Men’s Basketball Outlasts Juniata College 65-57

Jan. 5 – (HUNTINGDON, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men’s basketball team took their four game winning streak on the road Saturday, January 5 to play Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Senior Greg Gonzalez’s (Southlake, Texas/Carroll) career-high 21 points gave the Tartans their fifth straight victory en route to a 65-57 victory over Juniata. The Tartans are now 8-2, as the Eagles move to 6-5.

On a warm welcome home for Tartan senior Geoff Kozak (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon), Carnegie Mellon held a 33-24 halftime lead. Juniata led 13-12 after a trey by senior Brent Ferko, but the lead was not held for long as Carnegie Mellon went on a 9-2 run taking a 21-15 advantage with 12:33 left in the half.

The Tartans maintained their lead the rest of the half. The Cardinal and Gray held Juniata without a field goal over a nine-and-a-half stretch pushing their lead to 31-20. Gonzalez led all scorers at the break while scoring nine straight points half way through the half.

Ferko came out of the locker room with something to prove scoring seven straight points pulling the Eagles within two (33-31). Juniata would tie the contest at 37 with 15:35 to play. The two teams played back and forth basketball the rest of the game. With the Tartans holding onto a 53-52 lead freshman Shane Rife (Mercersburg, Pa./James Buchanan) drilled a three-pointer and on the next Tartan possession he hit a jumper giving Carnegie Mellon a 58-52 edge. The Eagles made one more run scoring the next five points, but the Tartans would score the last seven points of the contest winning 65-57.

Gonzalez recorded his second straight double-double hauling in 10 rebounds to go with his 21 points. Kozak and junior Ryan Einwag (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) had 13 points apiece and junior Corey O’Rourke (Merion, Pa./St. Joe Prep) tied a career-high with 11 rebounds.

Juniata was led by Ferko with 20 points and senior post Brian Cannon added 17 while hauling in a team-high nine boards in the loss. The Tartans help the edge on the glass grabbing 44 to the Eagles 29.

The Tartans will hit the hardwood again Friday, January 11, as the Cougars of Averett University travel into Skibo Gymnasium for a 4:00 p.m. tip.