Hot Shooting Effort Falls Short Against #2 Rochester

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - A hot shooting performance by the Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team in which they hit a season-high 11 three-pointers fell short against University Athletic Association (UAA) rival University of Rochester on Friday night in Skibo Gymnasium. The #2 Yellowjackets used a 14-2 run to start the second half to regain the lead and went on for the nine-point, 72-63, win to remain undefeated on the season at 15-0 and 4-0 in UAA play. The Tartans now sit at 3-12 and 0-4.

The Tartans held a three-point halftime lead after shooting 50% from the field including a 7-of-12 performance from behind the arc in the first period. Junior Asad Meghani (Carrollton, Texas/Greenhill School) led the team with 11 first half points as the Tartans closed out the final four minutes with an 11-2 run behind the hand of Meghani and senior Andre Moore (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Spalding).

The Yellowjackets, who also shot lights out for the first period (58.3%), regained the advantage after two possessions in the second half with a three-pointer by Kent Coyne and a layup by John DiBartolomeo.

Junior Rob Mohen (Stamford, Conn./Regis (NYC)) tied the game at 39-39 with a layup at the 17:58 mark but a scoreless stretch of more than four minutes allowed the Yellowjackets to pad their advantage as they made 4-of-5 from the field as part of the 14-2 run to open the stanza.

A string of free throws by Mohen helped bring the Tartans within five points, 59-54, with five minutes to play in the game, but Rochester was able to at least trade points with the Tartans the rest of the way never letting the home team any closer.

Meghani, Moore and Mohen each finished in double figures with Meghani leading with 19 points. Moore tallied 15 while Mohen dropped in 13. Sophomore Seth Cordts (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) led on the boards with a career-high seven rebounds as Moore grabbed six and Mohen dished out three assists.

The Yellowjackets were led by DiBartolomeo's 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

The Tartans will continue a four-game home stand with a noon matchup against Emory University on Sunday, January 20.