Emory Trips Up Tartans, 75-61

(ATLANTA, Ga.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team traveled to Emory University for a University Athletic Association (UAA) contest Friday, January 22, falling 75-61. The Tartans are now 7-8 and 0-4 while the Eagles move to 10-5, 3-1.

Junior Jack Serbin (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany) started the game 3-for-3 and gave the Tartans an early 8-5 advantage. A fastbreak dunk by junior James Ormond (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) off an assist by senior Jason Sebak (New Kensington, Pa./Kiski Prep) put the Tartans ahead 14-9 at the 11:30 mark before Emory rattled off six straight to take its first lead, 15-14, with 8:40 to go in the half.

A jumper by sophomore Ryan Maha (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) and a corner trey by senior Matt Hillman (Gaithersburg, Md./Sidwell Friends) put the Tartans back in the lead by four but the Eagles answered to retake the lead. Aside from the game being tied at 22-22 on an and-one play by senior Blake Chasen (Chevy Chase, Md./Phillips Exeter (N.H.)), the Eagles didn't relinquish the lead and held a 29-24 advantage at the half.

Both teams made 10 shots for the half but a 7-for-8 performance at the free throw line from the Eagles was advantegous for the home team.

The teams traded hoops for the first 3:30 of the second half before Emory slowly transitioned a five-point lead to a double-digit lead by the 12:47 mark.

The Tartans were able to cut the deficit to eight on a three-pointer by Chasen but the Eagles didn't let up and pushed their lead to 17 with a 12-3 run over a five-minute span.

Sebin led the Tartans in scoring with 15 points, while he grabbed 10 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season. The Tartans shot 33.8% from the floor, marking just the second time they didn't shot better than 43% for the year.

The Eagles were led by Davis Rao's 18 points and three steals.

Carnegie Mellon returns to the hardwood on Sunday, January 24 at the University of Rochester. Tip is set for noon.