ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. -- Scranton got away from the Elizabethtown College men's basketball team Wednesday night in Landmark Conference play at Thompson Gymnasium. The Royals turned a four-point halftime lead into a 12-point win over the Blue Jays. Austin Finarelli had a game-high 34 points.

Neither side led by more than four points until the Royals went ahead by five with less than nine minutes to go in the first half. Scranton grew its lead to as much as 10 with a few minutes before the break, but a three from Finarelli got Elizabethtown back within single digits. Ben Stanton drained a three-pointer on the Jays' final offensive possession with 36 seconds to go and Etown trailed by four going into the half, 31-27.

Scranton was on fire from the field in the second half, hitting on nearly 60 percent of their shots. The Royals shot 13-for-22, which made it tough for the Blue Jays to overcome their deficit in the end, though the Jays did come hot to start.

Seven quick points from EJ Finney and Finarelli (back-to-back threes) put EC ahead by four, 35-31, in the opening minutes of the second half. 

As Elizabethtown cooled off, the Royals kept on going and eventually overtook the Jays with under 15 minutes left in the game and never relinquished the lead the rest of the way, though Etown would pull level twice.

The Royals were able to make it a three-possession game with just under 10 minutes in regulation and that's mostly where they were able to keep it. The Jays were able to get their deficit down to eight thanks to shots from Finarelli with around seven and change to go in the game, but Scranton's solid shooting wouldn't slow down.

Scranton shot 12-for-14 from the free throw line in the second half alone and were 17-for-20 in the game.

Elizabethtown had its seven-game win streak snapped. Finarelli ended his night 13-for-22 from the floor.

The Blue Jays are at Wilkes on Saturday, January 10, at 2 p.m.