Bilger's 14 Leads Juniata Over Lycoming
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata men's basketball team used clutch free-throw shooting to hold off Lycoming, securing a 66–59 victory on Wednesday night.
The Eagles led by three at the break and traded baskets throughout a tightly contested second half before closing the game out at the foul line in the final minute. Juniata went 10-for-17 from the stripe on the night.
Jayden Bilger paced Juniata with a team-high 14 points, shooting 7-of-12 from the floor. Joe Bruce added 11 points, knocking down three triples and grabbing a crucial defensive rebound in the closing seconds to seal the win. Malcolm Griffith also finished in double figures with 11 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting performance off the bench.
Ty Kocak played a pivotal role late, scoring nine points and converting 7-of-10 free throws, including two in the final 21 seconds to put the game out of reach. William Littles Jr. contributed eight points, while Noah Bailey chipped in five.
Juniata shot 40.3% from the field and connected on six three-pointers, while holding Lycoming to 36.7% shooting on the night. The Eagles were out-rebounded 43–38 but made up for it with timely stops and disciplined execution in the final moments.
Juniata will look to build on the win as they host Susquehanna on Wednesday at 5:00 PM.