FINAL SECOND FREE THROW LIFTS GROVE CITY PAST JUNIATA MEN’S HOOPS

GROVE CITY, Pa. – Grove City College's Luke Tomaselli connected on the first of two free throws with one second remaining to lift the Wolverines to a 64-63 win over Juniata College, in men's basketball action Wednesday night in Grove City, Pa.

Juniata (3-2) held a 40-19 lead at halftime, after shooting 46.9% (15-32) from the field and going 7-of-14 from beyond the arc. The Wolverines (3-1), who had gone 7-of-23 (30.4%) from the field in the opening frame, found their shot in the second half, connecting at a 54.2% (13-24) clip after the break – including a scorching 8-of-10 from three-point range.

The Eagles held a 53-38 lead as late as the 8:31 mark of the second half, following a three-pointer by Eric Mueseler (Latrobe, Pa./Latrobe). Grove City responded with a trey by Shawn Carr, launching a 19-5 Wolverine run over the next six minutes of play. The Wolverines turned the contest into a one-possession game on Bobby Turner's three-pointer with 2:12 remaining in the second half, reducing the Juniata lead to 58-57.

After the two teams traded jumpers, Kyle Opitz (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine Richland) put the Eagles in front by four, 63-59, with a three-pointer with just 42 seconds remaining.

A foul by Garrett Bull (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) with 19 seconds on the clock sent Shawn Carr to the line, where he connected on two free throws. Nine seconds later he drained a jump shot, tying the game at 63-63. A turnover by Opitz and foul by Brent Ferko (Sarver, Pa./Freeport) with one tick on the game clock put Tomaselli on the line, where he converted his first foul shot to give the Wolverines their first lead of the game – and the win.

The Eagles built their first half lead through a pair of scoring runs – with the first one starting at the 15:12 mark, when a Bull three-pointer triggered a 13-2 run that turned a one-point game into a 20-8 Juniata lead with 12:06 remaining in the half.

The second run was a 10-0 romp over the final 5:44 of the first half, sparked by treys from Ferko and Jeff Berkey (Stoystown, Pa./Shanksville-Stonycreek).

Ferko finished with a team-high 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field. Berkey chipped in with 12 points, largely behind his 4-of-5 performance from three-point range. Bull dished out four assists, while matching Ferko with a team-high six rebounds.

Carr paced Grove City offensively with a game-high 17 points, while three other players – Ryan Gibson, Andy O'Keefe, and Bobby Turner – tallied 10 points each.

Juniata returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 1, when the Eagles open Landmark Conference play by hosting Susquehanna University as part of a doubleheader. The women's game will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the men's game at 8:00 p.m.

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