BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Moravian College men's basketball team rattled off a 16-4 run late in the second half, but The University of Scranton held on for a 73-65 Landmark Conference win on Wednesday night in Johnston Hall.
Junior point guard Izel Dickerson scored 13 of his team-high 19 points in the second half as Moravian (8-10, 3-5 Landmark) shrank a 17-point Scranton lead down to four with 47 seconds left. The Royals completed a solid game from the free throw line with four makes during the last 30 seconds, snuffing out the Greyhounds' comeback attempt.
Senior center Cameron Cullen notched his fifth double-double of the season – and 10th of his career – with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Kenny Gula rounded out a trio of double-digit scorers with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
The Royals (15-3, 5-2 Landmark) lived up to their three-point shooting reputation early in the contest, converting all of their first three attempts from beyond the arc. The sharpshooting skills of the Royals, who shoot 42.1 percent from three-point land (seventh in NCAA Division III) aided an early 18-9 Scranton lead.
The treys would cool off, but Scranton methodically built a double-digit lead by the midway point of the first half. However, a string of Royal turnovers coupled with a hot streak at the free throw line from Dickerson helped the Hounds on a 12-2 run. A Dickerson layup had cut the Royal lead to 26-24 with five minutes remaining the opening half.
The Landmark opponents would trade baskets as Scranton took a 35-31 edge into halftime. Moravian led in all five special scoring categories at the break, including points in the paint, off turnovers, second chance, fast break and from the bench. Scranton, meanwhile, had the advantage in rebounding and hit 9-of-9 from the charity stripe to hold the first-half lead.
Scranton build its largest lead of the game midway through the final 20 minutes of the contest. The Royals led 58-41 with 10:02 left and held a similar 17-point lead with 7:03 to play, which was enough to hold off an eventual late-game charge by the Greyhounds.
The Greyhounds finished with a 40-24 advantage in points in the paint, while the Royals made 7-of-16 from beyond the arc to increase their top-10 national ranking in the long distance shot. Scranton also shot 47.8 percent from the floor and 71 percent from the free throw line.
Scranton's junior guard Ross Danzig recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while classmate and fellow sharpshooter Justin Klingman netted 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including a 3-of-4 mark from three-point land. Sophomore forward Brendan Boken added 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting and six rebounds.
Moravian hits the road for its next two Landmark Conference tests. The Greyhounds visit Goucher College on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. before a trip to Drew University on Wednesday, Feb. 5at 7 p.m.
