY ROYALS--
