Scranton Keeps Rolling WIth Non-Conference Win

SCRANTON, Pa.-The University of Scranton played a near-perfect game in posting an 85-76 victory over Baruch College in non-conference action at the Long Center.

And with two starters out of the lineup, the Lady Royals had little choice.

Junior guard Jennifer King (Taylor, Pa./Riverside) and first-year forward Tayler Pallotta (Dunmore, Pa./Dunmore) led six players in double figures with 16 points apiece as the Lady Royals extended their season-long winning streak to eight and improved to 13-2.

Scranton's steadily-improving bench once again dominated the action. Junior forward Sarah Gage (Ledgewood, N.J./Roxbury) posted the first ‘double-double' of her career with 15 points and 15 rebounds and sophomore guard Sidney Jaques (Rosemont, N.J./Hunterdon) tied her career-high with 12 in an up-tempo game that featured eight ties and 14 lead changes.

The Lady Royals also received 15 points from junior guard Megan Kopecki (Millington, N.J./Watchung Hills Regional) and 11 points and a career-high 11 assists from senior guard Ryan Mooney (Spring City, Pa./Pius X).

About the only thing Scranton didn't do right was contain Baruch junior point-guard Monique Salmon (Bronx, N.Y./Truman), who slashed through the Scranton defense and finished with 23 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds.

The Bearcats, who had a seven-game winning streak snapped and fell to 13-4, also received 20 points from senior forward Kalea Davis (Bronx, N.Y./Herbert H. Lehman), 12 points and 10 rebounds from junior forward Megan Bouwens (White Lake, Mich./White Lake), and eight points and 10 rebounds from junior center Lauri Coward (Snellville, Ga./Shiloh).

Each team attacked the basket at will in the first half, combining for 46 points in the paint as Scranton, behind 12 points by Pallotta and nine from King, squeezed out a 44-40 halftime lead. Salmon continually got into the lane off the dribble-beating double teams and traps-and finished with 11 points and six assists in the opening 20 minutes of play.

The lead seesawed back and forth in the opening six minutes of the second half before Kopecki and King combined for 10 points during a 12-2 spurt to erase a one-point deficit and give the Lady Royals the lead for good, 66-57, with 10:10 remaining.

Behind nine points by Salmon, the Bearcats continue to chip away and trailed by only six, 78-72, with 2:48 left.

The Lady Royals then spread the court and were able to establish Gage down low. She scored seven straight points as Scranton ended the game on a 7-4 run.

Scranton, which played without senior center Molly Klusek (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) (injury) and junior forward Courtney Roselle (Cedar Grove, N.J./Mount St. Dominic) (illness), will open a two-game Landmark Conference home stand this Friday, January 22, against Catholic University beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Long Center.

Story provided by Scranton Sports Information