HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Junior Jordan Hileman (Williamsburg, Pa./Williamsburg) scored a game and career-high 24 points to help lead the Juniata women's basketball team to a 70-60 win over Susquehanna University Wednesday night. The Eagles (14-4, 5-2 Landmark) are on a four-game win streak and currently sit third in the Landmark Conference.
Juniata scored 29 points off 23 Crusader turnovers and recorded 10 steals.
"[Jordan] utilized her pull-up jumper tonight, which was really good to see," said head coach Danny Young-Uhrich. "She was an offensive presence for us."
Hileman shot 60-percent from the floor and finished with a game-high five assists. Senior Natalie Glinsky (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) was the only other Eagle in double-figures. She earned 10 points and finished with six rebounds.
Juniata was up by as many as 21 points with 13:09 on the clock in the second half when Susquehanna started chipping away at the lead. The Crusaders went on a 23-6 run to pull within two (55-52) with 5:40 to play. Juniata rebounded and went on a 9-3 run to take a 10-point lead (64-54) with 2:25 remaining. The Eagles would hold on down the stretch to earn their fourth straight win over the Crusaders, improving to 10-9 in the series under Young-Uhrich.
"We started off the first half pretty strong," Young-Uhrich added. "We just sort of fizzled out. I think everybody wants more and we need more. Especially going into the next three games. We need to turn it up a bit. There are moments of absolute greatness and then there are moments of lack of focus. We just need to work on both of them."
Susquehanna (6-12, 1-6 Landmark) was led by Gina Palazzi who finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Juniata hits the road next for a double-header with the men's team at Scranton. The women will play at 5 p.m. with the men following at 7 p.m.
"It's a big one," said Young-Uhrich of the matchup against Scranton. "Hopefully we can put things together and pull off a good one."
Juniata held on for the 65-61 overtime win when the teams met in Huntingdon back on January 5. The Eagles have won five of their last six conference games and need a win to stay ahead of fourth ranked Scranton in the league. They are on a six-game win streak against the Lady Royals that dates back to 2010.
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