Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
2026 Men's Basketball Seniors
Jose Figueroa
68
Wittenberg Witten 17-8,10-6 NCAC
80
Winner John Carroll JCU 19-6,11-5 NCAC
Wittenberg Witten
17-8,10-6 NCAC
68
Final
80
John Carroll JCU
19-6,11-5 NCAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Wittenberg Witten 18 50 68
John Carroll JCU 38 42 80

Next Game:

Oberlin College

2/24/2026 | 5:00 PM

Next Game

Full Schedule
Feb. 24 (Tue) / 5:00 PM
 Oberlin College
History

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | JCUSID

Strong Start on Senior Day Secures Win over Wittenberg for Men's Basketball

The Blue Streaks forced turnovers in bunches on a day honoring a gritty group of seniors

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – A hot start set the tone for a game never in doubt for John Carroll Men's Basketball.

In the final regular season home game for Luke Chicone, Devin Burgess, Sean Collins, and Kasey Hunt, the Blue Streaks dominated. 

John Carroll propelled into the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament as the #3 seed with an 80-68 victory over Wittenberg University on Saturday afternoon in the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center.

The Blue Streaks fired out of the gate hot, with a pair of Kyle Irwin 3-pointers setting the tone. Heading into the first media break, the hosts enjoyed a 12-4 lead. JCU kept pressing the advantage, staying hot from downtown. An Aidan Fitzgerald triple led to a Wittenberg timeout at the midpoint of the half, with JCU ahead, 22-8. The break didn't seem to help the Tigers, as Fitzgerald buried another open shot from behind the arc soon after. 

While the Blue Streaks started hot shooting the ball, it was the suffocating defense that the Tigers couldn't figure out. JCU forced a whopping 10 turnovers in the first 16 minutes. 

After the four-minute media timeout, Luke Chicone took over. The graduate student pickpocketed the Tigers and scored two filthy layups, upping JCU's lead to an impressive 22-point margin with three minutes to play. The final few minutes of the half were quiet, as JCU took a 38-18 lead into the break. 

The Tigers started scoring a tad more at the start of the second half, but the hosts seemed to answer punch for punch. Chicone and Sean Collins powered the offense in the early going. 

Slowly as JCU's triples topped falling, Wittenberg found momentum. A pair of triples narrowed the gap to 10 points, 56-46, before Jack Zapolnik hit a pair of big threes near the eight-minute mark to take some air out of the Tiger comeback. 

While the Tigers slimmed the deficit to nine points with just under two minutes to play, down to a 71-62 margin, the outcome never much seemed in doubt. With a large crowd, including some Blue Streak legends in attendance, JCU took care of business down the stretch.

One of the best moments? Curtain calls for the seniors with plenty of applause by the fans in attendance. 

And fortunately for the fans, Luke Chicone and the Blue Streaks get one more to dazzle in the DeCarlo Center.

Chicone enjoyed one of his best all-around performances in the gym today, posting an insane statline of 28 points, 9 assists, 8 steals, and 7 rebounds. Not quite a double-double, but a not that far off a quadruple-double. Kyle Irwin finished second on the squad with 11 points. JCU won the turnover battle, 22-8.

Next Up
The Blue Streaks will host the NCAC Tournament Quarterfinal on Tuesday at 5 pm vs. Oberlin in the DeCarlo Center.
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Devin Burgess

#24 Devin Burgess

F
6' 5"
Senior
Luke Chicone

#0 Luke Chicone

PG
5' 11"
Graduate Student
Sean Collins

#14 Sean Collins

F
6' 5"
Senior
Aidan Fitzgerald

#12 Aidan Fitzgerald

G
6' 4"
Junior
Kasey Hunt

#15 Kasey Hunt

F
6' 5"
Senior
Kyle Irwin

#23 Kyle Irwin

F
6' 6"
Junior
Jack Zapolnik

#21 Jack Zapolnik

Guard
6' 0"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Devin Burgess

#24 Devin Burgess

6' 5"
Senior
F
Luke Chicone

#0 Luke Chicone

5' 11"
Graduate Student
PG
Sean Collins

#14 Sean Collins

6' 5"
Senior
F
Aidan Fitzgerald

#12 Aidan Fitzgerald

6' 4"
Junior
G
Kasey Hunt

#15 Kasey Hunt

6' 5"
Senior
F
Kyle Irwin

#23 Kyle Irwin

6' 6"
Junior
F
Jack Zapolnik

#21 Jack Zapolnik

6' 0"
Sophomore
Guard

Sponsors