Owls Track Down Bloodhounds, 91-75

WESTFIELD, Mass.    – Lid Moreland scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Eric Johnson added 17 points and nine boards as Westfield State University pulled away in the second half to defeat John Jay (NY) College, 91-75 in a non-conference men's basketball game at the Woodward Center on Friday afternoon.

Westfield State improves to 10-3 on the season, while John Jay is now 8-4.

The Bloodhounds jumped out of the gate quickly, getting out to a 12-3 lead in the first 4:08 of the contest.  The Owls worked their way back into the contest, tying the game at 17 all on a drive from A.Z. Allah with 10:32 left in the half.

The Owls led 38-34 at the half.

Westfield slowly pulled ahead in the second half, leading by as many as 14 points on several occasions, the last at 70-56 after a Kobe Parker three pointer with 7:15 left in the game.

The Bloodhound gang wouldn't go away, as they used an 8-2 spurt of their own to trim the lead down to seven, 80-73 on a Syl Granda fast break layup with 3:18 left.

Westfield did enough at the foul line, making one of two on three straight trips, before Johnson knocked down a pair of free throws with 52 seconds left to boost the lead back to 11 at 87-76.

Moreland threw down a breakaway dunk late for the final margin.

Granda led John Jay with 27 points and 11 rebounds.  Keyshawn Miller scored 14 for the Bloodhounds, with TJ Chisolm dished out five assists.

The Owls finished with six players in double figures in scoring, as Parker added 13 points and five boards, Timmy Jacobus and Kenneth Rogers, Jr. each scored 11, and Allah finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. 

Westfield turned the ball over just six times (to John Jay's 14) and outrebounded the 'Hounds 49-43.

Westfield will be idle this weekend before hosting Framingham State on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the first Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game of the season.

John Jay will play at York (NY) on Jan. 8 at 7:00 p.m.