SELINSGROVE, Pa.—The University of Scranton shot 57.8 percent from the field and had five players score in double figures en route to an 80-72 victory over Susquehanna University in the championship game of the Pepsi/Weis Markets Tip-Off Tournament Saturday afternoon at Houts Gymnasium.
Behind 12 points apiece by sophomore guard Randy Arnold (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West), the tournament’s most valuable player (MVP), all-tournament selection and senior forward Bill Burke (West Pittston, Pa./Seton Catholic) and junior guard Darren Cannon (Paupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area), Scranton avenged losses to the Crusaders in the championship game of the tournament in 2000 and 2002. Freshman guard Kevin FitzPatrick (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) and junior guard Mike McGowan (Lansdale, Pa./Lansdale Catholic) contributed 10 points apiece for the Royals, who shot 53.3 percent from beyond the 3-point arc and were guilty of only eight turnovers.
All-tournament selection Matt Effler led the Crusaders, now 1-1, with a game-high 17 points and Andy Gaebel and all-tournament selection Sean Ulichny added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Cannon scored five points during a 9-2 run over a three-minute span early in the first half as the Royals took their first significant lead, 15-6, with 14:42 left. The Crusaders closed the gap to four before Scranton, behind back-to-back 3-pointers by freshman forward Paul Hawk (Audubon, Pa./Methacton) in the final 1:14, ended the first-half on a 15-4 run to take a 43-28 lead at halftime.
Scranton maintained a double-digit lead throughout much of the second-half. The Crusaders did manage to cut the lead to eight, 69-61, with 4:32 remaining, but Arnold and junior forward Patrick Clabby (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South) each canned a pair of free throws and McGowan scored on a layup to extend Scranton’s lead to 14, 75-61, with 2:59 left.
The Royals, 2-0, will take on Clarkson University this Tuesday, November 22, in Potsdam, New York, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
All-tournament team: Randy Arnold, Scranton (MVP), Bill Burke (Scranton), Matt Effler (Susquehanna), Sean Ulichny (Susquehanna), Mark Washington (New Jersey City), Shawn Bolling (Chestnut Hill)
THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (2-0) Randy Arnold 3-9 6-6 12; Bill Burke 6-6 0-2 12; Darren Cannon 3-6 3-6 12; Mike McGowan 4-6 1-3 10; Ryan FitzPatrick 3-6 3-4 10; Patrick Clabby 1-2 6-7 8; Mike Kreuter 3-5 0-0 6; Paul Hawk 2-2 0-0 6; James Powell 1-1 0-1 3; Tom Bicknell 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 26-45 20-31 80. SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY (1-1) Matt Effler 6-9 5-5 17; Andy Gaebel 4-10 2-2 12; Sean Ulichny 5-8 0-0 10; Brad Okonak 3-5 2-2 8; Zac Smith 2-4 0-0 6; Todd DeNapoli 2-3 0-1 5; Chad Lauer 1-5 2-2 5; Mike Cavallo 2-4 0-0 4; Bernie Layton 1-2 1-2 3; Matt McDevitt 1-7 0-0 2; Sam Thomas 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-58 12-14 72. Scranton...................... 43 37 - 80 Susquehanna................... 28 44 - 72 3-point goals-Scranton 8-15 (Darren Cannon 3-4; Paul Hawk 2-2; Mike McGowan 1-2; James Powell 1-1; Ryan FitzPatrick 1-2; Randy Arnold 0-4), Susquehanna 6-22 (Zac Smith 2-3; Andy Gaebel 2-7; Chad Lauer 1-4; Todd DeNapoli 1-1; Matt McDevitt 0-3; Brad Okonak 0-2; Sean Ulichny 0-2). Fouled out--Scranton-None, Susquehanna-None. Rebounds-Scranton 27 (Patrick Clabby 6), Susquehanna 31 (Matt Effler 7). Assists-Scranton 17 (Michael Riccobono 4; Patrick Clabby 4), Susquehanna 16 (Matt McDevitt 6). Total fouls-Scranton 18, Susquehanna 23. A-244