McNeil Ties UAA Single-Game Assist Record with 17 in 84-71 Win at NYU

(NEW YORK, N.Y.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team traveled to the Big Apple for a University Athletic Association (UAA) contest on Friday night against the Violets of New York University. Senior Colin McNeil (Ringoes, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional) tied the UAA single-game assist record with 17, as the Tartans won 84-71. The Tartans are now 9-8 overall and 2-4 in UAA play while the Violets move to 7-10, 0-6.

McNeil's 17 assists mark a single-game school record, one he set to open the season with 13 against Allegheny. He now needs four assists to break a 43-year old record for assists in a single-season. The senior currently has 135 this season. He also needs 33 to become the program's career leader, as he has 410 for his career. McNeil also scored 10 points to recorded his third double-double, including one triple-double. The senior tabbed a career-best five steal in the win as well.

Senior Trent Suddeth (Winter Park, Fla./Trinity Prep) recorded his eighth double-double of the season with a season-high 23 points and 15 rebounds. His 15 rebounds tied a career-best. Senior Zach Howarth (Freehold, N.J./St. John Vianney) finished the game with 16 points while junior Ethan Miller (King of Prussia, Pa./Upper Merion) ended with 14 and junior Daniel Weiss (Marlboro, N.J.) scored 11. It marked the fifth time this season the Tartans had five players score in double figures and are now 4-1 when doing so.

The Tartans shot 53.4% from the floor while NYU shot 43.8%. Ethan Feldman led NYU with 24 points. Nick Macarchuck and Harrison Whatley each scored 10 for the Violets.

The first ten minutes of the game saw the seven ties and the lead change on five different occasions. The last lead change came on a triple by Suddeth from the top of the arc which made the score 22-21. The senior's trey ignited a 16-5 run by the Tartans over the next four minutes and pushed the visitor's lead to 35-26 with 6:01 to play in the half. Carnegie Mellon maintained control of the half and led 43-33 at the break. After 20 minutes of play the Tartans converted 19-of-29 from the floor for 62.1%.

Early in the second half, NYU used a 7-0 run over a three-minute span and cut the Tartans lead down to 50-46 with 14:37 to play. Later in the half, the Violets used an 8-2 run which knotted the score at 58-58 at the 9:07 mark. The Tartans then answered scoring the next 14 points over the next three minutes and led 72-58.

Carnegie Mellon returns to the court on Sunday, February 2 with a 12:00 p.m. tip at 25th-ranked Brandeis University.