By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich Photography
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata College men's basketball team dropped its first home contest of the season to 2013 Landmark Conference champions Catholic University of America, 78-63, at Memorial Gymnasium. Senior Jeremy Hays (McMechen, W. Va./John Marshall) finished with a team-high 23-points on the night and senior Lucas Mellott (Warfordsburg, Pa./Southern Fulton) grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
"It comes down to that we couldn't guard the ball and we couldn't keep number five out of the defense," said head coach Greg Curley. "We didn't execute defensively the way we are capable of, but you have to give them credit. They knew what they were doing and who they were going after. We just didn't handle it really well."
In the opening five minutes, Catholic attempted to stretch out a lead reaching 11-4 at the 16:30 mark. The Eagles were able to keep it a five-point game with a trey from Hays and an acrobatic layup in the lane. With seven minutes gone in the half, Mellott made a strong move to the baseline giving himself clean air for the layup and pulling the Eagles to within three at 16-13. Senior Brian Scholly (State, College, Pa./State College) nailed a jumper with 12 minutes on the clock to pull Juniata to within one.
Just after the 10 minute mark, first year Nate Ogle (Falls Church, Va./George Mason) sunk a left hook to give the Eagles their first lead of the night at 17-16. Senior Kevin Stapleton (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) helped Juniata gain its own five-point lead at 21-16 with a strong drive through the lane. The guard tacked on eight points in the first 20 minutes.
Strong foul shooting from Juniata kept them with a one point lead, 25-24, with four minutes left to play. The Eagles shot 8-9 from the foul line in first half play. Sophomore Kyle Koehler (Chester Springs, Pa./Devon Prep.) nailed a trey from deep to take the lead back at 28-26. After a 7-2 run by Catholic, senior Pat Cassidy (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) sunk a pair of foul shots to pull the Eagles back to within one at 31-30. The Cardinals carried the 35-32 lead into halftime.
"I didn't think we were aggressive enough offensively," said Curley. "We can't play most of the first half with our arguably best players on the bench. We have to get better with that. They hurt us inside. They showed up, they played better, and they deserved to win."
Out of halftime, the Cardinals went on an 8-4 run for the 43-36 lead. With five minutes of play gone in the second half, sophomore Justin Fleming (Doswell, Va./Benedictine College Prep.) sunk a trey to pull Juniata back within four. Looking at a five-point deficit, Stapleton grabbed a steal and converted on a fast break to for the 47-44 Catholic lead with 13:40 left to play.
With 10-minutes left to play in the game, Catholic had pulled out a 61-49 lead. Juniata's half court pressure brought the Eagles to within 11, but Juniata suffered its first conference loss of the season, 78-63, and fell to 11-3 on the year.
"We have to show better energy," said Curley. "We've hung our hat on defense all year and we need to be better. It's showing up, it's handling things, we have to learn how to be successful and still have the next game be just another game. I don't think we treated it that way and we have to be better than that. We're going to see now if we're any good. It's either going to make us better or it's not. If we want to go where we want to go this is going to have to make us better."
The Eagles will be back home this Saturday, Jan. 18, in a double header with the women's team against Drew University. The men's team will tip off at 2 p.m. followed by the women's game at 4 p.m.
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