'Tis the season for giving. But don't tell that to the Blue Streaks. 

John Carroll played like a team on a mission Saturday, a mission to erase the frustration and disappointment of two straight losses, including one in triple overtime last week. The Blue Streaks would complete the mission with a 96-57 pounding of the Pioneers. 

Box Score

"The last week was rough,'' senior forward Rudy Kirbus said. "Two in a row is never fun. Coach stressed to us all week in practice, "You've got to make someone pay for those two losses." 

And boy, did Marietta pay.
 
John Carroll raced to a 9-0 lead in the first two minutes and never trailed the rest of the game, leading by double-digits for all but three minutes. At one point, the scoreboard displayed an incredulous 40-9 Blue Streak advantage.

"You could tell from the beginning we were ticked off,'' Kirbus said. 

He and his teammates channeled that anger into their play. Their defensive pressure, including a relentless press, befuddled the Pioneers for most of the first half.

That, coupled with lights-out shooting the first 20 minutes -- 64 percent from the 3-point line -- allowed John Carroll to coast to the 39-point victory. 

"We just wanted to get that [winning] feeling back," JCU coach Mike Moran said. 

As for his team's dead-on 3-point shooting in the first half, Moran said nonchalantly: "It was nice to see a few of those drop.''
 
A few? 

The Blue Streaks shot 9-of-14 from 3-point range in the first 20 minutes. Kirbus led the way with 3 of 4 and teammate Corey Shontz hit both of his 3-pointers. 

Kirbus finished with a team-high 17 points for John carroll (7-2, 3-2 OAC). Junior forward Maurice Haynes finished with 15 and Shontz had 10. 

The Blue Streaks built their momentum -- and insurmountable lead -- with an aggressive press and sharp shooting in the first half. They rained 3-after-3 over the Pioneers and, overall, made 64 percent of their baskets in the first 20 minutes. 

It was more of the same in the second half, where John Carroll extended its lead to as many as 43 points. 

Kirbus said Saturday's victory helped reassure the Blue Streaks of their ability.
 
"We know we're a good team,'' Kirbus said. "[This win] is a great confidence booster. It's a great way to go into the holiday break."

Marietta (3-6, 1-4 OAC) was led by 17 points from Brian Crader and 11 from Scott Kimmey.