BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Juniata College turned a slim two-point halftime lead into healthy double-digit win with a sterling second half shooting performance that led the Eagles to a 65-50 win over Moravian College, Saturday evening at Johnston Hall.
Juniata (15-7, 7-4 Landmark) shot 50 percent from the field in the second half with a 13-of-26 ledger, after shooting just 36 percent in the opening stanza.
A 12-0 Eagle run in the latter part of the second half opened the door for the Juniata win.
Leading 41-39 with 10:44 showing on the clock, a Dan Sekulski (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone Area) jumper started the run. Brian Scholly (State College, Pa./State College Area) quickly added a 3-pointer – one of his three on the night – and another jumper from Austin Ankney (Somerset, Pa./Somerset) extended the Juniata lead to 48-39.
Nate Higgins (St. Mary's, Pa./Elk County Catholic) hit the second of two free throws to stretch Juniata's lead to double digits, and Alex Raymond (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Altoona Area) and Jeremy Hays (McMechen, W.Va./John Marshall) each added two-point buckets to compete the run with Juniata leading 53-39.
The Eagles' lead briefly dropped back below 10 points twice over the last two minutes of play, but a pair of Sekulski foul shots and Higgins layup in the final 30 seconds sealed the Juniata win.
Juniata led by as many as 12 points, 23-11, following a Scholly 3-pointer at the 5:46 mark of the first half. However the Eagles made just one of their seven field goal attempts through the remainder of the half as the Greyhounds went on a 15-5 run to close the frame.
Four Juniata players finished in double figures, led by Sekulski's 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field. Kevin Stapleton (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) logged his first double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds – just the second double-double by a Juniata player this season. Raymond and Higgins each tacked on 11 points, while Scholly chipped in with 10 points and four assists.
Raymond dished out a game-high seven assists, one off his season high.
Moravian's D.J. Strayhorn, who scored 28 points when the Greyhounds and Eagles clashed in Huntingdon in January, was held to 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field with three 3-pointers. Garrett Johnson added 12 for the 'Hounds to go with a team-high eight rebounds, while Jeff Cullinan netted 10 points.
Juniata will return to the hardwood at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center for its next game, a clash with the Catholic University of America on Friday, Feb. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
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