SCRANTON, Pa.—Junior guard Mike McGowan (Lansdale, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) scored 20 points, including a critical 3-point play with a minute remaining, to lift The University of Scranton to a come-from-behind 68-64 victory over Wilkes University in Freedom Conference action Wednesday evening at the John J. Long, S.J., Center.
Senior forward Brian O’Donnell (Mahopac, N.Y./John F. Kennedy) and freshman point-guard Randy Arnold (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West) contributed 13 points apiece and sophomore guard Darren Cannon (Paupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area) and sophomore forward Patrick Clabby (Middletown, N.J./Middletown) added 12 and 10 points, respectively, as the Royals, now 17-4 overall and 8-3 in the Freedom Conference, overcame a 7-point deficit with 4:19 remaining. Freshman guard Chris Shovlin (Wilkes-Barre, Pa./G.A.R.) led the Colonels, now 13-8 overall and 6-5 in the Freedom Conference, with a game-high 27 points, including 16 in the first half.
Junior guard Mike Constantine (Binghamton, N.Y./Binghamton) started a 14-8 run late in the second-half with a 3-pointer and Shovlin added five points as the Colonels built up a 63-56 lead. Wilkes, however, turned the ball over three times and made only one of six free throw attempts down the stretch.
Scranton took the lead for good when McGowan converted a lay-up, was fouled and made the free throw to give the Royals a 65-64 lead. O’Donnell sandwiched one of two free throws around a Colonel missed 3-point attempt to extend Scranton’s lead to 66-64 with 25 seconds remaining. Wilkes missed a lay-up on their next possession, and Clabby came down with the rebound, was fouled, and hit two free throws with 14 seconds remaining to give the Royals a 68-64 advantage. Shovlin missed a 3-pointer with 8 seconds left to end the Colonels’ last hopes to pull out the win. Overall, the game featured seven ties and 12 lead changes.
O’Donnell finished with a game-high 12 rebounds, his 11th double-double of the season and the 40th of his career. His 12 rebounds gives him 908 for his career, which is fifth all-time in Scranton history.
THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON 68, WILKES UNIVERSITY 64 WILKES UNIVERSITY (13-8/6-5) Chris Shovlin 10-19 3-6 27; David Goode 2-3 4-5 8; Mike Constantine 3-13 0-0 8; Matt Gould 2-8 2-2 7; Greg Cardamone 2-5 2-4 6; Rashawn Pressley 2-3 1-3 5; Evan Walters 1-6 1-2 3; Jeremy Kable 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-58 13-22 64. THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (17-4/8-3) Mike McGowan 6-10 3-4 20; Randy Arnold 4-10 3-5 13; Brian O'Donnell 2-9 9-11 13; Darren Cannon 4-9 0-0 12; Patrick Clabby 3-6 3-3 10; Bill Burke 0-1 0-0 0; Michael Riccobono 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 19-47 18-24 68. Wilkes University............. 33 31 - 64 University of Scranton........ 28 40 - 68 3-point goals-Wilkes University 7-18 (Chris Shovlin 4-8; Mike Constantine2-8; Matt Gould 1-2), University of Scranton 12-24 (Mike McGowan 5-6; Darren Cannon 4-8; Randy Arnold 2-6; Patrick Clabby 1-2; Michael Riccobono 0-2). Fouled out--Wilkes University-None, University of Scranton-None. Rebounds-Wilkes University 42 (Greg Cardamone 10), University of Scranton 30 (Brian O'Donnell 12). Assists-Wilkes University 15 (Chris Shovlin 4; Matt Gould 4; Evan Walters 4), University of Scranton 12 (Randy Arnold 3). Total fouls-Wilkes University 22, University of Scranton 18. A-1200