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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Luka Eller vs. Heidelberg on 1-24-24
Heidelberg Sports Info
Luka Eller hit a late three-pointer that proved pivotal in salting the game away.
76
Winner John Carroll JCU 17-1,11-0 OAC
69
Heidelberg HEID 11-7,7-4 OAC
Winner
John Carroll JCU
17-1,11-0 OAC
76
Final
69
Heidelberg HEID
11-7,7-4 OAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
John Carroll JCU 40 36 76
Heidelberg HEID 40 29 69

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

Men's Basketball Passes Test in Tiffin Thanks to a Strong Finish

TIFFIN -- The spring semester is now in full swing on campus in University Heights, and the second round of Ohio Athletic Conference play hit high gear, with plenty of key midweek matchups throughout the league. 

Chief among them being a road trip for the Blue Streaks, as two of the top teams in the OAC met in Tiffin for a pivotal duel in league play. 

The Student Princes provided a stern test for the Blue and Gold behind the constant roar of a rowdy home crowd, but clutch buckets and defense from some surprise sources gave the visiting squad a massive conference win, triumphing, 76-69. 
    
This win tonight gives the Streaks a four game cushion over the Student Princes in the standings, and JCU remains a perfect 11-0 in conference play. 

The grind began right from the jump in the first half for both teams. There was only one successful possession in the first two minutes on either side, with a Heidelberg bucket being the only score. Luka Eller got the Blue Streaks on the board with a layup just after the 18-minute mark, fitting for his performance today. The Student Princes opened up the scoring a little bit more, taking a 8-3 lead 4 minutes into the contest. 

The Blue Streaks countered by scoring on back to back possessions courtesy of Jerry Higgins and Luke Chicone. Both teams would continue to trade buckets throughout the early stages of the half getting to the halfway point of the opening period with the Blue Streaks down one at 21-20. 

Shots began to fall for the home squad at this point, and the rowdy, student-laden crowd popping with every make. The Student Princes' lead grew to as many as 9 at 31-22, and the Blue Streaks were in dire need of an offensive spark. 

From the seven-and-a-half minute mark onward, the Blue Streaks outscored the Princes, 18-9, upping the intensity on defense and on the boards. Jerry Higgins III catalyzed the offensive run, getting several tough baskets and bringing a different kind of intensity on defense that brought the visiting squad back into it. 

A late Berg turnover and ensuing Chase Toppin score knotted the game at 40, and the Student Princes were unable to convert on the final possession of the half, putting the contest back where it started after 20 minutes. 

The second half played much the same tune, neither team backing down from the punches thrown. Chase Toppin opened the scoring with a beautiful drive the the bucket off a halftime play that was drawn up. Scoring came far quicker in this half than previous, with both teams trading buckets as they did late in the first half. This time around, the Blue Streaks were the ones taking small leads, managing to increase their cushion to as many as four, which would often be erased by the Student Princes. The first instance of this saw the Streaks take a 49-45 lead, but three straight scores gave the home squad the lead once again, the home crowd ready to explode with any ensuing bucket, but the Blue Streaks always managed to counter. 

Chicone hit a massive three to regain a one point lead, and the game continued to roll on. Higgins continued his outstanding play, making several threes in the second, providing a huge offensive boost. 

The Blue Streaks took a 4-point lead at 61-57 with 8 minutes left that was met with two straight deep treys from the Student Princes. The final seven minutes of the game felt like an OAC Tournament atmosphere, as possessions were never easy and baskets were not common. 

The Student Princes only managed to score 6 points over the final 7:30, and the No. 3 team in the country shocked Seiberling Gymnasium. 

JCU held a slim 1-point lead entering the final three minutes of the contest, and a Will Yontek free throw extended that lead to two. The Student Princes turned the ball over in the following possession, and the visitors had an opportunity to take their largest lead of the contest. 

The subsequent Blue Streak possession was met with stingy Heidelberg defense, and as the shot clock wound down, an unlikely hero saved the contest. The ball made it to senior Luka Eller in the corner, and in the waning moments of the clock, he hit a corner three to give the Blue Streaks their largest lead of the night at five. 

The JCU bench erupted as the Seiberling crowd fell silent, and Berg called a timeout in response. 

The following possession, Eller blocked a crucial three pointer in the corner to seal the game following two Luke Chicone free throws, giving the Blue Streaks a massive road win, 76-69. 

On a night where the stars struggled on offense, the veterans stepped up. Jerry Higgins III led all scorers with 14 points and 2 made triples with three rebounds. Luka Eller only had six points, but had the game sealing triple and block. Luke Chicone, Luke Frazier, and Chase Toppin combined for 34, managing to impact the game. The bigs also proved massive, as Will Yontek added 10 points, Henry Raynor with 7, and David Gentry with 5. 

The Blue Streaks will return home for Alumni Day this Saturday, taking on the Fighting Muskies of Muskingum. 
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