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Balanced Scoring Attack Leads Moravian to Victory over Rangers

Balanced Scoring Attack Leads Moravian to Victory over Rangers

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College men's basketball squad had a balanced scoring attack and had all 16 players see action as the Greyhounds posted an 81-64 victory over Drew University in Landmark Conference action in Johnston Hall Wednesday evening.

The Hounds are now 9-5 on the year and improve to 2-1 in Landmark play this winter with the win.

"I thought we shot it a little better than we have in the last couple of games which helped," commented Head Coach Justin Potts. "We were more consistent defensively tonight especially in our pressure in the second half which generated some easy baskets for us. Another good team effort with guys contributing off of the bench. We had 20 assists, which is a good thing, but we need to continue with the ball as we go through the conference, and we just need to continue to try and get better day in and day out."

Sophomore guard Jimmy Murray led three Greyhounds in double figures with 15 points to go with three rebounds and a pair of assists. Sophomore forward Oneil Holder tossed in 11 points with eight boards and two assists while senior forward Brandon McGuire  picked up his eighth double-double of the season and 26th of his career with 12 rebounds and 10 points to go with three assists and two steals. McGuire is now 16th in school history with 1,097 points.

Freshmen forward John Hargraves and guard C.J. Barnes each had nine points with Hargraves adding three boards. Senior guard Sean Hanna tossed in eight points to go with a career-best eight rebounds and four assists while sophomore forward Jake McGee had six points. Junior guard Matt Cardonne added five points while senior guard Isaiah Jennings had four points, six assists, three steals and a pair of rebounds. Sophomore guard Nicholas Casazza tossed in a three-pointer for the Blue and Grey while junior guard Khalil Rhett had one point.

Both teams got off to a slow start with Jennings scoring the first points on a lay-up after a steal nearly two minutes into action. Barnes added a three-pointer for a 5-0 lead, and Holder pushed the lead to 8-2 with a three-point play just over four minutes into the contest. Holder would move the Hounds' advantage into double figures at 13-3 with 11:43 left in the first half before a 6-0 run by the Rangers. Hanna's driving lay-up two and a half minutes later had Moravian up 10 points, 19-9. Drew closed the gap again and pulled within a point, 21-20, with 4:38 left in the first half. The Greyhounds answered and finished the first half with an 11-1 run to head to the locker room with a 32-21 lead after a late three-pointer from Cardonne.

The Hounds kept the lead in double figures for the entire second half with the edge reaching 20 points, 43-23 on a three-pointer by Murray near the 16-minute mark. The advantage would hit 27 points, 73-46, after a three-pointer by Barnes with 5:10 remaining as the Greyhounds began to empty the bench.

The Blue and Grey shot 48.4 percent (31-of-64) from the floor and were 19-of-35 (54.3 percent) in the final 20 minutes of action.

Moravian is slated to return to action on Saturday, January 14 in a Landmark Conference game at The Catholic University of America beginning at 4:00 p.m. in Washington, D.C.