JCU Men’s Basketball remains undefeated following first OAC competition

JCU Sports Information Department

Omar Abuhamdeh ’25 fires away one of his many three point shots of the night.

Michael Gallipoli, Staff Reporter
Dec 7, 2022

The John Carroll Men’s Basketball team kept their winning record rolling with their Ohio Athletic Conference season opener win against Muskingum on Sat., Dec. 3 in an impressive 102-56 victory, bringing their record to 6-0 overall.  

All season, the Blue Streaks have played with a fast-paced and aggressive playstyle with Saturday being no different. Chase Toppin ‘25 got the scoring started off with a flashy lay-up, giving John Carroll the boost they needed. From there, the team never looked back. 

Chase Toppin ’25 with his initial layup to start the scoring spree for JCU. (JCU Sports Information Department)

With 12 minutes left in the first half, Muskingum took a timeout to regroup but, by this time, John Carroll had established a 13-point lead over the Fighting Muskies. Like most games, this lead was built off of the full-court press the Blue and Gold constantly run. The Blue Streaks scored an astounding 26 points off of fast-breaks, proving how catastrophic their defense can be for opposing teams. 

As the buzzer rang signaling halftime, John Carroll had built a 59-23 lead thanks to a gritty defense and great playmaking from the team as a whole. 

Coming out of halftime, the Blue and Gold did not let up, still running their press defense. Luke Frazier ‘25 set the tone, hitting a quick three on their first possession. 

It did not matter who was out on the court for John Carroll because the pressure was constant and shots kept falling from seemingly anywhere on the floor. By the midway point of the second half, John Carroll’s lead had expanded to 87-32. 

The Blue Streaks ended up closing the game with a dominant win 102-56. 

Omar Abduhamdeh ‘25 led the scoring for JCU with 17 points as he went 5-for-5 from behind the arc. Henry Raynor ‘25 contributed 12 points to the effort as well. Every player on the Blue Streaks received playing time in the victory. 

The Blue and Gold ended the night shooting 59.7% from the field and 52.4% from the three-point line. The gritty Blue Streak defense earned a whopping 42 points off of turnovers, highlighting the intensity that comes with this team. 

John Carroll will retake the hardwood on Wed., Dec. 7, as they travel to Alliance, OH to take on rival Mount Union at 7 p.m.