Freshman guard Ryan FitzPatrick (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) scored a season-high 17 points—all in the second-half—as The University of Scranton broke away from a 3-point halftime lead en route to a 78-58 victory over College Misericordia in non-conference action Saturday evening at the John J. Long, S.J., Center.
Sophomore point-guard Randy Arnold (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) added 13 points and junior forward Patrick Clabby (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) contributed 11 points as the Royals connected on 51.9 percent of their field goal attempts in the second-half to improve to 7-2. Senior forward Corey Brown (Bronx, N.Y./James Island) led the Cougars, now 1-8, with a game-high 23 points on 9 of 14 shooting from the field and junior guard Tony Rezykowski (Dimock, Pa./Elk Lake) added 12.
Scranton built up a 12-point first-half lead, 34-22, behind the play of sophomore center Tom Bicknell (Melbourne, Australia/St. Bede’s College), who scored the Royals’ first six points, and sophomore guard Ryan Kirk (Lansdale, Pa./LaSalle College), who came off the bench to hit two 3-pointers, with 1:38 remaining before intermission. The Cougars then hit 3 straight 3-pointers—one each by senior guard Eddie Ryan (Rutherford, N.J./St. Mary’s), sophomore guard Evan Donegan (Springfield, Va./Paul VI Catholic) and Rezykowski—to cut the margin to three at halftime.
After Misericordia tied it up at 37 on a layup by Brown with 18:11 remaining, FitzPatrick took over and hit three 3-pointers during a four-minute span as the Royals went on a 15-4 run to take an 11-point lead, 52-41. Brown countered with five points during a 10-5 spurt as the Cougars cut Scranton’s lead to six, 57-51, with 8:48 left.
Arnold ignited a 12-1 rally by scoring five points as the Royals increased their lead to 17, 69-52, with less than five minutes remaining. The final score of the game was the largest deficit.
FitzPatrick’s previous high was a 13-point effort in a 70-55 win at Clarkson on November 22. Scranton will break for the holidays before resuming its schedule on Wednesday, January 4, against Elizabethtown College at the Long Center beginning at 7:00 p.m.
COLLEGE MISERICORDIA (1-8) Corey Brown 9-14 5-6 23; Tony Rezykowski 3-9 4-6 12; Matthew Hornak 2-2 1-2 6; Evan Donegan 2-8 0-0 6; Eddie Ryan 2-4 0-0 5; Vinny Baumunk 2-7 0-0 4; Jim Dessoye 1-2 0-0 2; Jonathan Misiura 0-2 0-0 0; Marqus Hunter 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-49 10-14 58. THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (7-2) Ryan FitzPatrick 5-11 2-2 17; Randy Arnold 4-8 4-4 13; Patrick Clabby 3-7 5-7 11; Darren Cannon 3-7 2-2 9; Tom Bicknell 4-7 1-2 9; Ryan Kirk 2-2 0-0 6; Bill Burke 0-1 3-4 3; Mike Kreuter 1-2 1-1 3; Michael Riccobono 1-3 1-2 3; Paul Hawk 1-3 0-0 2; James Powell 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 25-53 19-24 78. College Misericordia.......... 31 27 - 58 The University of Scranton.... 34 44 - 78 3-point goals-College Misericordia 6-16 (Tony Rezykowski 2-5; Evan Donegan 2-6; Eddie Ryan 1-1; Matthew Hornak 1-1; Jonathan Misiura 0-1; Vinny Baumunk 0-2), The University of Scranton 9-17 (Ryan FitzPatrick 5-7; Ryan Kirk 2-2; Darren Cannon 1-4; Randy Arnold 1-2; Paul Hawk 0-2). Fouled out--College Misericordia-None, The University of Scranton-None. Rebounds-College Misericordia 28 (Matthew Hornak 6), The University of Scranton 34 (Darren Cannon 6). Assists-College Misericordia 18 (Eddie Ryan 5), The University of Scranton 15 (Randy Arnold 5). Total fouls-College Misericordia 22, The University of Scranton 15. A-475