Eagles Men’s Basketball vs. Huntingdon College

The Eagles fell to the Hawks of Huntington College, in the second meeting of the season, to a score of 77-73. This win makes the Hawks victorious in three of their last four away games, while the Eagles impaired their record to 2-10.

The Hawks entered this match with an even 5-5 record, ranking sixth in the Collegiate Conference of the South. As a team, the Hawks lead their conference in offensive rebounds, while pulling down 45.2 total rebounds per game. The Hawks stood victorious in their first match against the Eagles, winning to a score of 78-67. Malachi Herbster had an away-game best 9 rebounds with 16 points. Despite Herbster‘s work on the glass, the Hawks dominated the Eagles in the rebounding battle, 52 to 35.

The first half consisted of six lead changes and three tying scores. Senior guard Max Gardner took six trips to the free-throw line, scoring a first half high of 14 points. The Hawk’s bench provided fifteen first-half points, igniting a 6-0 run early in the half. Marcus Townsend led all bench scorers with 7 points, shooting 3/5 from the field.

Blaise Conlon led the Eagles in first half scoring, contributing 11 points while shooting 4/7 from the free throw line on four trips. Conlon, in his eighth start, is the second leading scorer on the team with 10.4 PPG, while holding five double-digit performances. The Hawks ended the first half with a 36-32 lead, despite the Eagle’s leading by as much as five points early in the half.

The Eagles offensive stagnancy paralyzed their offensive production, allowing a ten-point deficit five seconds into the second half. The Hawks bench production intensified compared to the Eagles, finishing with 31 total points. Freshman BJ Brown, second in scoring for his team with 14 points, tying his season for rebounds and assists having eight rebounds and seven assists.

Aaron Wagner and Brandtley Koske both efficiently performed in the second half, after combining for 9 points in the first half in the backcourt. Koske scored 15 points, after scoring 3 first half points, including an impressive reverse layup to tie the game at 59 in the second half. Wagner also scored 15 total points, while grabbing eight rebounds and 3 steals.