Pink Zone Perfect

On Thursday the Men's and Women's basketball teams faced Penn College in their biggest games of the season. These games would be the determining factor in their division championship status. The Women's game also meant a lot to them being their Annual Pink Zone game, which raises funds for breast cancer awareness and also senior night for the lone senior on either team, Mar Tsakonas, a three sport PSU Scranton English major. After a brief recognition ceremony the game was underway. Penn College would win the opening tip and would strike first putting up a quick two points but Scranton would fire right back tying the game. Then the Lady Lions from Scranton would begin to build a lead that they would not relinquish. At the half Scranton led Penn College by the score of 39-27. The Lady Lions were led at the half by Danielle Segilia with 15 points, Kayla Cavanaugh with 7 points and Kim Madensky with 6 points. As the second half began Scranton picked up where they left off in the first, holding off the Wildcats to build their lead to as high as 24 points to seal the victory and the school's first ever Women's Basketball Division Championship with the final score of 76-52. Scranton was led by Kayla Cavanaugh with 18 points, Jess Segilia with a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists. Her sister Danielle would also contribute 15 points and Jamie Halloran added 13 points and 5 blocks of her own. Also in her last career regular season home game Senior Mar Tsakonas would add 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.

The gym was still reeling from the women's big win as the men took the court to build their own lead against Penn College. Like the women this game was big for the men, a victory meaning a division championship for the first time in 12 years for their program.  Freshman Shane Letthand started them off with a big lead sinking a 3 point shot and then finishing with 9 points in the half. Following his lead freshman Yusef Savage sank three shots from behind the arc scoring 9 more points for the Lions in the first half. The second half went shot for shot and Sophomore Hasiin Dixon stepped up to score 10 points while Yusef Savage added another 8. The final seconds of the game came down to both teams shooting free throws and DJ Davis and Shane Letthand's foul shots would seal the victory for the men. Letthand and Dixon both led with 19 points and Savage added 17 to lead the Lions. DJ Davis and Pat Purcell added 11 and 10, respectively. With this win they clinch the first Men's Basketball Division Championship for Scranton in 12 years.

Next on the books is a trip to Williamsport on Sunday for a rematch with Penn College in the final regular season match up.  Stay tuned to www.psuscrantonathletics.com and on facebook for information about play off times and locations so you will have a chance to cheer on your teams. 

Mike Fazzi, head coach of the Nittany Lions will be speaking tonight at 5:20 PM on ESPN 630 AM radio 100.1 on FM about Penn State Scranton Basketball and their outlook for playoffs. 

The teams would like to extend their thanks to the faculty, staff and students who continually showed their support throughout the season at both home and away games.  Your cheers have meant so much to them!

Congratulations to both teams on their division victories and to our senior Mar!