King’s College and the host University of Scranton each posted comfortable women’s basketball victories Sunday when the Cross Country Challenge came to end.
Holy Cross graduate Abby Anderson scored a game-high 16 points and Bridget Monaghan earned event Most Valuable Player honors as Scranton, ranked 12th in the country among National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III teams, routed Wilkes University, 81-42, in the finale at the John Long Center. Mid Valley graduate Emily Morano was the day’s top scorer with 25 points as King’s ran away from Marywood University, 91-47.
Scranton was the only team to go 2-0 in the two-day event. King’s and Marywood each went 1-1 while Wilkes was 0-2.
The Lady Royals opened a 12-2 lead on the way to making it 23-7 after one quarter.
Anderson had seven points in the second quarter when Scranton stretched its advantage to 41-18 at halftime. A 10-1 run to end the third quarter made it 67-28.
Monaghan, who scored 25 points in Saturday’s win over King’s, and Maddie Harnett had 13 points each. Emily Shurina had 12.
Anderson also had five rebounds and four assists while making the all-tournament team.
Mackenzie Steele, a sophomore center from Susquehanna, saw her first action of the season. Steele, who missed the start of the season with a high ankle sprain, played six minutes and hit her only shot for two points to go along with an assist and a blocked shot.
Jordyn Jennings and Brianna Horton had seven points each for Wilkes.
Scranton (4-1) is off until a Nov. 29 game at Misericordia University.
Wilkes (1-4) will try to break a four-game losing streak Tuesday at home against Penn State Lehigh Valley.
King’s held Marywood to nine points in the second quarter of the opener to expand a 24-17 lead to 46-26 at the break.
Morano finished 9-for-15 from the floor while finishing with 25 points, 9 rebounds and 3 steals.
Emily Kriston added 15 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
Alli Lindsay came off the bench to score 13 points and make the all-tournament team. She was 3-for-3 from long range in the second half Saturday, then 3-for-4 Sunday.
Holy Redeemer graduate Samantha Rajza and Maddy White added 10 points each. Caileigh Costello had 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals while Sarah Heiskell-Mann had 5 assists.
Kilie Wyers had 18 points for Marywood while Lake-Lehman graduate Savannah Purdy had 11 points and 8 rebounds to make the all-tournament team.
King’s (3-2) is at Drew University Saturday.
Marywood (3-3) hosts Penn State Hazleton Nov. 29.
