Junior forward Michelle Fabio (Brick, N.J./St. Rose) and junior guard Claire Davis (Havertown, Pa./Merion Mercy Academy) chipped in eight points apiece as the Lady Royals won their eighth straight game to improve to 9-1. Western Connecticut, which shot only 27.3 percent from the field (12 of 44) to fall to 7-3, was led by sophomore guard Jennifer Kancler (Columbia, Conn./Windham) with 11 points.
Behind seven points off the bench by junior guard Julie Brophy (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) and six each from Mellody and Thran, the Lady Royals shot nearly 46 percent in the first-half to build up a 29-16 lead by intermission. The Lady Colonials, on the other hand, connected on just 6 of 25 field goal attempts (24.0) and were guilty of 13 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes of play. For the game, Western Connecticut was guilty of 27 turnovers.
Scranton continued its hot-shooting in the second-half, connecting on 14 of 26 field goal attempts (53.8 percent) while maintaining a double-digit lead. For the game, the Lady Royals out-rebounded Western Connecticut, 34-25, and shot nearly 78 percent from the free throw line (14 of 18).
Mellody’s 15 points gives her 1,515 for her career, which is now fourth on Scranton’s all-time list behind Jennifer Nish (2,178 points, 1993-1997), Kelly Halpin (1,865 points, 1996-2000) and Karen McIntyre (1,631 points, 1976-1980). Thran’s 13-point effort was one shy of tying her career-high of 14 points in 76-56 victory over King’s College at the Betzler Gymnasium in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on February 1, 2006.
The Lady Royals will return home to host Rutgers-Camden in the opening round of the Diversified Invitational next Friday, January 5, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Long Center. The other semifinal game will feature Goucher College taking on Stevens Institute of Technology beginning at 5:00 p.m.
WESTERN CONNECTICUT (7-3) Jennifer Kancler 3-8 2-2 11; Mallory Stevens 2-8 1-1 5; Alyssa McGhee 1-2 2-2 5; Stacey Roberts 2-5 0-0 4; Katie Moffo 2-3 0-0 4; Alyssa Dombroski 0-1 2-2 2; Ally Greenwood 1-7 0-0 2; Jessica Richardson 1-1 0-0 2; Isabella Henry 0-1 1-2 1; Jessica Garvin 0-2 0-0 0; Nia Harmon 0-0 0-0 0; Catherine Dinda 0-0 0-1 0; Jessica Flacke 0-1 0-0 0; Colleen Smith 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 12-44 8-10 36. THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (9-1) Mellody, Taryn 6-11 3-3 15; Thran, Casey 5-5 3-6 13; Davis, Claire 3-4 0-1 8; Fabio, Michelle 3-3 2-2 8; Brophy, Julie 2-3 2-2 7; Matt, Allison 2-8 2-2 6; Daly, Kathleen 1-2 2-2 4; Remington, Stephanie 2-6 0-0 4; Healy, Marisa 0-2 0-0 0; Williams, Tiffaney 0-2 0-0 0; Mooney, Ryan 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 24-48 14-18 65. Western Connecticut........... 16 20 - 36 Scranton................... 29 36 - 65 3-point goals-Western Connecticut 4-13 (Jennifer Kancler 3-8; Alyssa McGhee 1-2; Katie Moffo 0-1; Colleen Smith 0-2), U. Scranton 3-9 (Davis, Claire 2-2; Brophy, Julie 1-1; Matt, Allison 0-1; Remington, Stephanie 0-1; Mooney, Ryan 0-1; Mellody, Taryn 0-3). Fouled out--Western Connecticut-None, U. Scranton-None. Rebounds-Western Connecticut 25 (Katie Moffo 4; Jennifer Kancler 4), U. Scranton 34 (Williams, Tiffaney 7). Assists-Western Connecticut 9 (Ally Greenwood 4), U. Scranton 13 (Daly, Kathleen 3). Total fouls-Western Connecticut 18, U. Scranton 14.