The Basics
• Score: #10 Johns Hopkins-75, Haverford-56
• Records: JHU (22-3, 16-2 CC) • HC (16-9, 11-7 CC)
• Location: Baltimore, MD • Goldfarb Gym
How it Happened
In a preview of next week's Centennial Conference semifinal match, the 10th-ranked Johns Hopkins men's basketball team beat visiting Haverford, 75-56.
Trailing 6-4 early, senior Harry O'Neil made a layup to spark a 17-3 run that saw the Blue Jays turn a two-point deficit into a 12-point lead by the 14:18-mark. Seven different players scored during the run, which was capped by back-to-back threes by junior Conner Delaney and sophomore Braeden Johnson. The teams went back-and-forth over the ensuing four minutes and Hopkins led 26-14 with 10:06 to play.
The Fords used a 6-2 spurt to trim the deficit to eight at 6:42. But Delaney answered with a pair of three-pointers just 58 seconds apart to stake Hopkins to a 34-20 lead. Jackson Ryan scored a layup to kick-start a 9-3 spurt that sliced the deficit to eight at the 2:22-mark. Delaney hit one-of-two free throws and then Johnson drained a three as time expired to send the Blue Jays into the half with a 41-29 lead.
Jesse Turkson opened the half with four straight points to pull the visitors back within eight just 67 seconds in. Sophomore Chid Nnake responded with four straight points, followed by a Delaney jumper and just like that Hopkins led 47-33.
Haverford sandwiched a pair of threes around an O'Neil layup to trim Hopkins' lead to 10 with 12:12 to play. But the Blue Jays once again answered, quickly pushing the lead back to 14 on buckets from O'Neil and sophomore Ethan Bartlett. The teams traded scores for the next five minutes and JHU led 58-48.
O'Neil got a bucket in the paint and sophomore Tom Quarry and Delaney followed with buckets from downtown to stake Hopkins to a 17-point lead with 4:11 to play. Haverford responded with a 5-2 spurt to make it a 14-point game just two minutes later. But it was all Hopkins from there as the Blue Jays closed the game on a 7-2 run including a pair of free throws from senior Mac Rowan.
What it Means
• Hopkins finishes the regular season with a 22-3 mark, including 16-2 in Centennial Conference play to finish second in the league. The 16 conference wins are tied for the most in program history, matching the 2014-15 team.
• JHU improves to 78-38 all-time against Haverford and has won six straight in the series. The two will meet again in just six days in the Centennial Conference semifinals. The Blue Jays and the Fords have met twice before in the conference tournament, with each winning once.
• Today's win was the 80th in the last four years, breaking the record for wins in a four-year period, set by the class of 2000.
Inside the Box Score
• Delaney led the Blue Jays with 17 points and four assists while also grabbing six rebounds. O'Neil punched up 15 points and Nnake added 11 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
• Turkson scored a game-high 23 points for the Fords and also pulled down seven rebounds. Jack Cork also finished in double figures with 16 points and grabbed seven boards.
Up Next
• Hopkins will take on Haverford in the CC semifinals on Friday, February 28 at host and top-seeded Swarthmore. Tip-off at Tarble Pavilion is slated for 6:00 pm.