By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: JD Cavrich Photography
KINGS POINT, Ny. – On the road in a Landmark Conference matchup, the Juniata College men's basketball ball team fell to U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 79-68, moving to 12-5 overall and 3-3 in league play. Senior Kevin Stapleton (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) finished the night with a team-high 19 points and tacking on six rebounds. Sophomore Kyle Koehler (Chester Springs, Pa./Devon Prep.) added a career-high 17 total points in 27 minutes off the bench and had a team-high seven rebounds.
Merchant Marine opened up the first big lead of the game at 11-3 after just over two minutes of play. The Eagles started to come back with two made layups from Stapleton and a bucket inside from senior Lucas Mellott (Warfordsburg, Pa./Southern Fulton) to come within four at 14-10. Mellott shot 6-9 from the floor scoring 13 points and pulling down four total rebounds.
With the duo of Stapleton and Mellott running the court for Juniata, the Eagles went on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 22-22 with 7:13 left to play in the half. After the great surge to tie the game, the Juniata offense faltered and the Mariners took the 30-22 lead. The Eagles found another bucket, again from Mellott, with 2:09 on the clock to stop Merchant Marine's momentum.
On the final possession of the period senior Jeremy Hays (McMechen, W. Va./John Marshall) grabbed the inbound pass and took the ball all to way to the other end to score his first points of the period and send the Eagles into the halftime break down three at 31-28.
Juniata opened the second half with a surge of momentum and grabbed the lead at 32-31 on a free throw by Stapleton. Koehler then gave the Eagles the 36-33 lead on a four-point play after a made trey and converted free throw. In the opening five minutes, Juniata went on a 13-4 run to open up the six-point lead at 41-35.
The two teams traded a series of threes and the Mariners were able to tie the game at 44 all with 12:30 on the clock. After Merchant Marine grabbed their first lead since the start of the second half on a pack of made free throws, first year player Nate Ogle (Falls Church, Va./George Mason) sunk a deep three to climb back within one at 50-49 Mariners.
With just under five minutes to play the Eagles were looking at a six-point deficit, down 60-54. With the score 69-56, Stapleton launched a trey and Juniata called a its first timeout of the half in an 11-point hole at 69-58. The Eagles made a good fight in the closing minutes, but were unable to come out of the hole and fell 79-68.
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