SCRANTON, Pa. - Four players scored in double-figures, and the University of Scranton women's basketball team kept a lead for almost the entirety of play on Saturday in the Second Round of the 2017 NCAA Division III Tournament against SUNY-Poly, as the Lady Royals pulled away late in regulation to knock off the visiting Wildcats, 76-65, in the John Long Center.
With the victory, the Lady Royals (26-3 overall) move onto the Third Round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons and the 21st time in program history. The win was also the ninth in a row for Scranton overall.
SUNY-Poly, who was playing in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history on Saturday, finish their 2016-17 season with a 26-3 overall mark.
In the opening frame of the contest, SUNY-Poly was able to take the game's first lead, but this proved to be the only time the entire game they led the Lady Royals, as Scranton opened up a 19-10 advantage late in the first quarter.
SUNY-Poly chopped the Lady Royals lead down to 19-15 with 2:26 to go in the opening quarter, but Scranton ended the period strong, racing on a 6-2 run to finish the frame and take a 25-17 lead into the second.
To open the second, Scranton quickly extended the lead out to 11 points (30-19), and still led by double-digits (36-26) with 6:31 to go in the first half. But, SUNY-Poly fought back, as a 9-0 run by the visiting Wildcats cut the Lady Royal lead all the way down to a single point (36-35) with 1:53 left in the period.
To end the first half, the teams would trade baskets, as freshman guard Mackenzie Yori (Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton Area) nailed a three that was answered by a SUNY Poly lay-up at the buzzer that gave Scranton a 39-37 lead at intermission.
In the third quarter, Scranton looked primed to put away SUNY-Poly for the night halfway through the period, as an 11-3 run to open the period gave the Lady Royals a double-digit lead once again at 50-40 with 5:49 left.
But, once again, SUNY-Poly clawed back in it, as they outscored Scranton 15-7 over the final five minutes to cut the Lady Royal lead down to two points (57-55) entering the fourth quarter.
It remained a nip and tuck affair throughout most of the fourth quarter, with SUNY-Poly cutting the Scranton lead down to a single point (60-59) and two points (64-62).
But each time, sophomore guard Bridgette Mann (Canadensis, Pa./Wallenpaupack) extinguished the charge, nailing back-to-back shots including a three-pointer with 5:09 left that pushed the Scranton lead out to 67-62.
From here on out, the Scranton defense took the game completely over, holding the visiting Wildcats to just three points over the final five and a half minutes of regulation.
Mann made another big three with 2:45 left, giving Scranton a 70-62 lead, which essentially put SUNY-Poly away for the night.
Scranton would go on to salt the game away at the free throw line over the final minute and a half, sealing an 11-point victory that sent the Lady Royals back to the Sweet 16 for the second straight season.
Overall, it was a collective team effort on the evening for Scranton on both offense and defense in the victory.
Mann led the group of double-digit scorers, finishing with 19 points and seven assists. Senior forward Sarah Payonk(Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford) posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while fellow senior Alexix Roman(Hawley, Pa./Wallenpaupack) finished with 13 points and nine rebounds.
But, it was two bench players in particular that kept Scranton in the lead throughout the game despite the fact that Payonk and Roman battled foul trouble most of the night.
They were senior forward Denise Rizzo (Paramus, N.J./Holy Angels), who finished with 11 points (on 5-of-7 shooting) and freshman Makenzie Mason (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West), who finished with nine points, four rebounds and three assists. The pair led a dominant Scranton bench in the win, as the unit outscored SUNY-Poly's bench by a 24-8 margin.
Defensively, it was another strong effort for Scranton, as they held the Wildcats to just 10 points in the fourth quarter and 34 percent shooting from the floor in the game. The Lady Royals also held SUNY-Poly guard Stevie Ray to just nine points in the second half, as well (Ray finished with 24 points after scoring 43 last night).
Scranton now sets their sights on a Third Round match-up with Tufts, which will be played Friday at a site and time to be determined. The Jumbos won their Second Round match-up over Husson on Saturday, 64-44.
The game will be a rematch of last season's Elite Eight match-up that the Jumbos captured in the Long Center over the Lady Royals, 57-48, to advance to the Final Four. The defeat was the lone loss for Scranton in a 30-1 2015-16 season.
Fans are reminded to stay with both athletics.scranton.edu or follow the Royals on Twitter @RoyalAthletics for information as it becomes available on the match-up over the next few days.
--LADY ROYALS--