Juniata advances to Landmark finals with 71-60 win over Moravian

HUNTINGDON, PA. -  Juniata women's basketball outshot and outrebounded Moravian College to earn a 71-60 victory Wednesday evening at Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center to advance to the Landmark Conference title game.

After a brief lead exchange to start the game, Juniata (25-1, 14-0 Landmark) took the lead for good just over five minutes into the contest with a Jordan Speck (Huntingdon, Pa./Southern Huntingdon) layup to put the Eagles up 8-6.

With the score deadlocked at 16-11 for nearly an entire minute of play, Juniata broke it open with a senior Ashton Bankos (York, Pa./York Catholic) 3-pointer. Moravian (15-11, 8-6 Landmark) responded just 17 seconds later with its own trey from Hilary Murray.

After that, the Eagles got down to business and put up 15 points to the Greyhounds' seven. Senior Meagan Raville (McSherrystown, Pa./Delone Catholic) logged two treys in the run, while junior Natalie Glinsky (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) scored a jumper and a pair of foul shots. Junior Alyssia Gordon (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) threw-in a jumper and Speck sunk a 3-pointer to end the streak with the score standing at 34-21 in Juniata's favor. 

The game fell silent once again, this time for just over three minutes until a Moravian three at the 2:30 mark sparked an 8-7 Juniata run to end the half with a 42-31 score. 

Juniata's lead peaked with seven minutes and again with 6:32 left on the clock with an 18-point margin. In both instances it was a Bankos' foul shot that gave Juniata a 61-43 and 63-45 lead.

Bankos led the Eagles in foul shots with a 6-of-7 performance, all while sinking a total 15 points and completing the double double with 10 boards. She also led the squad in assists with five. Glinsky went 5-of-6 from the charity stripe and also drained 15 points. Glinsky has posted four +10 performances out of the last five outings.

Raville got out of single digits with a 12-point performance including two buckets from 3-point land, and sophomore Jordan Hileman (Williamsburg, Pa./Williamsburg) drained 11. 

As a team Juniata shot at a .417 field percentage compared to Moravian's .397 shooting rate.

With the victory the Eagles advance to the 2012 Women's Basketball Landmark Conference Tournament title game. As the higher seed, Juniata will host Catholic University of America, who downed no. 2 Scranton on Wednesday 47-40, on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2:00 p.m. in Kennedy S+RC.

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