The Royals, now 10-2, also received 13 points from junior forward Brendan Fuller (Alexandria, Va./Bishop Ireton), 12 from senior guard Darren Cannon (Paupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area) and 10 each from freshmen guard Dan O’Connell (Somers, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) and Joe Alfier (Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) to move into Sunday afternoon’s championship game against future Landmark Conference member Susquehanna University, which defeated Morrisville State, 74-56, in the other semifinal game. The win was the tenth straight for Scranton, which shot 55.9 percent from the field, including 62.5 percent in the second-half after opening up a 55-29 lead by intermission.
Senior guard Darnell Jones-Bey led Pratt Institute with a game-high 22 points and junior guard Goran Krstic added 14 points.
Scranton jumped out to an early 12-0 lead and never looked back. The Royals’ 58-point margin of victory tied the previous record of 58 points against then Wilkes College, now Wilkes University, 86-28, on December 14, 1949.
All 12 players scored for Scranton and only one player—Fuller—played more than 20 minutes. After a 1-2 start, the Royals have won nine straight games, the second longest winning streak under sixth-year head coach Carl Danzig.
PRATT INSTITUTE Darnell Jones-Bey 8-22 4-8 22; Goran Krstic 6-17 1-1 14; Michael St. John 1-5 3-6 5; Dave Anderson 1-1 0-0 3; Michael Clark 0-7 2-5 2; Chris Brinson 0-1 0-0 0; Geovanny Panchame 0-0 0-0 0; Colin Matsui 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-53 10-20 46. THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (10-2) Bicknell, Tom 6-8 4-4 16; Fuller, Brendan 6-8 0-1 13; Cannon, Darren 4-7 0-0 12; O'Connell, Dan 2-5 4-4 10; Alfier, Joe 4-6 1-1 10; Arnold, Randy 4-7 0-0 9; Powell, James 2-4 3-4 8; Osborne, Chris 3-6 0-0 7; Hawk, Paul 1-2 2-4 5; Biagioli, Paul 2-4 1-2 5; Londo, Eli 2-5 1-1 5; FitzPatrick, Ryan 2-6 0-0 4. Totals 38-68 16-21 104. Pratt Institute............... 29 17 - 46 University of Scranton........ 55 49 - 104 3-point goals-Pratt Institute 4-13 (Darnell Jones-Bey 2-6; Goran Krstic 1-4; Dave Anderson 1-1; Michael Clark 0-1; Michael St. John 0-1), University of Scranton 12-25 (Cannon, Darren 4-7; O'Connell, Dan 2-5; Fuller, Brendan 1-1; Hawk, Paul 1-2; Osborne, Chris 1-1; Powell, James 1-2; Alfier, Joe 1-1; Arnold, Randy 1-2; FitzPatrick, Ryan 0-4). Fouled out--Pratt Institute-None, University of Scranton-Powell, James. Rebounds-Pratt Institute 20 (Darnell Jones-Bey 8), University of Scranton 55 (Bicknell, Tom 12). Assists-Pratt Institute 6 (Michael St. John 3), University of Scranton 28 (Cannon, Darren 4). Total fouls-Pratt Institute 13, University of Scranton 21. A-225