Junior guard Nate Dougherty drives to the basket in the second half versus The University of Scranton. Photo by Joshua Stout '23
Junior guard Nate Dougherty drives to the basket in the second half versus The University of Scranton. Photo by Joshua Stout '23
February 2, 2022

Moravian Drops Hard-Fought Landmark Conference Contest To Scranton

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men’s basketball team dropped a hard-fought 69-66 decision to visiting The University of Scranton in Landmark Conference action in Johnston Hall Wednesday evening in a contest that both teams held the lead for substantial time and came down to the final seconds of regulation.

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 69-66 decision to visiting The University of Scranton in Landmark Conference action in Johnston Hall Wednesday evening in a contest that both teams held the lead for substantial time and came down to the final seconds of regulation.

How It Happened

  • The Greyhounds scored on their opening possession as sophomore forward Mike DiPietro connected on a lay-up. The Royals scored the next five points and would push the lead out to eight points at 13-5 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the first half. The Hounds closed within three points at 15-12 on a jumper from senior guard Danny Cooper 
  • After Scranton pushed the edge back to six points, the Hounds eventually evened the contest at 27-27 on a jumper from Cooper, who would also make two free throws for the final points of the half as the teams headed to the locker room tied at 29-29
  • Moravian retook the lead for the first time since the opening minute of action while freshman forward Nate Santiago hit a lay-up on the Blue and Grey's first possession of the second half. The Royals briefly tied the game at 34-34 while sophomore guard Alex Dietz gave the Greyhounds a 38-34 edge with a tip-in basket at the 16:49 mark. Scranton answered again and had a 39-38 lead at the 14:24 mark
  • The Hounds then went on a 6-0 run with a lay-up from junior guard Nate Dougherty putting the Blue and Grey ahead 44-39 two minutes later. Dougherty drained a three-pointer 45 seconds later that gave Moravian its largest edge of the night at 47-41; however, the Royals scored six straight to knot the contest for the sixth time. Scranton eventually moved back in front, 54=53, with 6:17 to go while the Greyhounds had their final lead of the night at 57-56 on a Cooper jumper with 4:20 remaining
  • The Royals pushed the edge back to five points with 1:11 to go before two free throws from Dougherty and a lay-up by Dietz made it a one-point contest at 64-63 with 36 seconds left. Scranton would connect on a three-pointer while Dougherty answered to make it 67-66 Scranton with 2.7 seconds left; however, the Royals made two free throws to end the game 

Inside the Numbers

  • Moravian had two players in double figures with Cooper netting a team-high 19 points to go with two rebounds and a pair of assists while Dougherty tossed in 17 points and grabbed five rebounds
  • Freshman guard/forward Antonio Montgomery contributed nine points, two assists and a pair of steals while Dietz had eight points, a career-high eight rebounds, two assists and two steals
  • Santiago added six points and four boards while DiPietro had five points and two boards and freshman guard/forward Michael Leonardo contributed two points
  • The Greyhounds forced the Royals into 18 turnovers while committing just 11 miscues in the contest
  • The difference in the contest came at the foul line where Scranton shot 21-for-30 while the Blue and Grey were 12-for-14. Moravian had a 25-22 edge in field goals and both teams made four three-pointers. Both squads also shot 50 percent from the floor in the final 20 minutes of action
Mike Frew '02 discusses the squad's performance in 69-66 loss to Scranton.

Up Next for the Greyhounds

  • Saturday, February 5 vs. Elizabethtown College, 2:00 p.m.
  • Monday, February 7 vs. New York University, 7:00 p.m.