Seback Dishes Out a Career-High Eight Assists in Tartans Victory Over Brandeis

Seback Dishes Out a Career-High Eight Assists in Tartans Victory Over Brandeis

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team picked up its first University Athletic Association (UAA) win, defeating the visiting Judges of Brandeis University, 61-56, Friday, January 16. Carnegie Mellon improves to 10-3, 1-1, as Brandeis falls to 6-7, 1-1.

Two three-pointers by senior Seth Cordts (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan), and three total by Carnegie Mellon in the first five minutes of play helped the Tartans to a 13-4 advantage.  The Tartans led by as many as 11 on three different occasions in the first half and held a 33-22 edge with 4:40 to play before Brandeis scored eight straight to climb back into the contest, 33-30. In the closing minute of the first half, a triple by freshman Ryan Maha (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) pushed the Tartans lead to 36-30 heading into the break.

With the Tartans leading 44-38 following a trey by Cordts, the Judges used a 13-3 run over a span of six minutes to claim their first lead of the contest with 8:42 to play.  Carnegie Mellon answered scoring the next five points to reclaim the lead with seven minutes showing on the clock.  Four lead changes over the next five minutes ended in the Tartans favor when Cordts scored back-to-back layups to give Carnegie Mellon a 58-56 lead, one they never lost.  Down the stretch, Carnegie Mellon converted three-of-four from the charity stripe including two by sophomore Jack Serbin (New Albany, Ohio) to seal the 61-56 victory.     

For the game, the Tartans shot 45.7% from the floor compared to the Judges' 36.0%. The home team outrebounded the visitors 33-27 and the Tartan bench accounted for 21 points to Brandeis' six.

Cordts was the game's leading scorer with 19 points as he converted 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Serbin finished the game one rebound shy of his eighth double-double, as he poured in 12 points and hauled in nine rebounds.  The sophomore rejected four Judges' shots with his fourth block coming in the closing seconds with the Tartans leading by two.  Junior Jason Sebak (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Prep) dished out a career-best eight assists.

Brandeis had two score in double figures, as Jordan Cooper led the way with 17 and Robinson Vilmont had 16.

The Tartans will next play host to New York University on Sunday, January 18 at 12:00 p.m.