Higgins’ double-double and Juniata’s defense lead MBB to win over W&J

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College held Washington & Jefferson to just 24 second-half points on 29 percent shooting on its way to a 74-66 come-from-behind victory, in men's basketball action Tuesday night at the Henry Memorial Center.

The win gives Juniata a 4-0 start for the first time since the 2002-03 season, head coach Greg Curley's second season in Huntingdon.

Trailing 42-36 at the half, Juniata (4-0) went on a 10-0 run right out of the gate in the second half, paced by a pair of buckets by senior Dan Sekulski (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone). That opening surge left the Eagles with a 46-42 lead with 17:27 showing on the clock, following a pair of foul shots by junior Alex Raymond (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Altoona Area).

The game would be tied four times over the next 14 minutes, with Washington & Jefferson never regaining an outright lead. Juniata finally took the lead for good on Brian Scholly's (State College, Pa./State College Area) jumper at the 3:32 mark, putting the Eagles in front 61-59 with 3:32 remaining.

W&J would twice pull to within two points of Juniata to make the contest a one-possession game, but the Eagles responded each time – first with a jumper by Kevin Stapleton (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) and later with a bucket by Raymond – to turn back the Presidents' charge.

The Eagles held their lead by going 9-of-11 at the free-throw line over the final two minutes of the game, while the Presidents were held to just two field goals through the last five minutes of play. 

W&J (2-2) had as much as a 13-point lead in the opening half, after jumping out to an 8-0 lead on the Eagles to start the contest.  The Presidents' lead reached double-digits at 16-5 with 14:46 left in the first half, with the Eagles responding with a 15-4 run to tie the game at 20-20 by the 10:05 mark of the stanza.

The Presidents answered with a 19-6 run of their own, and held a 39-26 lead with 3:54 showing on the first half clock. Juniata outscored W&J 6-1 over the final three minutes of the half, including a pair of jumpers by Lucas Mellott (Warfordsburg, Pa./Southern Fulton), giving the Eagles some momentum heading into the locker room for the intermission.

Juniata had four players score in double digits, led by Nate Higgins' (St. Mary's, Pa./Elk County Catholic) double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.  Jeremy Hays (McMechen, W.Va./John Marshall) had a team-high 14 points for Juniata off the bench, while Sekulski and Stapleton had 12 and 10 points respectively.

Raymond and Pat Cassidy (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) each handed out three assists, with Sekulski recording three thefts.

Juniata had a 40 to 32 rebounding advantage, including 11 offensive rebounds that translated to 12 second-chance points for the Eagles.

Washington & Jefferson's Andy Carter netted a game-high 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and a 8-of-9 mark at the line and hauled down nine boards.  Zach Bellhy finished with 15 points for the Presidents.

Juniata returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 26, when it hosts Saint Vincent College at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

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