The Basics:

• Final Score: Scranton 60, NYU 52
• Records: Scranton (32-0), NYU (29-1)
• The Lady Royals set a new program record with their 32nd win of the season. Head Coach Ben O'Brien advances to his first career national championship game and will look to guide Scranton to its second NCAA title.
• Scranton will take on Denison University in the national championship on Saturday, March 21 at 4:00 p.m. inside the Cregger Center at Roanoke College.

How it Happened

• NYU opened the scoring with a three-pointer, but the Lady Royals quickly responded as Kaeli Romanowski finished at the rim. Defense dominated early, with Scranton holding a narrow 3-2 lead four minutes in.
• Meghan Lamanna sparked the offense with a three from the right wing, and Scranton capitalized on a defensive steal to build momentum. Elizabeth Bennett added a pair of inside baskets, giving the Lady Royals a 9-3 advantage midway through the first quarter before extending it to 11-5.
• Kaci Kranson knocked down a three to push the lead to nine, and Lamanna later connected from the top of the key following an offensive rebound sequence. Scranton's defense held NYU to just five points in the opening period, taking a 17-5 lead into the second.
• The Violets opened the second quarter with a three, but Romanowski answered at the free throw line. Bennett added a three-pointer and a block on the defensive end, while Lamanna continued to lead the offense with a strong drive to extend the lead to 25-13.
• Katie Gorski converted through contact to push the lead to 14, and Lamanna added a midrange jumper to make it 29-13. NYU hit a late three before halftime, but Scranton still carried a 12-point advantage into the break after holding the Violets to just 18 first-half points.
• NYU came out strong in the third, cutting the deficit to six and eventually to three at 31-28. Lamanna halted the run with a three-pointer, and Sophia Talutto added a pull-up jumper in transition.
• Scranton responded with balanced scoring in the paint from Gorski, Romanowski, and Lamanna, while Talutto's three-pointer and a defensive steal leading to a Kranson fast-break bucket helped extend the lead to 47-34 heading into the fourth.
• The Violets continued to push, trimming the lead to 10 early in the final quarter. Romanowski answered with a three, and Talutto followed with a strong finish off the glass after a timeout.
• NYU cut the deficit to eight midway through the fourth, but Romanowski responded again with a tough drive. Despite back-to-back NYU threes that made it a four-point game with under a minute remaining, Scranton remained composed.
• Talutto split a pair of free throws to make it 57-52, and after a defensive stop, Lamanna sealed the game with two free throws. Gorski added another at the line to close out the 60-52 win.

Top Performers

• Meghan Lamanna: 18 points, 9 rebounds
• Kaeli Romanowski: 14 points, 16 rebounds (career-high), 5 steals
• Elizabeth Bennett: 10 points, 7 rebounds
• Sophia Talutto: 8 points, 5 steals

Inside the Box Score

• FG: Scranton 40.7% | NYU 28.4%
• 3PT: Scranton 41.2% | NYU 31.3%
• FT: Scranton 61.3% | NYU 50.0%
• Rebounds: Scranton 47 | NYU 34
• Steals: Scranton 12 | NYU 12

Up Next

• Scranton will face Denison University in the NCAA Division III National Championship game on Saturday, March 21 at 4:00 p.m. at the Cregger Center at Roanoke College. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.