The 21st-ranked University of Scranton men's basketball team faced another tough test on Thursday night when 11th-ranked Susquehanna came to the Long Center. In the end, the Royals couldn't slow down their second nationally ranked opponent in the past four games, falling to the Crusaders, 78-63.
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Royals (10-3, 3-2 Landmark), who had a win over then-11th-ranked Christopher Newport nine days earlier. Susquehanna (13-0, 4-0 Landmark) remained the only unbeaten team in the conference while knocking Scranton into a tie for fourth.
The Royals were led by senior forward Brendan Boken (South Pasadena, Calif./Loyola), who finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, his third straight double-double and seventh of the season. Sophomore guard Kevin Doolan (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) had 11 points, five assists and four rebounds, and senior guard Marcus Thomas (Clarksburg, Md./Clarksburg) matched his season high with 11 points.
Scranton trailed 36-33 after a back-and-forth first half. The Royals actually shot the ball better in the second half – 44 percent to just 40 in the opening 20 minutes – but could not slow the high-scoring Susquehanna offense. The Crusaders came into the game averaging 82.4 points per game, and found their gear in the second half, shooting 50 percent (14-for-28) from the field while making all nine free throw attempts en route to 40 second-half points.
For the game, Scranton finished 25-for-60 (41.7 percent) from the field, including 6-for-25 (24 percent) from 3-point range. The Royals were 7-for-11 (63.6 percent) from the free throw line, won the rebounding battle, 37-31, and committed just 11 turnovers.
Susquehanna finished 28-for-60 (46.7 percent) from the field, including 11-for-27 (40.7 percent) from 3-point range. The Crusaders were a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line and committed only seven turnovers.
Scranton will be back in action on Saturday when the Royals travel to Baltimore, Md. to take on Goucher in a Landmark Conference game at 4 p.m.
--ROYALS--