Heidelberg is one of just two teams to hand John Carroll a regular season conference loss over the last three Januarys. The Blue Streaks had to fend of a second half rally to deny the 'Berg a chance to do it again.

Strong play by the visiting Streaks down the stretch enabled John Carroll to escape Seiberling Gymnasium Wednesday with an 87-82 victory in what was a battle of third-place teams when the evening began

Box Score

After a back-and-forth start to the contest, JCU broke away from an 11-11 tie at the 12:51 mark with an 11-2 run over the next three minutes. Ryan Angers (Lakewood, OH, St. Edward) three-pointer gave JCU a 22-13 lead with 9:38 to play in the opening period.

John Carroll led by as many as ten points in the first half on three occasions, the last of which was when Corey Shontz (Andover, OH, Pymatuning Valley)dropped ina  lay-up with six ticks left on the clock that gave the Streaks a 47-37 lead at the intermission.

In the opening four minutes of the second half, John Carroll was able to push the lead up to 14 points -- its largest of the game. Kenny Janz (Madison, OH, Madison)dropped in two points to put his team up by a 57-43 count with 16:17 showing on the clock.

Heidelberg's response was swift. When Dane Givner canned a three-pointer five minutes later, John Carroll's lead had been cut to 64-60.

JCU still held a 71-63 lead with just under ten minutes to play when the 'Berg would uncork nine unaswered points. Derrick Flynn's two free throws at the 7:44 mark gave the home team its first lead of the second half at 72-71.

The lead exchanged hands several times before the score was tied for the sixth and final time at 78-78 on a Darion Capers lay-up with 4;26 to play.

Both teams found the sledding tough from that point on, as only three more field goals would find their way through the net. Fortunately for the JCU side, two were from the hands of the Blue Streaks. Joe Meyer (Mentor, OH, Mentor), the reigning OAC Player of the Week, gave his team the lead for good with a lay-up at the 3;35 mark, and Conor Tilow (Rocky River, OH, Lakewood St. Edward)would complete a mini 5-0 run with his lay-up with 66 seconds left.

Meyer went 4-4 in the final minute from the free throw line to preserve John Carroll's lead and sealed the win.

Five players reached double figures for John Carroll (11-5, 6-3 OAC), led by Shontz, who ended the night with 15 points, six rebounds, five steals and four assists. Tilow ended the evening with 13 points and Meyer added 12, while Maurice Haynes II (Cleveland, OH, Villa Angela-St. Joseph)and Mark Hester (Ashtabula, OH, Lakeside)each chipped in 11 points.

The Streaks shot 32-63 (.508) from the field for the game, and forced 26 Heidelberg turnovers.

Heidelberg (7-9, 5-4 OAC), which slipped from third to fifth place with the loss, was paced hy a game-high 24 points from Capers, who was 10-14 from the field. Givner had 15 and Flynn dropped in ten as the other Student Princes to reach double digits in the points column.