Eagles Head to Scranton With a Conference Title on the Line

The number two seeded Juniata women's basketball team will face  #11 Scranton in the Landmark Championship Game in Scranton, Pa. Saturday at 3:00.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children. All youth under the age of 10 are admitted free as are all students, faculty and staff with a valid ID from any of the eight Landmark Conference institutions. College students without a Landmark school ID and seniors are $3.

Juniata is making their fourth trip to the Landmark Conference championship game, with their last appearance in 2012. The Eagles defeated the Royals 67-48 in their conference championship.

The Royals are the top seed, have won 20 straight games and are seeking their sixth Landmark championship and 24^th overall conference title in program history. Scranton has appeared in all but one of the Landmark Conference championship games.

Juniata clamped down on the Elizabethtown in the second half of Wednesday's game to get to the Championship game. They outscored Etown 47-22 over the final two periods as they won 78-55.

Scranton outscored #4 Moravian 37-18 in the second half as they pulled away for a 67-45 win. 

Saturday's game is the third meeting between the two squads, with the teams splitting the regular season as JC handed Scranton their only loss on the year. The Eagles prevailed 62-54 in Huntingdon with Scranton coming back and winning 62-45 in the Long Center on February 3.

The Royals hold an edge in the overall matchup, 33-9 and have won 11 of the previous 12 meetings. The last time these squads met in the post season, Juniata fell in that contest 74-53. 

Dani Atkinson (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) is third in the conference in scoring at 14.5 points per game and is fourth in the conference in steals with 56. Morgan Instone (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCourt) is second on the team in scoring with 11.7 points per game. Third in the conference in rebounds at 7.7, third in field goal percentage (53.6%) and is atop the conference in blocks with 63. Rachael Anstine (York, Pa./Dallastown) is third on the team in scoring at 7.7 points per game and is fourth in the Landmark in blocks with 40. Gracie Stauffer (Loysville, Pa. / West Perry) is third in blocks with 42 and is averaging 7.5 points.

Bridgette Mann leads Scranton's offense, averaging 15.7 points per game which is good for third in the Landmark. She leads the conference in free throw percentage (88.0%), three-point percentage (42.8%) and is fourth in assists with 85. Mackenzie Mason is second on the team in scoring at 9.7 points per contest, she's fourth in the conference in field goal percentage (53.1%), fifth in assists with 80. Katie Feehery is second in the conference in field goal percentage (54.9%), and fifth in blocks at 38.

 The winner of the game receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.