Men’s Basketball Drops 81-67 Road Contest at Brandeis

(WALTHAM, Mass.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team dropped an 81-67 decision at Brandeis University in University Athletic Association (UAA) on Sunday, January 31. Carnegie Mellon is now 8-10, 1-6, as Brandeis moves to 9-9, 3-4.

The first eight minutes of play saw six lead changes before the Tartans rattled off eight straight points to claim a 19-13 lead with 10:24 to play in the first half.  Freshman Patrick Ehland (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) scored the Tartans' first five points and then junior Jack Serbin (New Albany, Ohio) drained a three-pointer.

Carnegie Mellon continued to hold the lead with the visitors taking their largest lead, 28-21, when junior James Ormond (Piedmont, Calif.) hit a long ball from the top of the arc with 4:36 to play in the half.  Brandeis later closed the first 20 minutes of play on a 6-0 scamper to lead 36-35 at the break.  In the closing seconds of the half Carlin Haymon drove the middle of the lane and pulled up for the go ahead score on a jumper.

Brandeis took advantage of the Tartans 10 first half mishaps turning them into 11 points while Carnegie Mellon forced just two Judges' turnovers and were unable to convert either into points.

The Judges' 6-0 run turned into a 17-2 scamper, as the home team scored 11 of the first 13 points of the second half to take a 47-37 four minutes into play.  Carnegie Mellon cut the deficit to 52-47 when Serbin had a put back layup, but Brandeis scored the next 18 points and extended its lead back to double figures and led by as many as 23 (72-49) with seven minutes to play.

Carnegie Mellon didn't go away, as they scored 10 straight to pull within 13 at 72-59 with four minutes to play.  That would be the close as the Tartans came, as Brandeis went on for the 81-67 victory.

Carnegie Mellon finished shooting 36.5% from the floor while the Judges shot 57.1% including 77.3% (17-of-22) in the second half. The Tartans held the edge on the glass for the 12th time this season, 35-23.

Serbin was perfect from the charity strip making all nine of his attempts.  The junior finished with a game a team-high 19 points.  Ehland finished with 13 points and Ormond tabbed a career-high 11 in the setback.  Serbin led all players with 10 rebounds to record his 11th double-double of the season.

Jordan Cooper led the Judges with a career-high 35 points.  Robinson Vilmont added 10 for Brandeis.

Carnegie Mellon returns home to play New York University on Friday, February 5 with tip set for 8:00 p.m. on the hardwood of Skibo Gymnasium.