Sophomore forward Jason Pierce (Scranton, Pa./Conestoga/Lackawanna College) had a career-high 13 points and The University of Scranton men's basketball team took a 25-point lead at halftime en route to a 78-41 victory over Goucher College on Saturday afternoon in the Long Center.

Pierce added nine rebounds while playing just 14 minutes off the bench. Freshman forward Brendan Boken (South Pasadena, Calif./Loyola) and junior guard Tommy Morgan (Greenlawn, N.Y./Chaminade) had 11 points apiece as 12 Royals found the scoring column.

The Royals remain in first place in the Landmark Conference, one half game ahead of Catholic and Goucher. Catholic posted an 85-59 victory at Moravian on Saturday.

Scranton (12-3, 4-1 Landmark) shot a sizzling 56.3 percent (18-for-32) in the opening half to take a commanding 41-16 lead. Junior guard Michael Barr (North Wales, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) scored all nine of his points in the first half, Pierce had eight and senior guard Travis Farrell (Middletown, N.J./Christian Brothers Academy) had seven points, four rebounds and four assists in the opening 20 minutes.

The Royals held Goucher (5-9, 3-1 Landmark) to just 31.5 percent (17-for-54) from the field in the game, including just 7-for-24 in the first half. Scranton also forced the Gophers into 20 turnovers while committing just 12 of their own. The Royals also won the rebounding battle, 43-35.

The Scranton bench contributed 37 of the team's 78 points as nobody played more than 25 minutes. All 16 players recorded either a point or a rebound in the victory.

The 37-point margin of victory was the largest for the Royals since they doubled up Bard, 96-48, on Nov. 21, 2009, in the Long Center.

Goucher was led by sophomore forward Ed Oliver (Adelphi, Md./High Point), who came off the bench to score 12 points and pull down nine rebounds.

Scranton returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 12, when it hosts Drew University in a Landmark Conference game at 7 p.m. in the Long Center. 

--ROYALS--