Balanced Scoring Attack Leads Moravian to Big Win over Juniata
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College men’s basketball team posted a 79-37 victory over visiting Juniata College in Landmark Conference action Saturday afternoon in Johnston Hall.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College men's basketball team posted a 79-37 victory over visiting Juniata College in Landmark Conference action Saturday afternoon in Johnston Hall.
The Greyhounds improve to 10-5 overall and 3-1 in Landmark Conference play with the win.
"I thought it was a great team effort today and shown by the balanced scoring," noted Head Coach Justin Potts. "Our depth was an advantage, and I thought our defense played really well in forcing 24 turnovers and keeping them under 30 percent shooting."
The Hounds had four players in double figures and two more with nine points as 10 of the 11 players in the game scored and played at least 11 minutes. Junior forward John Hargraves tied his career-high with 12 points and grabbed a career-best with seven rebounds to go along with a pair of blocked shots while freshman forward Steve Breeman tossed in four three-pointers for 12 points. Sophomore guard Matt O'Connor added a career-high 11 points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals while junior guard C.J. Barnes scored 10 points to go with a pair of boards, two assists and two steals.
Senior guard Nicholas Casazza connected on a trio of three-pointers for nine points, and he added five rebounds and two assists while senior forward Oneil Holder had nine points, four boards and a pair of assists. Senior guard Will Brazukas contributed seven points, four assists, two steals and a pair of rebounds while junior guard Elijah Davis added four rebounds, four rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocked shots. Sophomore guard Shon Wilson had three points and two steals while senior guard Jimmy Murray had two points and two rebounds in limited action. Junior guard Mike Martino dished out five assists in the victory.
The Blue and Grey connected on 30-of-64 field goal attempts, 14-of-27 three-pointer shots and 5-of-7 free throws in the victory while posted a 37-36 edge on the boards. Moravian also forced Juniata into 24 turnovers while the Hounds had just 11 turnovers to go with 21 assists.
Hargraves opened the scoring with a lay-up before the Eagles answered with a three-pointer. Juniata took an 8-4 lead with another trifecta before three straight treys from the Greyhounds, one each from Holder, Casazza and Barnes had Moravian ahead for good at 13-8 with 15:44 to play in the opening half. Leading by five points, 21-16, with 6:37 before the intermission, the Hounds went on a 19-6 run to end the half and head to the locker room with a 40-22 edge. Davis hit a jumper at 4:12 to push the lead into double digits, 28-18, for the rest of the game.
Juniata scored the first basket of the second half before three-pointers from Holder and Breeman had the Blue and Grey up 46-24. A 10-0 Moravian run late in the half ended by a dunk from Wilson after a steal had the Greyhounds up 60-32, and Barnes threw down a dunk with 1:22 to play after a steal that pushed the advantage to 40 points.
The Hounds are slated to return to action on Wednesday, January 16 when the team travels to Madison, New Jersey for a Landmark Conference contest at Drew University beginning at 7:00 p.m.
