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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
JCU at 2023 Wooster Tournament
John Carroll bested host Wooster in the non-conference finale.
91
Winner John Carroll JCU 10-1,4-0 OAC
86
Wooster Woost 5-7,1-2 NCAC
Winner
John Carroll JCU
10-1,4-0 OAC
91
Final
86
Wooster Woost
5-7,1-2 NCAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
John Carroll JCU 40 51 91
Wooster Woost 32 54 86

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Deuce Zak, Senior Staff Writer

Men's Basketball Wins E.M. "Mose" Hole/Wooster Kiwanis Classic, Beating Host Scots

WOOSTER, Ohio – Securing a tournament championship is not something that comes around very often in college basketball, and the John Carroll Men's Basketball team had the opportunity to snag a second championship win of the early season, taking on the hosting Scots of The College of Wooster in the E.M. "Mose" Hole/Wooster Kiwanis Classic. 

The Blue Streaks managed to take control of the contest late in the first half, wrangling the Scots of Wooster like cowboys in a 91-86 win. 

Luke Chicone was recognized as the MVP of the tournament, Luke Frazier was selected to the all-tournament team, and Henry Raynor snagged Defensive MVP honors. 

Both squads brought physicality to this matchup, and it was evident from the jump. Chase Toppin opened the scoring for the Blue Streaks by securing the tip in the opposite side of the floor with his speed, and getting to the rack with a layup. Henry Raynor then got an offensive board and bucket, followed by a Will Yontek layup to rip off a quick 6-0 run, forcing a Scots timeout. The Scots came out firing in kind however, going on a 7-0 run of their own to retake the lead early. 

Both teams traded baskets as the half rolled on, with the host team leading by as many as five at 16-11. However, the Blue Streaks would counter and put pressure on the turnover prone Scots, going on a 9-0 run to snag a 4-point lead. 

Both teams continued to trade baskets into the later stages of the opening frame, with the Scots taking their final lead of the contest at 26-25. The Blue and Gold took control of the final 5 minutes, outscoring Wooster 15-6, taking a 40-32 lead into the half, on the back of 14 first-half Scot turnovers. 

The physical battle continued into the second half. The Blue Streaks once again opened the half on a 14-0 run, extending the lead to 18 within the first two minutes of the second half. Free throws came early and often in this half, with four trips to the charity stripe early giving the Streaks a big lead. 

The Scots quickly got back into striking distance, closing the gap back to within five at 56-51 with 12 and a half minutes left of the final frame. Scoring began to come in bunches for both teams in the final quarter of the game, both teams getting extra opportunities and quick possessions. Both coaches wanted their teams to run in the second half, and run they did. 

Possessions came and went like rockets, each team seemingly scoring at will. The Scots would make a small run, and an ensuing score from Luke Chicone, Frazier, or Chase Toppin answered. 

Both teams would score north of 30 points in the final 12 minutes, with the Blue and Gold managing to stave off each Wooster run. A furious comeback in the last 35 seconds of the contest by the Scots pulled the game to within five, but it was not enough, as the Blue Streaks got the 91-86 win. 

The Blue Streaks' big three stepped up in a huge way for the championship win. Luke Chicone, the tournament MVP, nabbed 30 points and 8 steals, a career high, to lead all scores. Luke Frazier had 20 points and 9 rebounds, and guard Chase Toppin added 19. The three guards combined for 69 of the Blue Streaks' 91 points. Luka Eller contributed 7 points and 5 rebounds to add some extra scoring, and Henry Raynor also secured 5 points and 5 rebounds. 

The big difference in the game for the visitors was opportunities at the free throw line. Getting to the line 34 times and making 28 of their attempts provided a huge boost for the Blue and Gold, as well as capitalizing on 27 Wooster turnovers. 

The Blue Streaks will return to action in 2024 for OAC play, when they play host to the Student Princes of Heidelberg on January 3 at 6 pm. All 14 games left in the regular season will be against Ohio Athletic Conference foes.  
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