Tartans Drop Back-and-Forth Contest to No. 16 Chicago

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team hosted 16th-ranked University of Chicago in a University Athletic Association (UAA) contest Friday, January 15, falling late, 70-68. The Tartans are now 7-6 on the season and 0-2 in the UAA while the Maroons move to 11-2 and 2-0.

The Tartans led by seven, 24-17, with 7:54 to play in the first half behind nine points from junior Jack Serbin (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany). The Maroons then rattled off six straight and the teams traded baskets the remainder of the half to see the Tartans hold a one-point, 33-32, lead at the break.

Serbin posted a double-double at the break with 12 points and 10 rebounds while senior Jason Sebak (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Prep) had five assists. The Tartans shot 43.3% from the field to the Maroons' 28.1% but the Maroons converted 13-of-15 free throws to stay in the game.

The Maroons took their first lead of the game, 36-35, at 16:33 of the second half on a Nate Brooks follow-up dunk and held their largest lead of six points two minutes later.

Sophomore Ryan Maha (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) led a Carnegie Mellon comeback with six of the next eight points by the Tartans and tied the game at 45-45 with 12:03 to play.

The Tartans briefly took a one-point lead on their next possession when junior James Ormond (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) made one of two free throws but didn't see the lead again until back-to-back layups by junior Chris Shkil (Mentor, Ohio/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) put the Tartans up 63-61 with 4:18 to play.

A seven-point Maroon run gave the visitors a 68-63 lead before Maha drained a three-pointer with 1:32 to go to pull the Tartans within two points.

The Maroons were able to hold onto the lead with free throws down the stretch and finished with a two-point, 70-68, win. Free throws were the story as the Maroons made more (19) than the Tartans attempted (16).

Serbin finished with a game-high 18 points to go with his 14 rebounds while Maha tallied 14 points with 12 coming in the second half. Shkil recorded five blocks with his 10 points and nine rebounds.

The Tartans will next host Washington University on Sunday, January 17 at 11:00 a.m.