SCRANTON, PA – In a matchup of unbeaten teams, the Wilkes University women's basketball team lost to No. 5 the University of Scranton in the program's first-ever Landmark Conference game Wednesday night at the John Long Center by a 72-44 score.

Wilkes is now 4-1 overall and 0-1 in the Landmark Conference after having its first 4-0 start since the 2002-2003 season. Scranton stayed unbeaten at 6-0 overall and start conference play at 1-0.

Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) led the Colonels with a game-high 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting from the field. The 15 points were a season high and two off the senior's career high.

Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) scored four of the Colonels five points in the first quarter, but the nationally ranked Royals went up by 18, leading 23-5 after the first 10 minutes.

Wilkes played nearly even with Scranton through the second and third quarters, being outscored 17-15 and 14-12 respectively.

Babcock had 10 of her 15 points in the second quarter as Wilkes trailed 40-20 at halftime. Emma Stout (Bangor, PA/Bangor) scored five points in the third quarter and Taylor Simpson (Dunmore, PA/Lawrenceville School) added a three-pointer, but the Royals led 54-32 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter Julianna Askins (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) hit a three and Babcock scored twice in transition to highlight the scoring for Wilkes. Scranton won the quarter 18-12 to produce the 72-44 final.

Simpson scored a career-best seven points in her fifth career game to follow behind Babcock in the scoring column for Wilkes. Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) and Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) led the Colonels with seven and six rebounds respectively. Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) led Wilkes with three assists and Shober tied her career high with six blocks.

Scranton received 11 points each from Kaci Kranson and Meghan Lamanna and had four other players score eight points. Victoria Toomey had a game-high eight rebounds and Jenna Sloan had a game-high four assists. Kaeli Romanowski led the Royals with a game-high seven steals.

Wilkes remains in Landmark Conference play and on the road for a Saturday matchup at Catholic University who is receiving votes in the latest D3hoops.com national poll. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. in Washington D.C.