Hi Lefty.
Good for Sadie.
Not a bad gig for just 2 years as an assistant.

Another nice article by Riley.


https://d3wbbscoop.substack.com/p/friday-five-q-and-a-with-scranton?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share

Another nice article from a local perspective.
Glad to see Coach O'Brien is doing his best to keep the kids focused for the D3 battles in front of them beginning tonight at Drew.

https://www.wvia.org/news/local/2025-11-19/university-of-scranton-womens-basketball-thrust-into-national-spotlight-after-improbable-win-over-division-i-pitt

By the way...
Want to give a shout out to scribe & D3 contributor Riley Zayas for his great article, "A Royal Day in the Steel City".
Top notch.
Thank you

Schedule LeMoyne...just lost to the very same Pitt team by 22. 

Ronk:
I guess everything is relative but comparing Gonzaga in 1959 to Pitt in 2025/26 seems like a stretch (7'3" center or not). 
This win will go down as one of the biggest wins to date for D III. vs. D1.
Seriously, how often do D3 kids get to knock off ACC teams?
Fantastic effort...just keep the train rolling & don't get caught reading your press clipping.

Thanks everyone for the highlights & there were many. 

Congrats to Coach O'Brien, his staff, & certainly all the kids that worked their tails off to make this win a possibility.

This has to be the UofS most high profile win in their illustrious history.
Much better than the men's team knocking off Seton Hall back in the early 70's or Army led by Coach K during Scranton's first National Championship run in 1976.

Enjoy this win for a few days then get back to business as there will be an even larger bullseye on your backs now.

Today begins the Old Friends tour at Pitt.
Former UofS great & now Pitt Asst. coach Abby Anderson is welcoming Ben O'Brien & the Lady Royals today for an exhibition game & then on Tuesday her former coach at Scranton & current coach at LeMoyne Nick DiPillo rolls into Pantherville.

Next week, former Scranton All-American Meredith Mesaris brings her Tufts squad to the Long Center where she put together a remarkable career.

Then later this month, DiPillo & LeMoyne head to Bucknell to face the Scranton coach he replaced (Trevor Woodruff).

Let the games begin.

Calling it now...
Former Miseri, Keystone & current Cedar Crest coach Jason Rhine will be aiming for the Muhlenberg job once it opens at the conclusion of this season.
No idea if he'll get it but no way do I see him staying at the Crest.

Well, there you go.
Retention of kids at Goucher remains a problem & that will continue to impact that program until something significant changes.

Do you think Bess would be playing at 5:00 when he was coaching?
Not a snowball's chance in hell.
The fan base of the Scranton men's program has been in steady decline during Danzig's tenure.
I've seen more intensity & strategy in summer league games.
The Royals need to thank Danzig for 23 years of milquetoast basketball & open the position up.
Too many great young coaches out there to keep doing the same old, same old.

My very un-scientific review of the various Landmark teams & how their conference seasons may play out.

1.Univ. of Scranton-
As long as they stay healthy throughout the season, they are the most experienced & deepest team in the league. Three point shooting, inside presence, great D, excellent point & ball movement, not to mention they crash the boards and do all the intangibles.

2.Catholic-
Second most experience returning but they did lose quite a bit of fire power to graduation. They'll still be tough as they always are.

3.Susquehanna-
The forces may be coming together this year for the River Hawks. Quite a bit of experience together, an inside/out game & the deal maker will be if Julia Roth can come back from her injury & be even half the player she was. If she can, it will be a very nice season in the grove.

4.Drew-
Coach O works exceptionally hard but always seems like he's just 1 player short from making a serious run.
This year he may have the combo of experience & talent to have his Rangers push many teams out of the way on their way to a 4 seed.

5.E-town-
Coach Nolt seemed to rely very much on her Senior & Grad players last season for the bulk of minutes played.
With the loss of essentially 4 starters & about 70% of scoring & not a ton of experience by the underclassmen...it may take a while before the Blue Jays find their mojo.
Down, but certainly not out.

6.Juniata-
The final playoff berth will be located in the Juniata mountains.
They have a knowledgeable young coach & they've been taking incremental steps to improve both the quality & quantity of players suiting up.

7.Goucher-
They had their best year in over a decade last season & if they've retained those players & the new coach can build on their success, then they can have another admirable campaign.
However, if the turnover of players continues, it will be an up & down year at best.

8.Moravian-
Could easily end up the 6 seed or even the 9th.
Their offense the past several years has not been the most effective, defense has been absent, rebounding beyond the same few players non-existent. Hard to be competitive with so many holes. If they tighten things up...maybe.

9.Lycoming-
Well, they did win a few games in conference last season so that experience should keep them out of the cellar.
They return some kids with nice minutes so they have the capability to win a few more.

10.Wilkes-
Someone has to hold up the rear flank & since the Colonels went winless over an entire season last year, they get to stay until they prove differently.
In all fairness, this program was never really strong on a consistent basis and a new coach needs a little time to get his type of kids in & picking up experience.
This program will get much better over time.

Well...the door bell is ringing off the wall with Trick or Treaters & our dog is voicing her displeasure with the entire experience so time to go. 
Enjoy

Congrats to UofS guard/forward Kaci Kranson on being chosen to D3's Pre-Season First Team All-American squad.
Kudo's also to CUA's Anna Scoblick on a Second team selection.
Those two have been having games against one another going back to 8th. grade.
Great kids, great selections.

Lucky us. 
Perhaps some day before this wonderful new contract expires, those operating video equipment at the various schools will be taught the joys of zooming in.
Watching soccer & field hockey games from 2 galaxies away gets a little challenging.
But hey...go Flo.

Danzig has the young men on a Poutine & Labatt's bonding trip.