JOHNSON, Vt. — The Husson University men's basketball team maintained a clean slate in North Atlantic Conference play as it defeated Vermont State University Johnson on Friday evening by a score of 75-63 inside Carter Gymnasium.
As it has done quite frequently on its road trip, Husson (14-1, 6-0 NAC) jumped out to a quick lead on Johnson (1-14, 0-5 NAC), opening up a 24-9 edge over the Badgers within the first seven minutes of action. Senior Jared Balser played a crucial role in the Eagle's fast start, tallying eight points, in addition to being active on the defensive end, as he came up with a block and a steal during the spurt.
Husson was able to carry its momentum into halftime, as a layup from graduate student Derek Collin would give the Eagles their largest lead of the half, sending them into the halftime break with a 53-33 lead.
The Eagles shot the cover off the ball in the opening 20 minutes of action, recording a 52.4% shooting percentage as a team, including a 38% clip from three-point range, while limiting Johnson to under a 35% shooting percentage.
Johnson would look to make a push in the second half, as it would get the deficit down to 11 with 13:46 to play, but it could never get the Eagle lead under double-digits, as Husson was able to fend off the Badgers and begin its road back-to-back with a win.
Senior Jeremy Moronta and junior Riles Neff paced the Eagle offensive attack, tallying 15 points each. Moronta continued to be a force on the glass for Husson, as he pulled down 13 rebounds, while both he and Neff handed out five assists.
Balser put the finishing touches on one of his best outings of the season, as he put together a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double that tied his career-high in points and set a new career best in rebounds. Balser also recorded two steals and two blocks to solidify his all-around performance. Sophomore Eric Ahlers rounded-out the double-digit scorers for the Eagles, as he recorded 11 points off the bench.
Husson managed to survive a chilly second half shooting performance to earn a win over Johnson in the first matchup between the two schools since the 2020 season. The Eagles finished the contest at just under 40% from the floor as a team in a game in which they did not trail.
It's a quick turnaround for Husson, as it will conclude its four-game conference road trip tomorrow when it takes on SUNY Canton at 1 p.m. and will look to get off to its best start in NAC play since the 2017-18 season.
