SCRANTON, Pa. - University of Scranton junior forward Alexix Roman (Hawley, Pa./Wallenpaupack) had a double-double with a game-high 23 points and 11 rebounds, as the fourth-ranked Lady Royals used a big second half to pull away from visiting Goucher on Saturday afternoon, 69-51, in Landmark Conference action inside the John Long Center.
With the win, Scranton is now a perfect 23-0 on the year and 14-0 in the Landmark Conference, as the Lady Royals are now one win away from matching the best start in program history (24-0 during the 1994-95 season). Goucher fell to 8-15 and 3-11 in the Landmark with the loss.
Before tip-off, the two members of the Lady Royals senior class were honored in guards Noelle Alicea (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) and Jaclyn Gantz (Havertown, Pa./Haverford). Both were also awarded the Dr. Harold Davis Award, presented annually to the most valuable senior on the team.
After a defensive minded first quarter that saw the Lady Royals keep a lead from the outset and go up 13-8 on the Gophers entering the second quarter.
There, Scranton quickly opened up at 17-8 lead in the first minute of action, but Goucher was able to sit within striking distance for most of the quarter, cutting the Lady Royal lead to six points on two separate occasions.
Finally late in the period, Scranton went up double-digits for the first time all afternoon (29-18), but Goucher ended the half on a 4-0 run, as the Lady Royals went into the locker room for halftime up, 29-22.
In the third quarter, Goucher scored the first two points of action to cut the lead to five points (29-24), which was the closest the Gophers came to the lead the rest of the contest.
Up 33-26 with seven minutes to go in the period, Scranton went on a huge 16-3 run over a four minute span to go up 20 points (49-29) with three minutes to go in the period.
After outscoring the Gophers 25-13 in the third quarter to go up 54-35 entering the fourth, Scranton coasted in the final 10 minutes of action, as the Lady Royals capped off an unbeaten home regular season slate with another win by double digits, which they have done 11 times on the year inside the Long Center.
Overall, Roman went over 20 points in a game for the 11th time on the season, recording her seventh double-double of the season in the process. She has also scored in double-figures in 22-of-23 games on the year, leading the Lady Royals in scoring for the 16th time in a contest.
Elsewhere, Alicea was the only other Lady Royal to score in double figures on the day, adding 10 points and six assists. Gantz finished with seven points and seven rebounds, while junior forward Sarah Payonk (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford) also had seven points, along with eight rebounds and five assists.
The University of Scranton women's basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, traveling to Merchant Marine for another Landmark Conference showdown. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
--LADY ROYALS--