ANNVILLE, Pa.- A Chase Husted layup with three seconds to go gave the Juniata men's basketball team a 66-64 victory in a back-and-forth contest against Lebanon Valley College Saturday afternoon.
Husted ended the night with a career-high 27 points, while he collected 11 rebounds for a double-double.
In total, the lead switched hands 14 times with no margin larger than seven.
Early on in the first half, the Eagles found themselves behind 20-13, the largest margin of the night, following a couple of threes from the Dutchmen. Juniata called timeout and returned with two free throw conversions and an open Evan Eisenhart three from the left wing to get back within two points. Each team got a layup on their next possession, followed by a Lebanon Valley three for a 25-20 advantage.
Juniata strung together nine straight points on a pair of Tyler Lapetina layups, a Husted layup plus an and one, and a pair of free throw conversions for Mason Hardy, putting Juniata up 29-25. The sides traded layups and free throws a few times LVC tied the score at 33 apiece on a jump shot followed by one Ty Kocak free throw and an Elijah Kioko layup. A Dutchmen three and back-to-back layups gave them a 40-36 halftime advantage.
LVC maintained the pace earlier in the second half, but a Husted layup followed by a Kyle Ruggery, three from the left corner, got Juniata within one point at 44-43. On the next sequence, Hardy passed to Husted, who immediately passed back to Hardy, who sank an open three after drawing away his defender on the pass to Husted. Two layups and three free throws again put LVC ahead, this time 51-46, with 11 minutes to go. After a period of low scoring, LVC added to a one-point advantage with a three with four minutes to go for a 58-54 lead. Juniata called timeout after an unsuccessful possession for each team.
Upon returning, Husted hit a layup, earned a turnover on a Lebanon Valley foul, and then Ruggery sank both of his free throws for another tie, this time at 58-58. The Dutchmen hit a jumper on their next possession, followed by Hardy finding Husted under the hoop, who hit a layup and earned the foul, converting the plus-one for a 61-60 lead.
Lebanon Valley hit a jump shot at the free throw line on their next possession, then Husted sank 1 of 2 free throws to again tie the game. Two free throws apiece from each team over the next few possessions made the scoreline 64-64 with 20 seconds left. With the chance to take the lead Lebanon Valley was unable to convert their second free throw, and Husted earned a foul, with Juniata calling timeout and 13 seconds on the clock.
Hardy drove into the key on the left side, drawing defenders away from Husted on the right, who sank an open layup. The Dutchmen called timeout with a few seconds to go but were unable to get a shot off after getting downcourt.
The Eagles were strong from the free throw line, converting on 22 of 26 chances, although they were able to hit just 14.3% of three-point shots.
Juniata plays another nonconference contest on Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm as they host Bridgewater.
