Lady Royals Defeat NYU, Advance to NCAA Basketball Championship

Mo. Basuony

Published: March 21, 2026 4:45 PM ET

Lady Royals Defeat NYU, Advance to NCAA Basketball Championship

Scranton’s Lady Royals ended NYU’s 91-game winning streak with a 60-52 victory Thursday night at Roanoke College’s Cregger Center in Salem, Virginia. The win sends the Lady Royals into the NCAA Division III championship game Saturday against Denison.

Game overview

Scranton built a big lead in the first half and led 30-18 at intermission. NYU rallied early in the third quarter to cut the margin to three.

After a timeout, Scranton responded with timely scoring and defense. The Lady Royals held firm the rest of the way to preserve the eight-point win.

Key moments

Scranton’s defense dominated early. NYU started with a 3-pointer by Caroline Peper, then went 1-for-13 the rest of the opening quarter.

Brooke Batchelor hit a 3 at the halftime buzzer to give NYU momentum. NYU then opened the third quarter on a 10-1 run to get within 31-28.

Meghan Lamanna answered with a 3-pointer after a Scranton timeout. A late third-quarter 9-2 burst pushed Scranton ahead 47-34 entering the fourth.

Standout performers

Meghan Lamanna, Scranton — 18 points.
Kaeli Romanowski, Scranton — 14 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals. Named WBCA All-American honorable mention earlier the day.
Elizabeth Bennett, Scranton — 10 points, all in the first half.
Caroline Peper, NYU — 19 points.
Olivia Lagao, NYU — 14 points.
Yasmene Clark, NYU — 10 rebounds.

Closing stretch and celebration

NYU cut the lead to 56-52 with 45.1 seconds remaining. Turnovers and missed chances followed for the Violets.

Scranton converted four late free throws to seal the victory. A jubilant celebration followed as the undefeated Royals clinched the berth.

What’s next

Scranton improves to 32-0 and will play Denison in the national final Saturday at 4 p.m. Denison reached the title game after an 82-61 win over Wisconsin‑Oshkosh.

Denison used a 20-2 early burst in that semifinal. Five Denison players scored in double figures, led by Abby Cooch and Brooke Toigo with 13 points each.

Scranton coach Ben O’Brien praised his team’s resilience and focus. NYU coach Meg Barber commended her players for their fight despite the loss.

Filmogaz.com will have coverage and updates from the championship game. The Lady Royals will look to capture their program’s second national title, their first since 1985.