Tartans Hold Court, Top Rochester, 70-68

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team won its second University Athletic Association (UAA) game of the season after topping the University of Rochester, 70-68, at home Sunday afternoon. The Tartans improve to 2-9 in the UAA and 6-16 overall, while the Yellowjackets move to 14-8 and 5-6.

The game went down to the final second when Ryan Clamage put up a three-pointer for Rochester as time expired. The shot went in but was later waved off after review of the play by the officials proved the shot was released after the buzzer.

Rochester erased a 13-point deficit in the second half to take a two-point lead with 2:11 to play on two free throws by Andrew Lundstrom. The lead was short lived as sophomore Colin McNeil (Ringoes, N.J. / Hunterdon Central Regional) converted a layup on the next possession.

Sophomore Zach Howarth (Freehold, N.J. / St. John Vianney) was fouled after grabbing a defensive rebound and gave the Tartans back the lead, 70-68, with two free throws and 1:30 showing on the clock.

The scored stayed put over the final 1:30 as both teams missed front ends of a one-and-one and the game-winning attempt at the buzzer was waved off.

The Tartans built their 13-point lead in the second half with a 13-2 run that began with a jumper and three-pointer by senior Ryan Maha (West Mifflin, Pa. / West Mifflin). Twice during the run the Tartans converted three-point plays by junior Patrick Ehland (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) and McNeil.

Howarth led the Tartans with 19 points while McNeil finished with 13, Ehland 11, and Maha 10. The Tartans made 12-of-13 free throws for the game and out-rebounded the Yellowjackets, 38-33. Junior Seth Henry (Fulton, Md. / Reservoir) led the team with nine rebounds.Carnegie Mellon also forced Rochester into 17 turnovers while scoring 15 points off them.

The Tartans will next play on the road Friday, February 16 at the University of Chicago at 8:00 p.m.