Men's Hoops Falls to Scranton in Season Opener

SCRANTON, Pa. (11/17/09) - Senior guard Vinnie Darpino (Colonia, N.J.) scored a team-high 19 points and added six assists, however the Kean University men's basketball team opened the 2009-10 season with a 73-64 setback to host University of Scranton on Tuesday evening.

Scranton (1-0) was led by junior guard Zach Ashworth (Doylestown, Pa.), who finished with a game-high 21 points.

Trailing 41-34 early in the second half, the Cougars (0-1) used a 10-3 run to tie the game at 44-44, as Darpino (pictured right) scored six straight points for the Kean to close out the run. 

Scranton would regain the lead at 54-48, before five straight Cougar points pulled Kean back within one point with just 7:28 remaining in the game.  However that would be as close as the Cougars would get, as Scranton responded with a 8-1 run en-route to pulling away for the nine-point victory. 

The Royals opened the game on a 14-4 run in the opening five minutes of the game, before Kean pulled back within 32-28 at the break.

Junior Jonathan Jones (Linden, N.J.) added 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while senior Brian Lytle (Union, N.J.) finished with eight points and five rebounds.    

The Cougars host Williamson Trade in the home opener on Friday, November 20, at 7 p.m.