After a 60-54 win over Ohio Northern in NCAA Tournament Second Round action last weekend, The University of Scranton women's basketball team (27-2) is set to battle Johns Hopkins (26-3) in a Sweet 16 clash on Friday afternoon at NYU. Opening tip is slated for 4:30 p.m.

Friday's other Sweet 16 matchup features NYU and Hardin-Simmons at 7 p.m. The two winners will then play for a spot in the Final Four on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets for both days are available at the door and are $15 for adults (18+) and $10 for students, children ages 2+ and seniors 61 and over.

This marks the sixth all-time meeting between the two teams and the first since Mar. 2, 2019 when the Lady Royals topped the Blue Jays by a score of 59-46 in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament at the John Long Center.

Scranton is making the program's second Sweet 16 appearance in the last three seasons after also accomplishing the feat in 2022. Last weekend, the Lady Royals defeated Framingham State (60-39) and Ohio Northern (60-54) to punch their ticket.

Johns Hopkins notched victories over Marietta (75-66) and Christopher Newport (77-75) to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1998. In the win over Christopher Newport, Michaela O'Neil gave the Blue Jays the lead with 0:21 left after a pair of free throws and Greta Miller blocked a Captains' layup attempt in the final seconds that would have tied the game.

Sophomore guard/forward Kaci Kranson (Scranton, Pa./Holy Cross) leads the team and Landmark Conference in scoring at 16.0 points per game, while sophomore guard Kaeli Romanowski (Lake Ariel, Pa./Western Wayne) checks in at 9.4 ppg and senior forward Maddy Ryan (Malvern, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) averages 9.1 ppg. Kranson is also the team's top rebounder at 6.7 boards per game.

Romanowski tops the Landmark in both steals (90) and steals per game (3.2).

In the win over Ohio Northern, Kranson led the way with 17 points and Romanowski along with senior guard Maddie Hartnett (Chatham, N.J./Chatham) added 12 points apiece. Both Hartnett and Kranson collected six rebounds apiece to go along with eight points and six boards from graduate student guard Hannah Angelini (Baldwin Place, N.Y./Somers).

The Lady Royals possess the top scoring defense in the Landmark at 46.7 points per game, a total that ranks fifth in all of Division III. In fact, head coach Ben O'Brien's team has held opponents to 50 points or less 18 times.

Johns Hopkins features a balanced attack offensively as four players average double figures in Elizabeth Peebles (12.5 ppg), O'Neil (12.0 ppg), Miller (10.3 ppg) and Macie Feldman (10.3 ppg). Miller is the team's top rebounder at 8.6 boards per game and ranks second on the team with 3.3 assists per game.

If you can't make it to New York City this weekend, click the following links for live video and live stats.

Click here to view the full 2024 NCAA Division III women's basketball bracket.

--LADY ROYALS--