The John Carroll men's basketball team is known for its hockey-style substitutions, but its secret weapon receives little love.

Tonight, JCU's second-unit scoring was on full display, as the #7 Blue Streaks earned a 94-80 win over the Otterbein Cardinals in Westerville on Wednesday evening.

Seven Blue Streaks reached double-digits in scoring as JCU advanced to 14-0 overall and 7-0 in Ohio Athletic Conference play. Otterbein dropped to 3-11, 1-6 OAC.

With the win, the Blue Streaks have surpassed the previous program-record for wins to start off the season. The program-record for consecutive wins, 21, was set by the 2008-09 squad.

The Blue Streaks burst out of the starting gate, as Mike Moran's second line caught fire. Antonio Vuyanich and John Cirillo scored six points apiece in the first five minutes, helping JCU snatch an early 20-9 lead.

Otterbein called a timeout with 14:34 left in the first, attempting to regroup, but the break did not slow down JCU's mojo. Matt Hughes score three for the Cardinals, but Will Starks drained a three to push the lead back to 14 points. 

The Cardinals refused to give up so early. The hosts stiffened on defense and found a rhythm on offense, rolling to a 14-2 run and narrowing JCU's advantage to just 25-22 with 10:23 left in the first stanza.

Responding to the threat to the lead, the Blue Streaks scored nine of the next 12 points. The quick run extended JCU's lead to 34-25 with five minutes remaining in the period. The Cardinals chipped the deficit to five at one point, but the Blue Streaks owned a solid 45-34 lead heading into halftime.

Antonio Vuyancih and Ryan Farragher each notched 10 points in the first period, as JCU's second unit scored 31 of the team's 45 first half points.

The second half began similarly to the first, as Starks drained a 3-pointer from behind the arc on JCU's first possession. A fastbreak layup and a Jake Phillis 3-pointer narrowed the deficit, but a Simon Kucharewicz dunk and a Danny Wallack layup granted JCU its biggest lead of the night, 55-39, with 17:55 left.

The Cardinals then rolled to another 10-point run. However, another Kucharewicz dunk, a Caputo layup, and a Danny Wallack trey allowed JCU to regain a double-digit lead. Derik Young buried 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions, sticking a dagger into Otterbein's comeback efforts.

At the midway point of the second half, the Blue Streaks held a commanding 75-60 lead.

The Blue and Gold never let go of its double-digit lead, keeping up the heat on offense and strengthening its defensive effort in the final minutes of the contest to secure the victory.

Vuyancih led the Blue Streaks with 16 points. Farragher (12), Starks (11), Kucharewicz (11), Wallack (11), Young (11), and Caputo (11) joined the sophomore with double-digit point totals. Grant Fenner led the Cardinals with a career-high 25 points.

JCU returns to the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center on Saturday, as the Blue Streaks will host No. 19 Mount Union in a 2 p.m. battle for first place in the OAC.