MADISON, N.J.—The University of Scranton extended the nation’s longest winning streak in Division III to 19 games with a 72-43 victory over Drew University in Freedom Conference action Saturday afternoon at Baldwin Gymnasium.
Sophomore guard Allison Matt got the Lady Royals, now 19-1 overall and 10-0 in the Freedom Conference, rolling early by scoring 15 of her game-high 18 points in the first-half as Scranton shot nearly 45 percent from the field to build up a 40-24 lead by intermission. Fellow sophomore guard Taryn Mellody added 13 points for the Lady Royals, who held the Rangers to only 19 second-half points on 9-for-27 shooting from the field (.333). Scranton has now held 13 of 20 teams to less than 50 points this season, including its last three and six of its last eight opponents.
Melissa Kraft led Drew, now 12-9 overall and 4-6 in the Freedom Conference, with 15 points and six rebounds and Maggie Marquis chipped in 10 points and six rebounds.
Despite cooling off considerably in the second-half by connecting on only 9 of 32 field goal attempts (28.1 percent), the Lady Royals took advantage of the free throw line by making 10 of 12 (83.3 percent) en route to 23 of 28 for the game (82.1 percent).
Veteran Scranton head coach Mike Strong, in his 25th season, earned career victory number 598 and is now two shy of joining St. John Fisher’s Phil Kahler and Elizabethtown’s Yvonne Kaufmann as the only coaches in NCAA Division III history with 600 wins.
Scranton will host the Lady Colonels of Wilkes University on Wednesday, February 9, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Long Center.
Newspaper Box Score THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON 72, DREW UNIVERSITY 43 THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (19-1/10-0 Freedom) Allison Matt 6-9 4-4 18; Taryn Mellody 5-13 1-1 13; Erin Healy 3-5 2-2 8; Kelly Lewandowski 2-5 4-5 8; Eileen Webster 3-7 0-0 6; Julie Brophy 1-6 2-4 5; Tara Gemmel 1-5 3-4 5; Maura Kane 0-1 4-4 4; Michelle Fabio 1-4 0-0 2; Stephanie Remington 0-1 1-2 1; Kathleen Daly 0-1 0-0 0; Megan McMurdo 0-1 0-0 0; Amanda Natale 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 22-61 23-28 72. DREW UNIVERSITY (12-9/4-6 Freedom) Melissa Kraft 7-19 0-0 15; Maggie Marquis 4-9 2-4 10; Sarah Marquez 4-8 0-0 9; Meg Kwiatkowski 2-5 0-0 4; Jennifer Weldon 0-6 3-4 3; Melissa Coover 1-4 0-2 2; Pam Kakalec 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-53 5-10 43. University of Scranton........ 40 32 - 72 Drew University............... 24 19 - 43 3-point goals-University of Scranton 5-17 (Allison Matt 2-2; Taryn Mellody 2-5; Julie Brophy 1-5; Tara Gemmel 0-1; Megan McMurdo 0-1; Amanda Natale 0-2; Erin Healy 0-1), DREW UNIVERSITY 2-10 (Melissa Kraft 1-6; Sarah Marquez 1-3; Meg Kwiatkowski 0-1). Fouled out--University of Scranton-None, DREW UNIVERSITY-None. Rebounds-University of Scranton 34 (Taryn Mellody 5; Eileen Webster 5; Maura Kane 5), DREW UNIVERSITY 45 (Meg Kwiatkowski 7; Lauren Dubek 7). Assists-University of Scranton 8 (Tara Gemmel 2), DREW UNIVERSITY 11 (Sarah Marquez 4). Total fouls-University of Scranton 13, DREW UNIVERSITY18. A-300