BETHLEHEM Pa. --- The Moravian College men's basketball team had five players score in double figures as the Greyhounds posted an 85-81 victory over visiting Elizabethtown College in Landmark Conference action on Senior Day in Johnston Hall Saturday afternoon.
The Hounds close out the regular season with a 14-11 mark and a 9-5 slate in Landmark Conference play that has the Blue and Grey as the fourth seed in the Landmark Conference Tournament that will begin on Wednesday, February 26.
Freshman guard Greg Eck led the five Greyhounds in double digits with a team-high 22 points to go with a pair of assists. Senior forward Addis Ralph added 18 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots in his first career start while senior guard C.J. Barnes had his third career double-double with 14 points and 10 boards to go with two steals and a pair of blocked shots. Junior guard Matt O'Connor tossed in 13 points to go along with three rebounds and three assists while senior forward John Hargraves had 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Senior guard Mike Martino had six points, five steals and four assists for the Blue and Grey while junior guard Deandre Tillett contributed three assists, two points and a pair of blocked shots.
The Blue Jays started the scoring with a three-pointer before Ralph drained a trey to knot the score. Hargraves followed with a three-point play and Ralph hit another three-pointer as Moravian moved ahead 9-3. Elizabethtown would come back and tie the contest at 13-13 with 13:37 on the clock before three-pointers by O'Connor and Eck had the Hounds up by six again. The Greyhounds saw their lead reach even points at 25-18 on a lay-up from Tillett at the midpoint of the first half; however, the Blue Jays rallied and knotted the score at 28-28 with 5:29 until the intermission. O'Connor hit a three-pointer to put the Blue and Grey back in front, but Elizabethtown eventually took a 34-33 lead. Eck would hit a three-pointer in the final minute to send Moravian to the locker room with a 39-38 edge.
The Blue Jays hit two baskets to start the second half and take a 42-39 lead. Barnes connected on a three-pointer to tie the contest at 42-42 before Eck and Hargraves combined on nine straight points to give the Greyhounds a 51-42 edge with 15:27 remaining. The Hounds' advantage reached 11 points at 59-48 only to have Elizabethtown get within five points at 64-59 with 8:36 to play. Moravian answered again and would stretch the lead to 12 points on back-to-back three-pointers from Barnes and Eck with 6:43 to go. The Blue Jays continued to fight back and were within two points with 14 seconds remaining before Eck connected on two free throws and Barnes made one to seal the victory.
The fourth seeded Hounds are slated to return to action on Wednesday, February 26 in a Landmark Conference Semifinal at top seed Susquehanna University beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Selinsgrove.
