Greyhounds Fall Short to Lebanon Valley, 76-70
The Moravian College men's basketball team fell to Lebanon Valley College 76-70 Saturday afternoon in non-conference action. Junior guard Garrett Johnson led the way for the Greyhounds (3-6) with 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
The Moravian College men's basketball team fell to Lebanon Valley College 76-70 Saturday afternoon in non-conference action. Junior guard Garrett Johnson led the way for the Greyhounds (3-6) with 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Johnson put Moravian on the board first with a deep three-pointer. Senior guard Joe Meehan would put the Flying Dutchmen (7-3) back on top after a jumper, and then two free throws made on the next possession. After another made basket from Lebanon Valley, senior guard D.J. Strayhorn answered right back with a three to tie the game at six with 16 minutes remaining.
A few minutes later freshman guard Kevin Pankonien would hit a jumper while getting fouled. He would convert the free throw attempt for an 11-8 lead with 13:22 remaining in the half. Senior guard Jordan Stewart hit a deep three for Lebanon Valley, but Strayhorn and junior forward Aaron Thieme would make back-to-back baskets to take a four point lead. The Greyhounds would extend their lead to 19-13 after back-to-back baskets from Johnson.
The Flying Dutchman would close the gap to 19-17 before senior forwards Marcus Hardy and Jeff Cullinan pushed Moravian's lead to ten points at 27-17 with just under seven minutes left in the first half. Meehan and Stewart would lead an 8-0 run for Lebanon Valley bring them back within one point at 27-26 with just under four minutes remaining in the half.
A deep three from Johnson would end the Greyhounds scoring drought, and put them back on top 30-26 with 3:11 left in the half. Moravian would end up taking a 36-32 into the locker room.
Johnson ended the first half with ten points and five assists, and Meehan for Lebanon Valley had 16 points. The Greyhounds were shooting 53.3 percent from the field while the Flying Dutchmen are shooting 46.4 percent from the field at halftime.
The second half would start with each team trading basket for basket until junior guard Sam Diaz for Lebanon Valley sunk a three-pointer to bring them within one point of the lead at 42-41 with 16:10 remaining in the game. The Flying Dutchmen would take their first lead in a while after a jumper from junior guard Matt O'Brien at 47-46 with 13:21 left in the half.
Moravian would tie the game at 50 with a jump shot from Thieme with 12:33 to go in the half, but Meehan would answer right back with an easy lay in to give Lebanon Valley a 52-50 lead. Strayhorn would hit jumpers on back-to-back possessions to tie the game at 54 with 10:44 remaining. Stewart for the Flying Dutchmen hit a three with 7:45 remaining to put them up 62-58.
Lebanon Valley pushed its lead to seven points after a lay in from senior guard Cameron Prince at 67-60 with just under six minutes to go in the contest. Cullinan would answer with a three-pointer to bring the Hounds within four points at 69-65 with 4:36 left in the half. After free throws made from Lebanon Valley, freshman guard Izel Dickerson hit a rainbow three to bring the Hounds with three points at 71-68 with just under two minutes to go in the game.
Dickerson would then make a layup on the next possession to make the score 73-70 with 55 seconds to go. Moravian would foul Lebanon Valley to try and close in on the lead, but the Flying Dutchmen would go onto win 76-70.
Strayhorn finished with 15 points, three assists and three boards while Thieme had 12 points and eight rebounds. Cullinan put up 11 points and four rebounds while Dickerson had seven points.
Lebanon Valley was led by Meehan, who put up a game-high 28 points while Stewart had 21 points. Sophomore forward Joey Giangiobbe had ten rebounds and five points while Diaz finished with nine points.
The Greyhounds finished with 29 boards while shooting 51.7 percent from the field. The Flying Dutchman grabbed 32 rebounds and shot 55.1 percent from the field.
The Greyhounds return to action on Monday, January 2nd, 2012 as they open the 34th Annual Greyhound Starters Classic. Moravian will take on SUNY Old Westbury at 5:30 p.m. in Johnston Hall.
