Kevin Cuff scored a game-high 23 points and added eight rebounds as the Crusaders (10-4 overall, 2-1 Commonwealth) shot 51.1 percent (23-for-45) from the field in the game while holding the Eagles (6-8 overall, 0-3 Commonwealth) to 36.7 percent (22-for-60) in the contest.
Brian Cannon led Juniata with 17 points off the bench while Kyle Opitz also came off the bench to reach double figures with 12 points, including 3-for-6 from three-point range, to go along with four assists.
Smith, who finished with eight points, had given the Crusaders a 59-56 lead with a three-pointer with 1:59 remaining, but Nick Hager answered with a three-pointer with 1:19 to play to knot the score at 59-59.
After Smith's basket, the Eagles missed on three chances to tie or take the lead, and Joel Patch hit two foul shots with 9.5 seconds to go to push the Crusader lead to 63-59. Juniata answered on a putback with two seconds left by Brent Ferko to trim the Susquehanna lead to 63-61, but a last-second heave from midcourt following an errant Crusader pass hit the ceiling and fell short.
Cuff, the reigning Commonwealth Conference Player of the Week, went 8-for-13 from the field and connected on all seven of his foul shots to reach the 20-point mark for the sixth time this season. He has scored in double figures in each of Susquehanna's 14 games this season.
Susquehanna jumped out to a 14-4 lead just 6 minutes, 11 seconds into the contest as Cuff scored the Crusaders' first nine points, but the Eagles rallied to take an 18-17 lead with 6:05 left in the first half on a basket by Dave Thompson.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Chad Cohle in the latter stages of the half helped the Crusaders to a 27-24 lead at halftime. Cuff led the Crusaders with 11 points and four rebounds in the first half, while Cannon paced the Eagles with 10 points and four boards.
Susquehanna expanded its lead to 38-32 with 14:03 to play as Brandon Andersen scored five consecutive points for the Crusaders, but the Eagles rallied with seven straight points to take a 39-38 lead with 12:45 to play on a layup by Cannon.
Juniata would lead by four points on two occasions, but the Crusaders erased both leads to leave the game tied at 48-48 with 5:57 left. Cannon nailed a three-pointer with 5:22 to go to push the Eagle advantage to 51-48, but Cuff hit two foul shots and Patch threw down a breakaway dunk to give Susquehanna the lead for good at 52-51 with 4:24 to go.
Patch finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals for the Crusaders while Andersen added five points, four rebounds and three blocked shots in his second straight start at center.
SUSQUEHANNA 63, JUNIATA 61 JUNIATA (6-8, 0-3 Comm.) Brian Cannon 8-16 0-2 17; Kyle Opitz 3-8 3-4 12; Nick Hager 3-8 0-0 8; Dave Thompson 3-6 0-0 7; Neil Holloway 2-8 2-2 6; Aaron Chamberlain 1-7 3-4 5; Chris Jasiota 1-5 2-2 4; Brent Ferko 1-2 0-0 2; Eric Mueseler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-60 10-14 61. SUSQUEHANNA (10-4, 2-1 Comm.) Kevin Cuff 8-13 7-7 23; Joel Patch 5-7 2-4 13; Zac Smith 3-5 0-1 8; Bryan Majors 3-9 0-0 6; Chad Cohle 2-3 0-2 6; Brandon Andersen 1-4 3-3 5; Todd DeNapoli 1-1 0-0 2; Brad Okonak 0-2 0-0 0; Andy Gaebel 0-1 0-0 0; Matt McDevitt 0-0 0-0 0; Sam Thomas 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-45 12-17 63. Juniata....................... 24 37 - 61 Susquehanna................... 27 36 - 63 3-point goals-Juniata 7-20 (Kyle Opitz 3-6; Nick Hager 2-6; Dave Thompson 1-2; Brian Cannon 1-3; Aaron Chamberlain 0-3), Susquehanna 5-7 (Chad Cohle 2-2; Zac Smith 2-3; Joel Patch 1-1; Andy Gaebel 0-1). Fouled out--Juniata-None, Susquehanna-None. Rebounds-Juniata 36 (Chris Jasiota 8), Susquehanna 29 (Joel Patch 8; Kevin Cuff 8). Assists-Juniata 12 (Aaron Chamberlain 4; Kyle Opitz 4), Susquehanna 14 (Joel Patch 3; Bryan Majors 3). Total fouls-Juniata 14, Susquehanna 16. A-200