Scranton, PA – In a battle between the top two teams in the standings, Marywood University earned home court advantage in the Colonial States Athletic Conference women's basketball playoffs with a 51-45 victory over Gwynedd Mercy University Saturday in the Insalaco Arena. The Pacers secure the first top seed in program history.

Both Marywood and Gwynedd Mercy came into the regular season finale tied with just one conference loss. The Pacers won their eighth straight came at home and run their 2016 calendar year record to 14-1.

With a first round bye in hand, Marywood awaits to discover the identity of its first round opponent. Third-seeded Cabrini College hosts No. 6 Rosemont College. Neumann University represents the fourth seed and will welcome Centenary College in Monday's playoff game.

Gabrielle Giordano posted her second double-double of the year with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Alexa Gerchman overcame early foul trouble to garner 15 points and five assists.

A 15-point streak in the third quarter erased the halftime deficit and ultimately put the Pacers ahead for good. After Nicole Dombrowski lifted the Griffins (20-5, 14-2 CSAC) to a five-point lead (27-22) on their first possession of the second half, Giordano set the wheels in motion with a jump shot. Following an Olivia Bradford free throw for Gwynedd, Marywood went on to keep the Griffins scoreless for the next 4:20. Gerchman reclaimed the lead with an old-fashioned three-point play to go ahead 30-28 with 6:27 left in the third. Catie Nealon bookended the scoring with a 3-pointer via Gerchman, giving the Pacers a 39-28 lead with just less than four minutes on the scoreboard.

Leading by 11 at the break, Gwynedd Mercy entertained the crowd with a nine-point run over three minutes that brought it to a two-point game (44-42) with 7:06 left. The Pacers' six-minute stretch of cold shooting ceased when Giordano swished a 3-pointer in the corner to go ahead 47-42 with 3:50 left. Both teams went back-and-forth for nearly three minutes without any scoring until Bianca Adams pushed it back to a one possession game with a 3-pointer from the top of the key.

Giordano made the heroic play of the game, turning a corner around the defenders and hitting a base-line runner with 26 seconds left on the clock. Gwynedd Mercy missed all three of its shots behind the arc in the last 26 seconds. Tara Steakin made a pair of free throws to cement the victory.

The Griffins were led by three players in double digits. Charlotte Kucowski totaled 13 points and eight rebounds. Bianca Adams finished with 11 points, and Nicole Dombrowski provided 10.

Marywood (18-7, 15-1 CSAC) out-rebounded the Griffins by a slim 41-40 margin. Gwynedd Mercy did not retrieve an offensive rebound until 3:19 left in the third quarter. Marywood had a slight advantage in field goal percenta (29.8-29.2) and turnovers (12-13).

Gwynedd Mercy's struggles at the free throw line haunted them down the stretch. The Griffins made half of their shots (12 for 24) from the charity stripe. Marywood went 11 of 17 (64.7 percent) from the line.

Marywood scored nine of 10 to start the game. Gwynedd Mercy went 6:30 before making its first field goal. The Griffins' Bianca Adams hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer at the end of the first half to go into halftime with a 25-22 lead.

Marywood is one win shy of tying the school record. Wednesday's home game is set for 7:00 pm. If the Pacers advance, the CSAC championship game tipoff will be 2:00 pm.