MADISON, N.J. – The University of Scranton extended its win streak to 12 games with a 64-51 victory at Drew University in Landmark Conference women's basketball action on Wednesday evening. The Lady Royals (17-1, 6-1 Landmark), currently ranked 15th in the nation, also took over sole possession of first place in the Landmark Conference standings after Elizabethtown defeated Juniata, 79-55.
Bridgette Mann (Canadensis, Pa./Wallenpaupack) scored a game-high 19 points to lead Scranton past the Rangers (11-7, 3-4 Landmark). Taylor Rodriguez (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills) sparked the Lady Royals off the bench with a career-high 15 points by going 5-6 from the field including a perfect, 4-4 showing from three-point range while Makenzie Mason (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) added 10 points in the win.
Trailing by a point midway through the opening quarter of Wednesday night's contest, Scranton used a 14-1 surge to take a 20-8 lead at the 7:59 mark of the second quarter. The Lady Royals would extend their lead to 17 points, 33-16, heading into halftime as Mann connected on a three-pointer just before the buzzer.
Scranton led by as many as 19 points in the third period, but Drew outscored the visitors 17-14 in the period to trim its deficit to 47-33 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
The Rangers cut Scranton's advantage down to nine points three times in the final five minutes, but the Lady Royals went 11-12 from the free throw line in the final 3:25 to close out the victory.
Mason and Katie Feehery (Media, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) tied for the team-lead with eight rebounds apiece for Scranton while Mann and Katie Broderick (New Fairfield, Conn./New Fairfield) handed out four assists apiece. The visitors finished the evening shooting 36.2 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 66.7 percent from the foul line.
Erin Frederick led Drew with 14 points while Julia Ramos netted 10 points for the Rangers, who shot 32.1 percent in the contest while going 41.7 percent from long range and 75 percent from the charity stripe.
The Lady Royals will continue their four-game road swing with a trip to Elizabethtown College on Saturday for a Landmark Conference tilt against the Blue Jays starting at 4:00 p.m.