(Posted January 2, 2010)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. - The holiday hangover lasted for all of five seconds of the game before the Juniata College mens' basketball team routed the Penn State Altoona Lions, 89-53, in front of the home crowd inside the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center this afternoon.

The Eagles never trailed in the game as senior Ryan Jones (Coudersport, Pa./Coudersport) scored off the opening tip as they extended the lead to as many 15 throughout the first half.

Juniata continued to watch its lead grow as they started off the second half with a 12-6 run during the opening 5:41 of the half. The lead was 22 points, as the scoreboard read 53-31.

The end of the second half was just as successful for the Eagles as they went on another hot streak. A 17-4 run that spanned 5:51 late in the second half opened the lead to an insurmountable 36 points in favor of the home team with 1:33 remaining on the clock. Freshman Alex Raymond (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Altoona), senior Jeff Berkey (Stoystown, Pa./Shanksville-Stoneycreek) and sophomore Andy Wolfe (Carlisle, Pa./Boiling Springs) each hit a three pointer during that stretch.

Eleven different Eagles scored, led by Jones who tallied team highs with 22 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore Matt Regan (Downingtown, Pa./Devon Prep) scored a career high 15 points and added five rebounds. Berkey shot 4 of 6 from three-point territory as he chipped in with 14 points. Stat stuffer Raymond recorded 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds in 34 minutes.

Juniata shot a season high 62 percent from the field for the game on 31-50 shooting. They also hit 10 three-point shots and made 66.7 percent of their shots from outside the three-point arc.

The Eagles defense was stingy all night as they force 15 turnovers and turned them into 15 points. They also forced the Lions into shooting 38.0% for the game.

Altoona (6-5, 4-1 AMCC) was led by Kirk Peters who had game highs of 28 points and 13 rebounds, but hurt themselves by shooting 7.1% from three point land.

The win was the head coach Greg Curley's 102 as the leader of the Juniata bench. He is now one win shy of tying of the all-time mark set by Arnold "Doc" Greene.

The Eagles move to 6-5 overall and will be back on the hardwood when they travel to Grove City College on Monday, Jan. 4. The Wolverines took Juniata to overtime in the championship game of the Doc Greene Invitational earlier this season before bowing out 82-72.


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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.