CARLISLE, PA – Host Dickinson used a late 12-3 run to turn a two-point deficit into a seven-point lead before sealing the game at the free throw in a 75-65 win over Johns Hopkins Tuesday night in Centennial Conference (CC) action. The Blue Jays see their three-game win streak snapped as they fall to 7-7 overall and 4-3 in the conference, while the Red Devils improve to 12-2 overall and remain unbeaten at 7-0 in the CC.
Sophomore Gene Williams converted a fast-break lay-up with 15:19 to go in the game to stake Hopkins to a 44-36 lead and prompt a Dickinson timeout. It worked for the Red Devils as they came out and quickly turned that eight-point deficit into a seven-point lead with a 16-1 run. Adam Honig, who had been held to just four points in the first half, fueled the run with 11 straight points for the Devils as they took a 52-45 lead. Junior Jimmy Hammer hit his first field goal of the game at the 10:49-mark to spark a 10-2 run for the Blue Jays that saw them re-take the lead on a Williams' triple at 8:03.
The lead seesawed back-and-forth over the ensuing two minutes as the teams traded buckets. Hopkins took a 60-58 lead when sophomore Austin Vasiliadis drained a basket from downtown at 6:07 off a great offensive board by junior George Bugarinovic. But Gerry Wixted swung the lead back in favor of Dickinson with a conventional three-point play on the other end. His "and 1" ignited that 12-3 run that saw the Red Devils go from two points down to up by seven with 2:03 to play. This time it was Wixted doing much of the damage with seven points.
Senior Connor McIntyre got the Blue Jays back within five with 1:49 on the clock with a bucket in the paint. After getting a stop on defense, Hopkins turned the ball over on the ensuing possession and was forced to foul. Dickinson would secure the win at the free throw line, going 5-of-8 in the final 43 seconds.
It was a back-and-forth game early, as Hopkins could not build more than a five-point lead in the game's early going. But Bugarinovic converted a three-point play and junior Luke Chambers punched up four straight points and suddenly the Blue Jays led 21-12 at the 10:24 mark in the first half. Buckets by Wixted and Tucker Landy quickly made it a five-point game again but the Blue Jays answered with two more from Chambers and a McIntyre lay-up to push the lead back to nine. After trading free throws, Hopkins led 26-17 with 5:15 to go in the half. From there Dickinson came alive, outscoring Hopkins 10-3 down the stretch to trim the Jays' lead to just three at the break.
Coming out of the break, Bugarinovic sandwiched lay-ups around a Steve Collins free throw and the lead was six just 64 seconds in. Collin came right back with a jumper to make it a 34-30 game, but the Jays answered with a pair of free throws from Williams and a McIntyre jumper to double the lead. The Red Devils kept clawing at the deficit, cutting it to four as a three-point play by Wixted and a three-pointer by Brandon Angradi bookended a Bugarinovic layup. Williams answered for the Blue Jays though with back-to-back layups to give Hopkins a 44-36 lead with 15:19 to go.
Williams led the Blue Jays with a career-high 20 points, while also handing out two assists. Bugarinovic finished with his fourth double double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. McIntyre also chipped in 11 points and a pair of blocks for Hopkins. Honig led all scorers with 24 points and also dished eight assists. Wixted finished with a double double as well, putting up 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Hopkins returns to action on Saturday, January 18 as the Blue Jays travel to Collegeville, PA to take on the Ursinus Bears. Tip-off for the Centennial Conference match-up is slated for 3:00 pm at Helfferich Hall.