Senior forward Brendan Boken (South Pasadena, Calif./Loyola) had another impressive game in a season full of them, but The University of Scranton men's basketball team could not erase a halftime deficit in a 73-62 loss to Catholic on Saturday afternoon in the Long Center.
Boken finished the day with 32 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block. It was his eighth double-double in the last 10 games and ninth of the season, and it was his fourth game of 30 or more points this season. But it wasn't enough to save the Royals (11-5, 4-4 Landmark) against the high-powered Cardinals (12-4, 5-2 Landmark).
Scranton came out hot, taking a 12-6 lead less than five minutes into the game, fueled by a pair of 3-pointers by senior guard Marcus Thomas (Clarksburg, Pa./Clarksburg). But Catholic responded with a 14-2 run for a 20-14 lead at the 11:25 mark, and the Royals were unable to steady themselves for the remainder of the half as the Cardinals took a 43-24 advantage into the locker room.
Catholic scored the first five of the second half for its largest lead at 48-24 before Scranton methodically worked its way back into the game. A 13-4 run got the Royals within 52-37 when sophomore guard Kevin Doolan (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) converted a three-point play with a little more than 13 minutes to play.
The Royals eventually cut the deficit to seven when Boken scored inside with 4:31 to play, ending a run of 11 straight Scranton points scored by Boken. But Catholic scored the next four points, all at the foul line, and the Royals could get no closer than nine the rest of the way.
Boken finished with 19 points in the second half, going 9-for-9 from the field. He finished the game 15-for-18 from the floor, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range.
Doolan finished the day with 11 points and a career-high eight assists. Junior forward John Vitkus (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) added 10 points and six rebounds.
Scranton ended the day shooting 48.1 percent (26-for-54), including a blistering 16-for-24 (66.7 percent) in the second half. The Royals were 6-for-13 (46.2 percent) from 3-point range for the game, but made just four of eight from the free throw line. Scranton also won the rebounding battle, 32-31.
Catholic 25-for-53 (47.2 percent) from the field in the game, including 11-for-23 (47.8 percent) from 3-point range. The Cardinals also made 12 of 19 free throws (63.2 percent) and made only 11 turnovers.
The loss keeps Scranton in fifth place in the Landmark Conference with eight games remaining. They are 1½ games behind both Catholic and Juniata, who are tied for third, and a half-game ahead of Merchant Marine Academy. Susquehanna (15-1, 6-1 Landmark) leads the conference, with Drew (9-7, 6-2) in second.
The Royals will be back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 20, when they travel to Bethlehem, Pa. to take on Moravian in a Landmark Conference game at 7 p.m.
--ROYALS--