The scenes at the Petersen Events Centre were quieter than usual despite having an NCAA game scheduled at the event. The home side – the Pittsburgh Panthers were clear winners in the game against the Division III Scranton Lady Royals, who came in for the exhibition game. But the final result made the headlines as the Scranton side pulled out an ‘unthinkable’ victory over Pitt.
While Florida Gators’ Liv McGill set the historic record with her individual performance, the Scranton put up an excellent team effort to hand the Div I team a defeat at home.
Scranton Lady Royals Defeats Pittsburgh Panthers, Setting Biggest Upset In NCAA History
The NCAA games are gaining more attention due to their unpredictable nature, intense rivalries, and exciting atmosphere around the arenas. On a similar note, Geno Auriemma named Michigan Wolverines UConn’s toughest 2025 opponent ahead of the upcoming clash, which might be surprising for many fans. While a few ups and downs are often understandable for the top sides, losing to a Div III team is a rare occurrence in the league.
But on Sunday, the Lady Royals picked up perhaps the biggest win in the history of their program when they knocked off Division I Pitt, 69-63. While it was an exhibition game for the Lady Royals, the loss will be counted in the Panthers’ season record.
Elizabeth Bennett was a key player for the visitors, who was effective on the floor and scored 15 points in the win with the help of three three-pointers from four attempts. Sophia Talutto was another star off the bench, recording 14 points, as the Scranton side outscored the hosts 25-13 in the final quarter.
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While this was one of the most significant losses in the NCAA regular season history, as a Div III team with a below 1% chance to record a victory over the Div I side.
Scranton Lady Royals Continue To Impress Under Ben Obrian
Ever since Ben Obrian took over the charge, the side maintained a strong defensive identity and won the conference championship last season with a 2902 record. They even reached the NCAA Quarterfinal under Obrian. The 1985 national champions also had a balanced scoring unit, which was evident against the Pittsburgh side on November 16.
Earlier in the season, the Division 3 team defeated No. 22 SUNY Geneseo and No. 7 SUNY Cortland, setting the tone for their regular season in the conference. They also overcame New Jersey City University to maintain a perfect start to the 2025-26 campaign. And now a win over the Div I team will boost their confidence to perform even better in the season.