Junior guard Mark Howell runs the offense in the first half versus Elizabethtown College in Johnston Hall. Photo by Mairi West '23
Junior guard Mark Howell runs the offense in the first half versus Elizabethtown College in Johnston Hall. Photo by Mairi West '23
February 4, 2023

Moravian Falls to Elizabethtown on Alumni Day in Johnston Hall

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men’s basketball squad fell to visiting Elizabethtown College, 75-69, in Landmark Conference action in Johnston Hall Saturday as the Greyhounds hosted their annual Alumni Day.

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian University men's basketball squad fell to visiting Elizabethtown College, 75-69, in Landmark Conference action in Johnston Hall Saturday as the Greyhounds hosted their annual Alumni Day.

How It Happened

  • The Blue Jays opened the scoring while freshman forward Marquis Ratcliff hit a lay-up to the Hounds on the scoreboard, and the Blue & Grey took their first lead at 6-4 on a three-pointer from sophomore guard/forward Michael Leonardo. Elizabethtown went back in front 10-9 before Moravian scored eight straight on three-pointers by junior guard Alex Dietz and junior forward Mike DiPietro and a dunk by Ratcliff for a 17-10 advantage with 15:12 left in the opening half
  • The Greyhounds saw the lead reach double digits at 27-17 on a three-pointer from junior guard Mark Howell, and three-point play by Ratcliff had the Hounds with a 35-19 edge with just under eight minutes until the intermission. The Blue and Grey were still up 16 at 37-31 after freshman forward Uma Kalu connected on a lay-up; however, the Hounds were limited to just one point in the final five and a half minutes of the half as the Blue Jays closed the gap to 38-31 at the break
  • Moravian pushed the advantage back to 13 points early in the second half after three-pointers from freshman guard Porter Kelly and Ratcliff made it 46-33, but a 10-4 run from the Blue Jays had the edge down to seven points. Leonardo drained a three-pointer for a 53-43 lead, and a jumper by Leonardo at the 11:29 mark had the Greyhounds up 56-47. Elizabethtown would go on a 15-5 run to take a 62-61 lead with 7:19 remaining
  • The Hounds answered with lay-ups from Dietz and Howell to retake a 65-62 edge with 5:22 to go. However, the Blue & Grey were limited to just four points the rest of the way as a 9-0 run from the Blue Jays gave them the lead for good 

Inside the Numbers

  • Moravian had three players in double figures with Ratcliff posting his sixth double-double of the season with 26 points and 10 rebounds to go along with two assists and a pair of steals. Leonardo recorded his second double-double and the first between points and rebounds with a career-high 12 points to go with 10 boards, five assists, three steals and two blocked shots
  • Howell tossed in a career-best 11 points to go with four rebounds while Dietz had nine points, two assists and two steals. Kelly finished with five points, five boards and a pair of assists while DiPietro contributed three points and three rebounds. Kalu had two points while junior guard Filippo Baldo has one point and junior guard C.J. Weber grabbed two rebounds
  • The Greyhounds shot 24-for-59 from the field, 11-for-31 beyond the three-point line and 10-for-18 at the foul line
  • The Blue and Grey did have a 42-34 advantage on the boards
  • The day began with Moravian's annual Alumni Game in Johnston Hall, and during the game with Elizabethtown, the Greyhounds recognized the 40th anniversary of the 1982-83 squad making the program's first-ever NCAA Division III Tournament appearance with a 19-8 mark

Up Next for the Greyhounds

  • Wednesday, February 8 vs. Goucher College, 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, February 11 at Juniata College, 4:00 p.m.