Sophomore point-guard Randy Arnold scored a game-high 21 points and junior forward Patrick Clabby added a career-high 19 points to lead The University of Scranton to an 82-74 victory over Moravian College in non-conference action at Johnston Hall Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore center Tom Bicknell had a career-high 12 points and eight rebounds and junior guard Darren Cannon contributed 10 points for the Royals, who shot a sizzling 73.7 percent from the field (14 of 19) in the second-half en route to a season-best 61.5 percent (32 of 52) for the game. Forward Zach Zsilavecz led the Greyhounds, now 2-6, with 16 points and guard Michael Clemente added 14.
Even though the Royals, now 6-2, connected on 18 of 33 field goal attempts (54.5 percent) in the first-half, Scranton managed to open up only a two-point lead by intermission, 43-41.
Arnold took over early in the second-half by scoring 11 points during a 19-7 run to give the Royals a 14-point lead, 62-48. Scranton extended its lead to 17, 72-55, with 8:14 left on a layup by Arnold before the Greyhounds fought back and cut the margin to eight, 78-70, with 1:31 remaining. Arnold then drained a pair of free throws with 1:27 left to seal the win.
Clabby’s previous-high of 14 points came in an 84-74 victory over King’s College on February 15, 2005, at the Long Center and in a 75-70 win over New Jersey City in the opening round of the Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament at Susquehanna University on November 18.
The Royals played today’s game without junior guard Mike McGowan (Lansdale, Pa./Lansdale Catholic), who is nursing a foot injury, and freshman guard Ryan FitzPatrick (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga), who sat out the game due to problem with foot blisters. Scranton received a big boost off its bench by sophomore point-guard James Powell (Miami, Fla./Miami Palmetto), who finished eight points, three rebounds and two steals in 20 minutes of action.
The Royals will break for final exams and return home next Saturday, December 17, to host College Misericordia at the Long Center beginning at 7:00 p.m.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (6-2) Randy Arnold 8-11 4-7 21; Patrick Clabby 6-7 7-9 19; Tom Bicknell 5-9 2-2 12; Darren Cannon 4-5 0-0 10; James Powell 4-7 0-0 8; Paul Hawk 3-5 0-0 7; Ryan Kirk 1-6 1-2 3; Bill Burke 1-1 0-0 2; Mike Kreuter 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-52 14-20 82. MORAVIAN COLLEGE (2-6) Zach Zsilavecz 6-9 3-5 16; Michael Clemente 5-9 0-0 14; Mark Franzyshen 3-4 4-4 10; Justin Chestnut 1-6 6-6 8; Ryan Miller 3-11 0-0 8; Ed Reid 2-7 2-3 7; Matt Devlin 2-4 0-0 5; Eric Whitman 1-1 0-0 2; Tyler Tripucka 1-2 0-0 2; Chris Earley 1-6 0-0 2. Totals 25-59 15-20 74. The University of Scranton.... 43 39 - 82 Moravian College.............. 41 33 - 74 3-point goals-The University of Scranton 4-9 (Darren Cannon 2-3; Paul Hawk 1-2; Randy Arnold 1-1; Ryan Kirk 0-3), Moravian College 9-21 (Michael Clemente 4-7; Ryan Miller 2-5; Zach Zsilavecz 1-3; Ed Reid 1-2; Matt Devlin 1-1; Chris Earley 0-1; Tyler Tripucka 0-1; Justin Chestnut 0-1). Fouled out--The University of Scranton-None, Moravian College-Matt Devlin. Rebounds-The University of Scranton 31 (Tom Bicknell 8), Moravian College 30 (Mark Franzyshen 5). Assists-The University of Scranton 16 (Randy Arnold 5), Moravian College 12 (Ryan Miller 3; Greg Jones 3). Total fouls-The University of Scranton 18, Moravian College 17. A-155