Junior guard Bridgette Mann (Canadensis, Pa./Wallenpaupack) and sophomore forward Makenzie Mason (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) combined for 42 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to lead The University of Scranton women's basketball team to a 76-53 victory over Marywood in the team's home opener on Tuesday night in the Long Center.

Mann finished with 24 points, one shy of matching her career high, on 9-for-13 from the field, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range. She also had seven rebounds and three assists. Mason had a career-high 18 points in a perfect night from the floor, as she went 7-for-7 from the field. She added six rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Scranton (3-0) used a 17-0 run over the first 7:42 of the second quarter to turn a 21-18 deficit into a 35-21 lead. Mann sparked the run with a 3-ponter to open the quarter and finished with eight points in the run while sophomore center Sofia Recupero (Whitestone, N.Y./Saint Francis Prep) added four. When Mann drilled a triple two seconds before the halftime horn, it gave Scranton a 43-28 lead at the break.

Marywood (0-3) stayed within striking distance in the third quarter until the Lady Royals scored the final five points of the quarter for a 58-40 lead heading into the fourth. Mann had a three-point play and senior center Katie Feehery (Media, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) as Scranton put the game away to end the stanza, as the Pacers wouldn't get closer than 16 the rest of the way.

Feehery added eight points, six rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block in the victory. Recupero also had eight points, and sophomore guard Emily Sheehan (Dunmore, Pa./Dunmore) added six.

Scranton finished the night shooting 51.7 percent (31-for-60) from the floor, including 9-for-22 (40.9 percent) from 3-point range. The Lady Royals hit five of six free throws and had a dominant 40-16 edge in points in the paint.

Marywood was 20-for-62 (32.3 percent) from the field, including 8-for-14 (57.1 percent) from 3-point range. The Pacers were also 5-for-6 from the free throw line. They committed 21 turnovers to 17 by Scranton and had a slim 36-35 edge on the glass.

The Lady Royals return to action on Monday, Nov. 27, when they host Neumann at 7 p.m. in the Long Center.

--ROYALS--