#7 Purple Raiders Down Eagles

ERIE, Pa.- The Juniata men's basketball team lost a physical game against #7 ranked Mount Union, 78-66, Friday evening on the first day of the Behrend Tipoff Tournament. 

The teams slowly worked their way into the game, with a Ross Conway steal eventually resulting in Chase Husted's layup as he cleaned up a miss. The Eagles got a stop on the other end, and Husted scored in the paint again, this time on a short hook in the paint. Husted turned provider on the next possession, finding Gabe Guidinger for a cutting layup. The Purple Raiders called timeout as JC led 6-0 early. Husted continued his strong play to open the game as he blocked a shot on one end before Guidinger returned the favor as he found Husted for a bucket. 

Mount Union slowly cut into the lead, with a jumper pulling them even with a little over 12 minutes to go in the half. 

The Purple Raiders led by six with under two to play, a jumper from Mason Hardy drilled a jumper, and Tyler Lapetina converted a three off a Hardy pass to bring JC within one at 35-34. A Mount Union layup in the final seconds put Juniata in a three-point deficit heading into the half. 

Juniata got within one early in the second on back-to-back layups from Guidinger and Husted, but Mount Union would not surrender the lead. Over the next several minutes, Mount Union methodically extended their lead to ten with ten and a half minutes to play. Two Husted buckets and Hardy three after he stole the ball in the backcourt and got it back from Husted for a left corner three made it 56-52. 

A long three from the top of the key by Conway made it 60-56, but the Eagles could not close the gap the rest of the game as the Purple Raiders held JC at bay to take the win 78-66. 

Juniata had 22 turnovers to Mount Union's 11, while JC held the edge in field goal percentage, 45% to 40%.

Men's basketball has a quick turnaround as they take on tournament host PSU Behrend tomorrow at 5:00.