The Basics
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Score: Johns Hopkins-47, Muhlenberg-38
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Records: JHU (5-3, 3-1 Centennial) • Muhlenberg (2-6, 0-3 Centennial)
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Location: Allentown, PA • Memorial Hall
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How it Happened
Up 33-32 at the end of the third quarter, the Blue Jays opened the final period by scoring 13 of the first 17 points to extend the one-point lead to 10 at 46-36; Muhlenberg was never closer than seven in the final five minutes of the game.
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An
Erin Walsh layup just 43 seconds into the period jump-started the 13-4 spree for Johns Hopkins, which also got a three-pointer from freshman
Aleah Spruell and a pair of triples from classmate
Emily Howie to fuel the run. Howie's second three-pointer with 3:35 remaining gave the Blue Jays the 10-point lead that wasn't seriously challenged down the stretch.
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A tight defensive first quarter that ended with the Mules leading 7-6 gave way to a high-scoring second quarter that saw Muhlenberg outscore the Blue Jays 16-15 to grab a 23-21 lead at the half. The Mules led 18-13 before a Howie jumper and the second of Spruell's three first-half three-pointers tied the game at 18-all. A conventional three-point play by Margaux Eripret with just under a minute left in the half gave the Mules a 23-18 lead, but Spruell closed out the first half scoring with her final three of the half with 30 seconds on the clock.
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Neither team led by more than three in the third quarter, which ended with the Blue Jays nursing the one-point lead. Â Walsh's layup off an assist from Spruell then jump-started the game-deciding run for Johns Hopkins.
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What it Means
• Hopkins improves to 28-25 all-time against Muhlenberg. The Blue Jays have won three straight in the series.
• Johns Hopkins is now 3-1 in the Centennial Conference and 36-8 in league play under third-year coach
Katherine Bixby.
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Inside the Box Score
• Spruell scored a career-high 15 points and was 5-of-10 on three-pointers to lead the Blue Jays offensively. She had scored a total of 13 points in four previous appearances this season.
• Spruell's five three-pointers are the most by a Johns Hopkins player this season.
• Howie played all 40 minutes for the first time in her career and had 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• The Blue Jays held a 42-28 rebounding advantage with
Elise Moore grabbing a season-high nine in the victory.
• Sara Peretti scored a game-high 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting to lead the way for Muhlenberg. The remainder of the team was just 6-of-34 from the field, including 1-for-10 from beyond the arc.
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Up Next
• The Blue Jays will close the first half of the season on Tuesday, December 10 when they travel to Swarthmore to take on the Garnet.
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