Hot Shooting Opitz Propels Juniata To Victory

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Juniata College senior guard Kyle Opitz (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine Richland) scored a career high 23 points behind a 5-of-8 performance from three-point range, leading the Eagle men's basketball team to an 82-58 win over Gallaudet University on Monday night in Washington, D.C.

Opitz was 6-of-10 from the field and went a perfect 6-of-6 at the free throw line in a mere 22 minutes of play, and dished out four assists.
Juniata (7-5) broke the see-saw contest wide open with an 18-4 run that began with a Brian Cannon (Fallston, Md./Fallston) jumper with 12:01 to play in the opening half, and culminated with a pair of free throws by Matt Tundel (Lewistown, Pa./Indian Valley) at the 5:50 make.

After the Bison (1-10) knocked the margin down to 11 points, 30-19, on a traditional three-point play by Gallaudet's Chi Ming Pun, Juniata surged even further ahead with an 11-0 run. The Eagles held a 43-24 at the half, shooting 42.9% from the floor while holding Gallaudet to just 32.0% shooting.

The second half was dominated by the Eagles, who shot 48.1% (13-27) from the field. The Juniata lead reached its widest at 25 points, 73-48 with 5:48 remaining in the game, after Opitz converted three-straight free throws after getting fouled by Gallaudet's Lance Gonzalez on a three-point attempt.

Cannon was the only other Eagle in double figures with 16 points. Four Gallaudet players posted double-digit scoring totals, led by Jon Mowl with 13 points. Onye Davis finished with 12 points, while Gonzalez and Pun had 10 each.

The Eagles return to action on Friday, Jan. 11, when they host Moravian College in a Landmark Conference matchup at the Kennedy Sports + Recreation Center in Huntingdon, Pa.