Eagles Fend of Late Lions Surge

ERIE, Pa.- The Juniata men's basketball team nabbed their second win of the season as they had to fend off a late push from PSU Behrend to win, 67-65, Saturday afternoon on day two of the Behrend Tip-Off Tournament. 

Gabe Guidinger splashed a three off a Tyler Lapetina assist to get things started for JC. The Lions pushed ahead over the following few minutes as the Eagles trailed by six, a little under six minutes into the game.

Chase Husted scored inside off a pass from Mason Hardy, Hardy converted two foul shots, and Michael Montecalvo scored on a layup to knot things at 14. Threes from Kyle Ruggery and Montecalvo, along with another Husted bucket in the paint, made it 22-19 with eight and a half minutes to play in the first half.  

The Eagle defense did its thing as it held the lions scoreless for nearly seven minutes; they didn't score again until there was a minute and 38 seconds left in the half. A Ross Conway jumper capped the 9-0 Eagle run. 

A Hardy jumper was the final bucket of the half, which sent JC into the locker room with a double-digit edge, 32-21. 

Juniata led by as many as 19 in the second half, but the Lions kept chipping away. A pair of Lapetina foul shots pushed the lead to 13 with just over four to play as the Eagles tried to close out the Lions. The hosts would mount a final push, however.  

Two jumpers, a layup, and a three from the Lions with Husted's layup, the lone JC basket cut Juniata's lead to six, 67-61, with a minute and a half to play. 

Juniata missed on their next two possessions, and the Lions drove inside and scored again to make it 67-63 with 28 seconds showing on the clock. Following an Eagle miss on the front end of a 1 and 1, the Lions got into the paint again and converted to narrow the deficit to two. JC called timeout with seven seconds left on the clock and missed the front end of a 1 and 1, but the final Lion shot of the game was off as the Eagles escaped with a win. 

Juniata will play at Penn State Altoona Tuesday at 7:00.