Men’s Basketball Drops First UAA Contest to #8 Rochester

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team hosted the Yellowjackets of the University of Rochester on Friday, January 20 and dropped an 87-56 University Athletic Association (UAA) contest. The setback is the first for the Tartans in UAA play as they are now 9-6, 3-1 while Rochester improves to 14-1, 3-1.

Rochester turned in its best shooting performance of the year by shooting 62.5% from the floor including 52.2% from behind the arc. Carnegie Mellon finished the game shooting 33.8% from the floor. Carnegie Mellon was led by senior Jack Serbin's (New Albany, Ohio) ninth double-double of the season, as the forward finished the game with a game-high 18 points and 11 rebounds.  

The first six minutes of the game saw the score change hands twice. A jumper by senior Chris Shkil (Mentor, Ohio/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) with 14:44 on the clock gave the home team a 12-11 lead. On Rochester's ensuing possession, Michael Mangan connected on one of the Yellowjackets' 10 first half three-pointers to take a 14-12 lead, one they never lost. The visitor's pushed the lead to 33-21 before closing the last five minutes of the half on a 17-4 run, making 5-of-7 treys during the stretch, to take a 50-25 advantage into the break.

After the first twenty minutes of play, Rochester had shot 70.4% (19-27) from the floor and 66.7% (10-15) from behind the arc while Carnegie Mellon shot 29.4% and converted 2-of-12 from long range.

Carnegie Mellon used a 12-4 run to start the second half which cut the lead to 37-54, but that was as close as the Tartans pulled. Rochester scored 16 straight points late in the game and went on to the 87-56 victory.

Carnegie Mellon will host Emory University on Sunday, January 22. Tip is set for 12:00 p.m.