Junior guard Alex Dietz shoots a three-pointer during the first half of the championship game at the 42nd Steel Club Classic versus York College of Pennsylvania in Johnston Hall. Photo by Mairi West '23
Posted: Jan 07, 2023
ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- The Moravian University men's basketball squad earned its first Landmark Conference win of the season, heading on the road for a 64-51 victory at Elizabethtown College Saturday.
How It Happened
- The Hounds opened the scoring on a lay-up from sophomore forward Nate Santiago on the first shot of the contest. The Blue & Grey kept moving ahead by two points, but the Blue Jays knotted the score each time until junior forward Mike DiPietro drained a three-pointer at the 13:16 mark for a 13-8 edge. Junior guard Alex Dietz added a three-pointer for a 16-8 edge, and the Blue and Grey had an 18-12 lead with 9:53 to go in the opening half
- Another three-pointer from Dietz started an 11-0 run that saw Moravian stretch the advantage to 29-12 after a free throw by junior guard C.J. Weber with 6:23 until the intermission. Graduate student guard Danny Cooper drained a three-pointer to finish the first half and send the Greyhounds to the locker room with a 35-18 lead
- Freshman forward Marquis Ratcliff hit the first basket of the second half as the Hounds' edge hit 19 points at 37-18 while Santiago sank a free throw at the 15:19 mark for a 22-point advantage at 42-20. Ratcliff made it 50-31 at the midpoint of the second half with a three-pointer
- The Blue and Grey had a 59-42 lead with 4:27 remaining after Ratcliff drained another three-pointer. After Elizabethtown netted five points to get within 12, Ratcliff sank a free throw with 1:30 to go so seal the victory
Inside the Numbers
- Moravian had three players in double figures with Ratcliff netting a career high 27 points to go with 13 rebounds as he recorded his third double-double of the year. Ratcliff also had a career best five blocked shots and missed just one shot from the field
- Cooper tossed in 12 points to go along with three rebounds and three assists while Dietz finished with 111 points
- DiPietro, Santiago and senior guard Nate Dougherty each scored third points with DiPietro contributing six rebounds and a pair of assists, Santiago grabbing six boards and Dougherty adding two boards
- Sophomore guard/forward Michael Leonardo recorded four rebounds and two points while freshman forward Uma Kalu had three boards and two points and Weber finished with a point and two boards. Freshman guard Porter Kelly posted three rebounds and three steals
- The Greyhounds shot 23-for-58 from the field, 7-for-27 on three-pointers and 11-for-18 at the foul line. The Blue and Grey also forced the Blue Jays into 14 turnovers while making just 12 miscues
Up Next for the Greyhounds
- Tuesday, January 10 vs. Drew University, 1:00 p.m.
- Friday, January 13 vs. Juniata College, 4:00 p.m.