The Juniata women's basketball team put the finishing touches on one of their best regular seasons ever this weekend and will host Elizabethtown Wednesday at 7:30. Before looking at the match up let's take a look back on how the JC women got here.
Season Overview
The Eagles opened the season with a strong defensive performance at Dickinson before defeating a now 19-5 Randolph Macon team at their tip-off tournament. JC then defeated Bridgewater as they grabbed three more victories in the month including a narrow 79-76 at St Vincent as they ended November 5-0.
They opened November with a massive 62-54 win over then #8 ranked Scranton (who is standing at 24-1 currently). Juniata cruised two three double digit victories in their next four games and edged 17-8 St Lawrence in the semifinal of their 12th Annual Holiday Tournament before blowing past Delaware Valley in the championship. The Eagles went into 2018 11-0, rose as high as #17 in the national polls (D3hoops.com) and at least received votes in every poll. Dani Atkinson (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) tallied her 1,000th point in a win over La Roche which was the teams ninth win. That set the mark for most wins to start a season, while Morgan Instone (Johnstown, Pa./Bishop McCourt) was named to D3hoops.com Team of the Week after the win earlier in the season over Scranton.
The men's team was also still undefeated at this time, as Juniata basketball went 22-0 in the first half of the season.
The Eagles won the first three games of the new year, including a five-point win over Lancaster Bible, before suffering their first setback at Drew, a tough 46-44 loss where they had a shot to tie at the buzzer. The Eagles' winning streak was stopped at 14, a program best. Juniata returned home and got back-back double digit wins over conference foes Susquehanna and Moravian (who was picked to finish first in the preseason coaches poll) before suffering their second loss, this one at Elizabethtown.
A massive showdown in Scranton saw Juniata drop a 62-45 decision. with a narrow win over Elizabethtown. The Eagles struggled from the floor as they fell at Moravian, before a dominant win at Goucher. That was followed by a blowout win on Senior Day over Drew which locked up the #2 seed and the second most regular season wins in a season with 21.
Playoff Preview
Juniata split their season series with Elizabethtown, with the Blue Jays (15-9, 9-5) winning a big at their place 79-55 before the Eagles got a five-point win at home. 64-59.
In the Elizabethtown win, Abby Beyer came off the bench and scored 19 points for Blue Jays while shooting 7-8 from the floor. Veronica Christ put up 17 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks.
In the JC win later in the year, four starters scored in double figures as Instone had 13 points and eight rebounds, Rachael Anstine (York, Pa./Dallastown) had 11, Veronica Cosmopolis (Lima, Peru/Colegio Carmelitas) had 11 and Atkinson also had 11 points.
Elizabethtown ranks second in the conference in three pointers (149), third in assists per game (14.5) and the second most points per game (68.0).
Mikayla Ruth leads Etown in scoring at 11.0 points per game and is tied for second in rebounds with 4.8. Beyer is second on the team in scoring with 10.5 points while shooting 39.2% from the floor which is ranks fourth in the conference. Lydia Lawson is averaging 10.0 points per game while shooting 76.4% from the foul line, good for fifth in the conference. Christ will enter the contest the reigning Landmark Conference Player of the Week after a season-best 23 points against Susquehanna that helped Elizabethtown clinch the #3 seed.
Juniata ranks second in the conference in rebounds per game at 43.8, fourth in the entire country in blocks at 6.4 and tied for the best field goal defense at 34.3%.
The Juniata women's basketball team is led by Atkinson who is third in the conference in scoring at 14.4 points and her 54 steals ranks fourth in the conference. Instone is second on the team in scoring at 12.0 points, her 7.8 rebounds ranks third in Landmark, her 54.6% field goal percentage ranks third and her 62 blocks is tied for first in the conference. Anstine is third on the team in scoring at 7.6 points, her 5.5 rebounds are good for third while her 38 blocks are the fourth most in the conference. Gracie Stauffer (Loysville, Pa./West Perry) is fourth on the team in scoring at 7.5 points, her 6.3 rebounds ranks second while her 41 blocks is third best in the conference. The Juniata women finished the regular season with a perfect 11-0 record at home.
Excitement is building all over campus for both teams, including all the way to president's office.
"It has been a historic season for both our men's and women's basketball teams and we couldn't be more proud of their success," said President Jim Troha. "To have both of our basketball teams go undefeated at home this year is just a remarkable accomplishment. And it will be the first time ever that both teams are hosting, together, a postseason game in Kennedy Gymnasium. The atmosphere Wednesday night will be electric."
The teams will tipoff at 7:30 proceeding the men's Landmark Conference semifinal game Wednesday.
