News Release

SCRANTON, Pa. — KIRK, BIAGIOLI COMBINE FOR 29 POINTS AS ROYALS SHAKE OFF SLUGGISH FIRST-HALF TO POST 68-51 VICTORY OVER CABRINI MONDAY EVENING AT THE LONG CENTER

Sophomore guard Ryan Kirk (Lansdale, Pa./LaSalle College) scored 12 of his game and career-tying 15 points in the second-half as The University of Scranton shook off a sluggish first-half to pull out a 68-51 victory over Cabrini College in non-conference action Monday evening at the John J. Long, S.J., Center.

Freshman forward Paul Biagioli (Waverly, Pa./Abington Heights) came off the bench to contribute a season-high 14 points as the Royals shot nearly 54 percent in the second-half to shake off a 10-for-36 effort (27.8 percent) in the opening 20 minutes of play. Junior guard Nick Alfier (Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic) added a season-high 10 points as Scranton improved to 11-4.

Cabrini, which took advantage of the Royals’ cold shooting to scratch out a 30-26 halftime lead, was led by junior forward Jim McMahon (Havertown, Pa./Havertown) with 12 points and sophomore guard Adam Bowen (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock) added nine points—all on 3-pointers from well beyond NBA range in the first-half. The loss dropped the Cavaliers to 6-8.

Kirk took over early in the second-half by connecting on three consecutive 3-pointers to spark a 13-3 run that turned a 39-37 Royal lead into a 52-40 margin with 12:53 remaining. The Cavaliers cut the margin to eight, 52-44, before senior forward Bill Burke (West Pittston, Pa./Seton Catholic), who finished with eight points and nine rebounds, hit a free throw and a layup 18 seconds later to push the lead back up to 11, 55-44, with 9:36 remaining.

After Cabrini’s Randy Reid (Philadelphia, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) made it a 9-point game with a layup with 9:25 left, Burke scored again down low and sophomore guard Randy Arnold (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West), who finished with eight points, a career-high nine assists and three steals, drilled a 3-pointer to give Scranton a 59-46 lead with less than eight minutes remaining. The closest the Cavaliers got the rest of the way was 10, 59-49, moments later on a 3-pointer by McMahon. The final score was the largest deficit of the game.

Kirk overcame a 1-for-5 effort in the first-half from beyond the 3-point arc by connecting on 4-of-5 3-pointers in the second-half. Scranton’s nine 3-pointers tied its season-high.

Scranton junior guard Darren Cannon (Paupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area), who missed the last five games due to an illness, played five minutes and had two points, two rebounds and an assist.

The Royals will host the Monarchs of King’s College in Freedom Conference action this Wednesday, January 18, beginning at 8:00 p.m. at the Long Center.

THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON 68, CABRINI COLLEGE 51

CABRINI COLLEGE (6-8)
Jim McMahon 4-13 2-2 12; Adam Bowen 3-6 0-0 9; Jim Good 3-4 0-0 7; Jeff Dailey 2-9 0-0 6; Randy Reid 3-7 0-1 6; Bruce MacLelland 2-3 2-2 6; Anthony Bennett 1-9 3-3 5; Dominique Barron 0-0 0-0 0; Robert Pendino 0-0 0-0 0; Ryan Oxley 0-0 0-0 0; Greg Clifton 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-52 7-8 51.

THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON (11-4)
Ryan Kirk 5-10 0-0 15; Paul Biagioli 6-14 0-0 14; Nick Alfier 3-5 2-3 10; Bill Burke 3-3 2-4 8; Randy Arnold 4-14 0-1 8; Tom Bicknell 2-5 3-4 7; Paul Hawk 1-9 2-2 4; Darren Cannon 1-3 0-0 2; Brendan Fuller 0-0 0-0 0; James Powell 0-1 0-0 0; Michael Riccobono 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-64 9-14 68.

Cabrini College...............   30   21  -   51
The University of Scranton....   26   42  -   68

3-point goals-Cabrini College 8-25 (Adam Bowen 3-6; Jeff Dailey 2-7; Jim McMahon 2-8; Jim Good 1-1; Greg Clifton 0-1; Anthony Bennett 0-2), The University of Scranton 9-30 (Ryan Kirk 5-10; Nick Alfier 2-4; Paul Biagioli 2-5; Paul Hawk 0-3; Darren Cannon 0-1; James Powell 0-1; Randy Arnold 0-6).
Fouled out--Cabrini College-None, The University of Scranton-None. Rebounds-Cabrini College 35 (Anthony Bennett 9), The University of Scranton 42 (Tom Bicknell 10). Assists-Cabrini College 13 (Greg Clifton 3; Jim
McMahon 3), The University of Scranton 18 (Randy Arnold 9). Total fouls-Cabrini College 13, The University of Scranton 11. A-275