Huntingdon, Pa. - The Drew University men's basketball team has punched its ticket to the Landmark Conference playoffs for the fifth year in a row after defeating Juniata College 75-67 in Saturday's conference matchup. 

Now 15-8 overall and 9-3 in the Landmark Conference, the Rangers strengthened their grip on the number two seed in the conference. With just two games remaining, Drew leads Catholic University by one game.

With the loss, the Eagles (13-10, 6-6 LC) slipped one spot to fifth in the conference standings.

The Rangers' balanced offense was on full display on Saturday, with all five starters cracking double figures in scoring. Sophomore guard Malcolm Newman led the pack with 15 points, the most important of which came with 42 seconds left when he sank a pair of free throws to end an 11-point Juniata run.

Junior forward Michael Kane added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Rangers while senior guard Miles Lewis scored 14 points, including four crucial points in the final minute.

Junior forward Howard McBurnie, Jr. also scored 14 points while senior guard David Gervase contributed 11 points.

Free throws proved to be a difference maker for Drew, as the Rangers went 14-18 on the day while the Eagles were just 7-13. 

Juniata's Chase Husted finished as the day's leading scoring with 16 points.

The Rangers raced to a 43-30 halftime lead and enjoyed their largest lead of the day at 49-32 three minutes into the second half. But Juniata rallied late, pulling to within five before Newman's two big free throws.

The Eagles nudged to within five on two more occasions, but Lewis had the answer both times, first with a jumper at the 23-second mark, then with two free throws with 16 ticks showing.

The Rangers will close out the regular season with a pair of home games, starting with a match-up with Moravian University on Wednesday at 7 p.m.