What better way is there to celebrate Alumni Day than a double-header victory for the John Carroll Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams?

On Saturday, Jan. 22, the Blue and Gold Basketball teams found success against the Muskingum University Fighting Muskies with back-to-back competition.

The women’s team started the spark for the pair of victories as they began the day with a 93-42 win.

The men’s side kept the momentum going as they finished off the Fighting Muskies by a score of 91-83.

Both of the teams’ success was recognized by numerous JCU basketball alumni from each program, watching and cheering from the crowd.

Dr. Kathleen Manning, the founder of women’s sports at John Carroll University was in attendance for the first game as she watched the women’s team dominate the Muskies.

These former players were honored during the halftime of their respective games, as the teams highlighted the strong network and community they have created within their programs.

“Getting a win on Alumni Day felt great,” said John Carroll Women’s Basketball Head Coach Beth Andrews. “It allowed everyone sitting in the stands to put themselves back on that court and remember all the great times they had as a student-athlete.”

The John Carroll Women’s Basketball Game

The Blue and Gold have reached many individual and team milestones this season, one of which they honored at the start of their game on Saturday.

Olivia Nagy ‘22 was recognized before the game for reaching 1,000 career points as a Blue Streak in their game against Baldwin Wallace University on Wednesday, Jan. 17.

Nagy added 14 more points to her record during the Alumni Day game, also tallying 9 rebounds, 1 block and 2 assists. Graduate student Nicole Heffington led the team in points as she added 15, while Olivia Giunta ‘25 had a team high of 11 rebounds.

With the definitive lead early in the game, John Carroll Head Coach Beth Andrews was able to play her entire roster throughout the match, highlighting the bright future for the program.

Even with the changing lineups, the Blue Streaks found themselves leading the Muskies by a score of 87-38 with five minutes left in the game, making this the largest lead of the season.

The team pushed the lead further to 53 points, breaking the season-best for the Blue and Gold.

“This team is extremely talented and determined,” said Andrews.“They have shaped this program into what it is, and work every day to protect the reputation they have built.”

The John Carroll Men’s Basketball Game

After a three-game losing streak, the John Carroll Men’s Basketball team ended their losing streak with a 91-83 victory at home on Saturday.

The Blue and Gold played spectacular offense as they got into a rhythm from behind the arc.

As a team, the Blue Streaks went 10-20 (50%) from the three-point line, with graduate student Jackson Sartain and PJ Flannery ‘22 each adding four of those buckets for the team.

Flannery led John Carroll with 22 points and 5 rebounds, while Sartain added 19 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Hugh Brown ‘22 provided defensive support for the Blue and Gold as he tallied four steals in the game.

“It was exciting to see our alumni and it was the first time in two years that the game and atmosphere felt normal. Our guys deserved that moment,” said John Carroll’s Head Coach Pete Moran. “It is incredibly special to be a part of this historic program, as the success has always been about the individuals that have come through it. Our program will always embrace our tradition.”

Both teams will compete on Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. against the University of Mount Union Purple Raiders. The John Carroll Men’s Basketball team will travel to Alliance, Ohio, and the John Carroll Women’s Basketball team will finish their three-game homestand at the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center.