(Posted January 8, 2005)

Juniata 109, Westminster 102

New Wilmington, Pa. ? Facing the third highest scoring team in NCAA Division III, the Juniata College men?s basketball team figured to have to best its 67.8 points per game average against Westminster College Saturday night. The Eagles (5-7) did exactly that as they poured in 109 points in a 109-102 victory over Westminster (10-4) in New Wilmington.

Travis Boyd (Juniata Valley/Barree) matched a career high with 26 points and grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds and was one of five Eagles to score in double figures. Boyd also paced the team with five assists. Tommy McConnell (Bishop Guilfoyle/Hollidaysburg) finished with 19 points, with Jeff Byer (Conemaugh Twp./Davidsville) adding a career-best 18. Sophomores Aaron Chamberlain (Tussey Mountain/Wood) and Chris Jasiota (Oil City/Oil City) added 15 and 11 respectively for Juniata, which has now won four of its last five games.

Craig Hannon scored 26 to lead Westminster, with Ed Pagley and Mark DeMonaco adding 23 and 18 respectively. DeMonaco was tops on the team with seven rebounds, while four different players had a team-high three assists.

Juniata topped the 50-percent shooting mark from the field for the game, and pulled away with a 63-point second half. Trailing by one at halftime, the Eagles opened the second period with a 10-0 run to take the lead for good. McConnell nailed a pair of threes during the stretch which closed with Juniata holding a nine-point cushion.

Westminster would get back within one when a three from Pagley capped an 8-0 run for the home team with 13:10 left in the game. Boyd promptly hit a jumper to halt the run, and the Titan?s would get no closer than three the rest of the way. Juniata pulled the lead out to 14 points after Chamberlain knocked home a pair of free throws with 5:15 left, then held off a late surge with solid free throw shooting to claim the win.

Juniata started the game quickly, jumping out to a quick 12-5 lead in the first five minutes of the game. The lead bounced back and forth for the remainder of the half, with the Titans eventually taking a one-point lead into the locker room.

The 109 points were the most Juniata has scored in the three-plus seasons under Head Coach Greg Curley. It was just the third time during Curley?s tenure that the Eagles have topped the century mark, and the first time in a non-overtime game.

Juniata will look to continue its recent hot play on Tuesday when the Eagles get back into conference action with a road game at Elizabethtown.

JUNIATA (109): Byer 7 4-6 18, Chamberlain 5 4-5 15, Boyd 8 2-8 26, McConnell 6 5-7 19, Hager 3 0-0 9, Ferko 2 0-0 4, Jasiota 5 1-2 11, Opitz 1 0-0 3, Holencik 2 0-0 4, Holloway 0 0-0 0, Cannon 0 0-0 0. Totals ? 39 22-29 1-0

WESTMINSTER (102): O?Connor 1 0-0 3, Hatch 2 2-2 8, Pagley 7 6-8 23, DeMonaco 6 3-5 18, Fadden 3 0-0 6, DiNatale 0 0-0 0, Joseph 3 0-3 6, Hauck 1 0-1 2, Preston 1 0-0 3, Urso 2 0-0 5, Hannon 8 3-4 26, Delo 0 0-0 0, Adams 0 0-0 0, Whitlow 0 0-0 0, Confer 0 0-0 0, Zatchok 1 0-2 2. Totals ? 35 14-24 102

Halftime: Westminster 47-46. 3-point goals: Juniata 9 (Hager 3, Boyd 2, McConnell 2, Opitz, Chamberlain); Westminster 18 (Hannon 7, Pagley 3, DeMonaco 3, Hatch 2, O?Connor, Preston, Urso). Assists: Juniata 22 (Boyd 5); Westminster 21 (Pagley, DeMonaco, Hauck, Urso 3). Rebounds: Juniata 54 (Boyd 15); Westminster 46 (DeMonaco 7).


Records: Juniata (5-7); Westminster (10-4).

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