Men’s Basketball Ends Season With Setback to Stockton in ECAC Quarterfinals

(Erie, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team competed in the quarterfinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Men's Basketball Championship presented by Visit Myrtle Beach on Friday, March 3 against the Stockton University Ospreys. The Tartans dropped an 84-74 decision to Stockton at the Junker Center on the campus of Penn State Behrend who is serving as host for the tournament.

Senior Jack Serbin (New Albany, Ohio) poured in a season-best 33 points and finishes his career with 1,549 points which ranks second all-time in program history. The senior grabbed a game-best 16 rebounds to finish the season with 315, which ties the Tartans single-season record. Serbin's double-double marked his 17th this season. Senior Chris Shkil (Mentor, Ohio/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) was the only other Tartan in double figures with 12 points.

The Tartans shot 38.1% from the floor for the game, as Stockton shot 45.2% including a 51.4% effort in the second half. Stockton was led by Steve Ferebee with 16 points. Brandon Hamilton and Marcus Harmon each chipped in with 14 while Kashaun Barnes ended with 13.

Carnegie Mellon started the game shooting 7-of-9 from the floor and jumped out to a 17-11 lead six minutes into play. During the stretch, Serbin accounted for 11 points. Stockton cut the Tartans lead to 28-27 with seven minutes left in the half, but Carnegie Mellon used a 10-3 run and took its largest lead of the half, 38-30, on a layup by Shkil with 2:56 on the clock. The Ospreys then scored the last five points of the half which led to a 38-35 advantage for the Tartans at the break.

The Tartans shot 51.6% from the floor over the first twenty minutes and held Stockton to a 38.9% performance. Serbin led all scorers at half with 16 points while Shkil tabbed 10.

Early in the second half with the Tartans leading 43-38, Stockton scored six straight points to take its first lead of the contest, 44-43, with 14:49 remaining in regulation. Two minutes later, Carnegie Mellon retook the lead on a trey by freshman David Huber (Hampton, Pa./Vermont Academy) and pushed the lead to 60-54 with 9:30 to play. Over the next three-and-a-half minutes, Stockton used a 16-6 run and led 70-66 following back-to-back three-point baskets with six minutes to play. Stockton continued to hold the lead the rest of the way and went on for the 84-74 win.

The Tartans end the season with a record of 14-12 while the Ospreys move to 16-11.