WARRIORS DOMINATE ROYALS IN MEN’S BASKETBALL ACTION

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – The Lycoming College men’s basketball team hosted the University of Scranton, Wednesday evening, in a battle of first-place teams in the Freedom Conference. The Warriors jumped out to an early lead and led wire-to-wire en route to a 92-69 victory. Lycoming improves to 11-7 overall and 6-1 within the conference. The Royals fall to 14-4 and 5-2.

The Warriors set the tone early by opening the game with a 7-0 run over the first three minutes of action. Scranton eventually found the scoreboard, but Lycoming maintained a 5-to-10 point advantage through much of the half.

The key moment of the first period came with 6:29 to play before intermission. Leading by nine, the Warriors’ Matt Stackhouse (Jr./Hughesville, PA; Hughesville) grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a lay-up while being fouled by Derek Elphick (Sr./Dingmans Ferry, PA; Delaware Valley). Royals’ head coach Carl Danzig, however, disagreed with the call and ventured 10 feet onto the court to tell the officials. He quickly picked up a technical foul and then to everyone’s surprise was given a second technical and ejected from the game. Tommy Wesner (Sr./Dillsburg, PA; Northern) made 3-of-4 shots for the technical fouls and Stackhouse completed the original three-point play to give Lycoming a six-point swing in one series of bizarre events.

After the chaos subsided, Scranton scored the next two baskets but could not get their deficit below 10, eventually heading into halftime down 39-26.

The second half was all Warriors as the home team shot 63% from the field, including 6-of-12 from three-point range. Lycoming stretched their lead to as many as 26 before cruising to the 92-69 victory.  

Wesner led all players with 32 points in the contest while also grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out five assists. He also became Lycoming’s all-time leader in three-point field goals with a total of 236 for his career. Stackhouse added 15 points, seven rebounds, and three blocked shots. Jonathan Pribble (Fr./Woolrich, PA; Central Mountain) and L.J. Huggler (Jr./St, Marys, PA; St. Marys) each added 10 points for the Warriors.

Dan Loftus (Sr./Doylestown, PA; Central Bucks West) led the Royals with 18 points. Ryan Rogan (So./Archbald, PA; Scranton Prep) added 15 markers and Brian O’Donnell (So./Mahopac, NY; John F. Kennedy) chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds. Elphick tallied a team-high nine rebounds while scoring eight points.

Lycoming will travel to Delaware Valley College on Saturday, February 1, as they begin the second half of the conference schedule. The men will tip off at 3 p.m. following the women’s half of the doubleheader.