WASHINGTON, D.C. - Freshman guard Bridgette Mann (Canadensis, Pa./Wallenpaupack) scored a game-high 20 points to lead four double-digit scorers, as the fourth-ranked University of Scranton women's basketball team left no doubt in a dominating 84-59 win at Catholic in their 2015-16 regular season final on Saturday afternoon.
With the convincing victory, Scranton finishes off their regular season unbeaten at 25-0 overall, which is just the second time in program history they have gone unbeaten in a regular year (1994-95 was the only other season). The 25-0 start is also the best in program history, as well.
Scranton also finishes the Landmark Conference regular year with a perfect 16-0 record and will host the duration of the 2016 Landmark Conference Playoffs inside the John Long Center beginning on Wednesday night.
In the win, the Lady Royals put away Catholic early, opening the first four minutes on a 10-0 run. The scoring barrage continued throughout the period and after the first 10 minutes of action, Scranton held a commanding 22-5 lead after senior guard Jaclyn Gantz (Havertown, Pa./Havertown) knocked down a jumper at the buzzer.
The 17-point deficit for Catholic was just too much to come back from the rest of the afternoon, as Scranton ballooned the lead out to 26-7 two minutes into the second quarter before Catholic finally hit double-digits with 8:34 left in the first half (26-10).
Up 45-29 at the half, the Lady Royals continued to pour it on in the third quarter, going up by 30 points (68-38) late in the period, as they entered the final period up by 28 points at 70-42.
From there, the Lady Royals coasted down the final 10 minutes of action, emphatically finishing off just the second undefeated regular season in the 42 years the program has existed at the University.
Overall, Mann led the way with her 20-point outing, her third highest total of the year after scoring 21 against Catholic at home on January 16. Mann shot 7-of-9 from the floor in the victory and dished out four assists, as well.
Elsewhere, junior forward Alexix Roman (Waverly, Pa./Wallenpaupack) missed just one shot from the floor (8-of-9) in a 19-point effort, while senior guard Noelle Alicea (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) added 12 points, also missing just one shot from the floor (5-of-6) on the day.
Rounding out the double-digit scorers for Scranton was junior forward Sarah Payonk (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford), who registered her 10th double-double of the season with a 12 point, 10 rebound performance. Payonk, who also missed just one shot from the floor (5-of-6), also dished out a game-high eight assists.
Overall, Scranton shot lights out all contest, finishing at 64.2 percent from the field in the game. Meanwhile, the Lady Royals forced Catholic to shoot just 33.3 percent on the day.
Scranton will open the 2016 Landmark Conference Playoffs inside the Long Center on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. against the fourth-seed in the tournament, which has yet to be determined.
--LADY ROYALS--