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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Yontek dunk
Ben Peskar
The Blue Streaks rolled to a major win over Marietta. 
95
Winner John Carroll JCU 8-1,3-1 OAC
73
Marietta MAR 6-3,3-1 OAC
Winner
John Carroll JCU
8-1,3-1 OAC
95
Final
73
Marietta MAR
6-3,3-1 OAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
John Carroll JCU 53 42 95
Marietta MAR 37 36 73

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

Men's Basketball Routs Marietta at the Banjo in Final OAC Contest of 2022

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MARIETTA, Ohio – Coming off an 18 point win against the Comets of Capital last Saturday, the John Carroll Men's Basketball team had a week to prepare for the final Ohio Athletic Conference game of 2022 against the Marietta College Pioneers. 

This game was important to the Blue Streaks squad, coming as only the second matchup with the Pioneers in two years. Entering into this one, Marietta had not lost an OAC matchup for several seasons (January 30, 2021 to be exact), but the Blue Streaks put an end to that this afternoon. The Blue Streaks blew out Marietta by a final score of 95-73. 

The Blue Streaks blitzed the Pioneers in the first half, setting the tone early with strong defensive pressure and an amazing start from Luke Chicone, who had 13 points and 7 assists in the first half. Marietta didn't back down from the early Blue Streaks burst, countering with several small runs of their own, keeping the game as close as 5 points at 20-15 early in the first. 

However, the Blue Streaks began to settle into a rhythm and gradually extended their lead. Excellent three point shooting and an explosion from Jerry Higgins III kept the Blue and Gold firing on all cylinders, as he found the bottom of the net on several three pointers in the first. The Blue Streaks led by 20 late in the opening half, but surrendered two quick buckets to Marietta to keep the hosts within striking distance, going to the locker room up 16 at 53-37. 

The talk in the locker room before the second half was about the Mount Union game, where the Blue Streaks surrendered a huge run that reversed a 9-point lead in that game. Everyone was in agreement that avoiding that kind of early run was the most important thing. 

So, JCU bore down and kept punishing the Pioneers in the second half. Every time Marietta could manage two buckets in a row, the Blue Streaks responded. Everything seemed to go JCU's way. From a circus and-one from Luke Frazier, a sitting down alley-oop from Jerry Higgins to Luke Chicone, or a nasty spin move that became a layup for Chicone, the Blue Streaks were firing on all cylinders. 

The Pioneers struggled to run any offense in the second, needing huge contributions from David Sanford and Sahmi Willoughby to stay afloat. None of that mattered, however, as the Blue and Gold kept a normally raucous and hostile Ban Johnson Arena quiet for all 40 minutes, notching a huge 95-73 win. 

Luke Chicone topped the team with 23 points and achieved a double-double with 11 assists a season high and tied for eighth-most in a game by a Blue Streak all-time. Jerry Higgins III tabbed a season-high 19 points with a huge day. Chase Toppin notched 13 points and Luke Frazier nabbed 11 points. 

Today on the road, the Blue Streaks showed everyone that they can "get the job done" as Mike Moran would say, anywhere and anytime. 

John Carroll will now take some time off for Christmas before returning to action on December 29 vs. University of Wisconsin-Superior. 
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