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BEVERLY, Mass. — The Endicott women's basketball team will travel to No. 12/12 nationally ranked Scranton to play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 7 PM. Here's a preview of this week's NCAA Tournament matchup.

FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Last Saturday, Scranton defeated Catholic by a 63-42 score in the Landmark Conference championship game to secure its fifth straight league title and eighth overall in program history.
• The Royals will compete in their 33rd NCAA Tournament in program history on Friday against the Gulls. Scranton has won one NCAA Championship (1985) and has made nine NCAA Final Four appearances (2019, 2006, 2005, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1993, 1987, 1985) over the course of its 33 trips to the dance. Overall, in those 33 appearances, the Royals are 66-35 (.653) in NCAA Tournament play.
• Scranton enters Friday's matchup ranked No. 93 in scoring offense (69.9 points per game), No. 18 in scoring defense (52.6 points per game allowed), and No. 17 in scoring margin (17.3) among all NCAA Division III women's basketball programs this season.
• The Royals are positioned No. 12 overall in the latest Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and D3hoops.com national rankings. Scranton started out the 2019-20 season ranked No. 3 in the D3hoops.com Preseason Poll and No. 5 on the WBCA Preseason Poll.
• Entering Friday's matchup, Scranton is 12-1 at home this season and currently on a 12-game winning streak. The Royals have not lost since Saturday, January 18 (Catholic, 65-62).

WHAT'S NEXT

The winner between Endicott and No. 12/12 Scranton will take on the winner of Christopher Newport (23-4) and Widener (21-5) in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 7 at 5 PM.

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(Photo Credit - Nick Grace '20)