GRANVILLE, Ohio —  The Denison men's basketball team battled for the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament title against John Carroll University on Saturday night, but a strong first half from the Blue Streaks proved too much to overcome. Denison faced a 12-point deficit at halftime and couldn't close the gap down the stretch, falling to John Carroll, 84–66.

First Half: Both teams traded baskets early, keeping the game close, until the Blue Streaks went on a 14-3 run to take control, leading 30-17 with eight minutes remaining in the first half. Denison began chipping away at the lead with a 6-0 run of points in the paint and along the line, but John Carroll responded to maintain a double-digit advantage. Nick Heath knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers in the final 1:17, cutting into the deficit, but the Big Red still trailed 46-34 at halftime.

Second Half: Denison came out of the break with momentum, using a 10–0 burst to cut the deficit to just two, 53–51. John Carroll quickly answered with a 17–2 run of its own, capitalizing on a pair of Denison turnovers that turned into extra points, including an and-one to stretch the margin. The Blue Streaks kept the pressure on, finishing the spurt with a dunk to push the lead back to 23 with 9:43 remaining. Liam Taylor answered with a 3-pointer, and the Big Red capitalized on a turnover, leading to a layup from Owen Giannoulias to put the score at 70-58 with less than 9 to play. The Denison Big Red offense went cold for a stretch, allowing John Carroll to take advantage with a 7–0 run over three minutes and extend the lead to 19 with under five minutes to play. Denison couldn't chip away at the deficit down the stretch, as the Blue Streaks secured the 84–66 victory.


Key Performers:

• Kellon Smith paced the Big Red with 14 points to go along with five rebounds, a steal, and a perfect 4-for-4 effort at the free-throw line.
• Owen Giannoulias followed with 12 points, five boards, three assists, and a steal.
• Nick Heath and Liam Taylor added 11 points apiece, with Heath securing two rebounds and a steal.
• Luke Salkowski chipped in six points, five rebounds, and two assists, anchoring the defense with three blocks.