Tartans Comeback Falls Short at Emory

Tartans Comeback Falls Short at Emory

(ATLANTA, Ga.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team nearly pulled off another road win in the University Athletic Association (UAA) but a third-quarter burst by Emory University created enough of a gap the Tartans could only come to within three at the end before falling 56-51. The Tartans are now 10-6 overall and 1-4 in the UAA while the Eagles improve to 11-5 and 2-3.

Freshman Caitlyn Clendenin (Bethesda, Md. / Bethesda Chevy Chase) led the Tartans with 14 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Junior Makayla Filiere (Chandler, Ariz. / Hamilton) scored 12 while junior Katie Higgins (Montclair, N.J. / Montclair) put in 10 points for the Tartans. Senior Jenn Mayberger (Chesterfield, Mo. / Cor Jesu Academy) recorded four steals while junior Megan Jaeb (San Jose, Calif. / Presentation) had a season-high eight points off the bench. 

Trailing 16-12 going into the second quarter, the Tartans made the first bucket one minute and 25 seconds in while Emory's first score came via a three-pointer by Erin Lindahl after more than three minutes ticked off the clock. The Tartans took their first lead of the game on a jumper outside the paint by Clendenin with 3:31 to go, making the score 20-19. Clendenin's shot was part of an 8-0 run by the Tartans that closed on a layup by Jaeb a minute later.

Emory ended up scoring the final four points of the half and led 26-24 at the break. Jaeb led the Tartans with eight points, making all four of her attempts from the floor.

Clendenin tied the game at 26-all on the Tartans first possession of the second half and again knotted the score at 28 before Emory went on a 14-1 run that spanned five minutes of action. Freshman Emily Archer (Chatham, N.J. / Oak Knoll) stopped the run with a driving layup a minute later. Freshman Leah Weslock (Howell, Mich. / Howell) hit the first triple of the game for the Tartans with 40 seconds to go in the third and the Tartans trailed 46-35 at the final break.

Emory opened the fourth quarter with two from distance to increase the lead to 17 points, 52-35, a minute in. An 8-0 run made it a nine-point deficit with 4:03 to play before a three-point play by Higgins and two free throws by Filiere made it a six-point game with just less than two minutes to play.

After an Emory turnover, Higgins drained a triple from the top of the key to make it a one possession game with 49 seconds left. Emory was able to convert a layup late in the shot clock on the other end and the score would stay 56-51 after the Tartans couldn't find their shot in the final seconds.

Emory was led by junior Allison Chernow's 16 points while senior Ashley Oldshue scored 10 in the post.

The Tartans will remain on the road next week when they visit Washington University in St. Louis (11-5, 5-0) on Friday, January 25 at 6:00 p.m.