SCRANTON, Pa. – The No. 2 University of Scranton women's basketball team delivered a dominant performance on Saturday afternoon, rolling to a 71–41 victory over Catholic University at the John Long Center to remain unbeaten at 15–0 overall and 8–0 in Landmark Conference play. The win also marked a historic milestone for head coach Ben O'Brien.
The Basics
- Final Score: No. 2 Scranton 71, Catholic 41
- Records: Scranton (15–0, 8–0 Landmark), Catholic (10-5, 7-1)
How It Happened
- Scranton set the tone early, jumping out to a 14–7 lead at the end of the first quarter behind strong defensive pressure that forced multiple Catholic turnovers. Katie Gorski and Sophia Talutto provided early offense, while the Lady Royals limited Catholic to just three field goals in the opening 10 minutes.
- The Lady Royals maintained control in the second quarter, continuing to dictate the pace on both ends of the floor. Kaci Kranson scored consistently in the paint, and Scranton carried a 29–22 advantage into halftime after holding Catholic to just 22 points through the first two quarters.
- Scranton took complete command of the game in the third quarter, erupting for 21 points while limiting Catholic to just four. The Lady Royals opened the half on a 21–4 run, highlighted by baskets from Meghan Lamanna, Talutto, and Elizabeth Bennett, pushing the lead to 50–26 heading into the final period.
- The Lady Royals continued to pour it on in the fourth quarter, scoring 21 more points to stretch the lead to as many as 34. Scranton's defense remained relentless throughout the period, holding Catholic to 28.8 percent shooting for the game and sealing the 71–41 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- FG%: Scranton 41.5%, Catholic 28.8%
- 3PT: Scranton 7-19, Catholic 3-12
- FT: Scranton 10-14, Catholic 8-11
- Rebounds: Scranton 40, Catholic 33
Top Performers
Milestone Moment
- Saturday's victory marked the 100th career win at the collegiate level for head coach Ben O'Brien, making him the third coach in program history to reach the milestone, joining Mike Strong and Trevor Woodruff. O'Brien is believed to have tied the NCAA record across all divisions and sports by reaching 100 career wins in just 106 total games coached.
Up Next
- Scranton returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 21, when the Lady Royals travel to Wilkes University for an 8:00 p.m. tip-off.
