WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Catholic University men's basketball team moved to the top of the Landmark Conference with a comprehensive victory over Juniata on Wednesday night.

The Cardinals (17-1, 6-1 LC) handed Juniata its first loss in Landmark Conference play in emphatic fashion, dismissing the Eagles, 82-48. Catholic jumped Juniata in the conference standings after the head-to-head victory.

Defense was the story as the Cardinals held the Eagles to just one made field goal in the first 14 minutes of the game and just five total in the first half. It took Juniata over six-and-a-half minutes to score their first points of the game, and Catholic forced Eagles' post-player and top-scorer Chase Husted to travel on three of the first four possessions of the contest.

Catholic utilized its suffocating defense to begin the game on a 22-4 run that was highlighted by a Jesse Hafemeister dunk. Tommy Kelly slithered into the lane and showed off some brilliant court-vision to spot Hafemeister cutting from the elbow, before providing the perfect bounce pass to allow the three-time Landmark Conference Athlete of the Week to flush it home.

Juniata, who entered the game 13-4 overall and a perfect 6-0 in Landmark Conference play, shot just 29.4 percent from the floor over the 40 minutes and made just one three.

Kelly produced a gem of a game for the Cardinals, shooting a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor for 18 points. He added five assists and was also effective on the defensive end of the floor, grabbing five boards and two steals.

Dan Buckley, Tommy Kelly and Hafemeister joined Kelly in double figures, posting 12, 10 and 10 points respectively.

Catholic drained 13 three-pointers and shot 48.3 percent from the floor as a team, while registering assists on more than half of the team's made baskets.

Freshman Brian Herbert and junior Declan O'Sullivan did well to defend Hustad, who was averaging 18.0 points-per-game in conference contests prior to tonight's game. Hustad did not score in the first half before finishing with 14 points.

Herbert filled up the stat-sheet, performing well in all facets of the game. The 6-5 forward finished with seven points, three rebounds, two blocks, one assist and one steal.

The Cardinals will host its Alumni Day on Saturday, when both the men's and women's teams will look to continue their momentum. The women's contest will tip off at 2 p.m. with the men's game scheduled for 4 p.m.