Rangers Pull Away Late from Eagles

MADISON, NJ -  The Juniata men's basketball team went cold late in the second half as they couldn't keep pace with Drew University in a loss, 61-48, Saturday afternoon inside Baldwin Gymnasium. 

Mason Hardy bounced a pass through the heart of the Drew zone to a cutting Gabe Guidinger, who finished with a smooth reverse layup on the right side to get things started. Guidinger got the ball at the elbow and found Chase Husted for a layup to make it 4-2 early. Tyler Lapetina found Guidinger for a jumper, and Kyle Ruggery converted a jump shot as the Eagles led 8-4 in the first six minutes. 

The Rangers answered with eight of the next nine to edge ahead 14-8; buckets from Ruggery and Husted quickly brought the Eagles back within two with 10 to play. Hardy set up Ross Conway for a triple to knot things at 15-15. Lapetina found Husted for another layup, and a Ruggery steal ended up with Guidinger finding Husted in transition for another one to make it 19-15.

The Rangers put together another 6-0 run that ended with a Ruggery three off a pass from Kohl Bernarding, which put JC back up by one. The Bernarding to Ruggery connection resulted in a Ruggery jumper as JC led by three, 24-21, with just under two to play. The Rangers scored inside, and Juniata led by one, 24-23, at the half.

Drew scored the first seven points of the second half; Hardy broke the seal with a jumper after he snared an offensive rebound. Two foul shots from Husted and one from Ruggery brought the Eagles back within one. The Rangers scored inside, and Hardy swished a three in the left corner off an inbound pass from Lapetina. Guidinger drilled another three from the left side off a Hardy assist. Two Ranger jumpers put the Eagles down one, 36-35, before Ruggery continued the Eagle success on the left side of the arc as he drilled the third three of the half to make it 38-36.

The Rangers went on a 13-5 run over the next few minutes to lead 49-43, and Juniata called timeout. Husted scored inside to bring Juniata within four, and Hardy's foul line jumper had the Eagles within two, but the Rangers closed the game on a 12-1 run to get the win. 

Juniata will look to get back to their winning ways at home against Elizabethtown Wednesday at 7:00.