(Carlisle, Pa.) – The Dickinson College men's basketball team picked-up a big non-conference win on Monday night, handing visiting Juniata College its first loss of the season. The Devils improve to 3-2 overall while the Eagles slip to 5-1 on the year.
The game was close the whole way, as expected, with the Devils taking the biggest lead of the first half on a Chris Cox (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) follow-up dunk to make the score 15-10. Juniata answered to tie the game, 19-19, with just over three minutes to play in the half.
The Devils pulled in front by four as Gavin Allen (Hackettstown, N.J./Blair Academy) fed Greg Nicol (Aberdeen, Scotland/Taft School, Conn.) for a lay-up and Nicol returned the favor just 40 seconds later to put Dickinson up, 23-19. Kevin Stapleton knocked down a three-pointer to pull the Eagles within one, 23-22, at the break.
The lead changed hands throughout the second half with neither team able to stretch the margin to more than four points. The Eagles scored twice to break the ninth tie of the night, pulling in front, 55-51, with just 4:05 remaining.
The Devils answered as Chris Barsanti (Hummelstown, Pa./Tilton School) scored off a great pass from Nicol, and first-year Gerry Wixted (Moorestown, N.J./Lawrenceville School) blocked a shot and followed-up a miss at the other end to tie the game, 55-55.
Wixted drained a pair of free throws after controlling a rebound on the defensive end but Juniata would answer again on the other end for the 11th tie of game, 57-57. Senior Chris Heine (Spring Lake, N.J./St. Rose) came through with two of the biggest shots of the night, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers to put the Devils up, 63-57, with just over a minute to play.
Another Eagle miss put junior Logan Furr (Sharon, Mass./Beaver Country Day) on the line. He drained both free throws to stretch the margin to 65-57. Alex Raymond hit Juniata's 10th three-pointer of the game and Jeremy Hays hit a pair of free throws to keep the Eagles in it, 65-61, with 29 seconds remaining in regulation.
Tucker Landy (Durham, N.C./Xavier) hit one-of-two and Barsanti sank a pair of free throws in the final 24 seconds to secure the win for the Devils.
Barsanti led the way with a game-high 15 points, adding five rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. Wixted finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots. Heine finished with 11 points, hitting 3-of-5 three-pointers, adding four rebounds and two blocked shots.
Nicol added seven rebounds to go with four points, four assists and a pair of blocked shots as well.
Four players scored a team-high 11 points for Juniata. Hays led the way, hitting 4-of-5 free throws, adding three assists and two steals.
The Red Devils (3-2) return to Centennial Conference action on Wednesday, hosting McDaniel College at 7:30 pm.