Eagles Pull Away from Greyhounds in Second Half
BETHLEHEM, Pa.- The Juniata men's basketball team was buoyed by the return of two starters as they won on the road at Moravian University, 72-55, Wednesday afternoon at Johnston Hall.
Evan Eisenhart led the way with 17 points after a two-game absence, with two rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Chase Husted returned from a three-game hiatus to tally 10 points and 10 rebounds for his 21st career double-double. Tyler Lapetina totaled 14 points, including three three-pointers, with seven rebounds and an assist. For Lapetina, it broke a bit of a cold spell from three-point territory; it had been several games since he made more than one three-pointer in a game. Mason Hardy added 11 points, four rebounds, and seven assists, while Gabe Guidinger contributed eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block.
Lapetina drove baseline from the left wing, from under the hoop, and tossed it to Eisenhart in the corner, who rose and drilled a three to open the scoring a little over a minute into the action. Hardy found Husted for a jumper and Lapetina for another Eagle three as JC grabbed an early 8-0 lead.
Moravian scored the next nine points before Husted laid the ball in to give JC the lead back, 10-19, with a little over 12 minutes to go in the half.
Moravian carved out a five-point lead, 19-14, before another Eisenhart three, along with a steal followed by a layup on the other end by Ty Kocak, knotted things at 19-19.
Juniata closed the half on a 10-5 run, with Moravian knocking down a three at the buzzer, to cut the Eagle halftime lead to five, 31-26.
JC turned the Greyhounds over eight times in the first half and shot well from behind the arc as they shot 42.9 percent from deep in the opening stanza.
A 12-4 run over the first four minutes of the second half, capped by a Hardy jumper, had the Eagles up 41-30.
Moravian methodically chipped away and, with just under 12 to go in the contest, got within two 41-39 after scoring three the old-fashioned way on an and-one.
The teams traded buckets; Eisenhart rattled home another three, Lapetina converted an and-one, and Hardy swished another jumper to increase the lead back to nine.
Moravian got within seven on a pair of foul shots, 50-43, but Hardy responded with a three, and Juniata held their host at arm's length the rest of the way.
The Eagles closed the game on a 22-12 run to get the 72-55 win. Juniata outrebounded Moravian 39-29 and held the Greyhounds to 35.3 shooting from the field.
The men's basketball team returns to action at home this Saturday when they host Goucher. Tipoff is at 2:00.