Manoli Records First Career Double-Double in Tartans Setback against Skidmore

(DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team ended play at the Land of Magic Classic with an 82-70 win setback to Skidmore College, Monday, December 30 at the ICI Center on the campus of Emory-Riddle University in Daytona Beach Florida despite senior Christian Manoli's (San Rafael, Calif./Terra Linda) first career double-double.  The Tartans are now 6-3 overall as the Thoroughbreds move to 6-2.

The Thoroughbreds led the entire first half of play with the Tartans tying the score on one occasion and never trailing by double digits throughout the first twenty minutes of play.  Carnegie Mellon trailed 28-27 following a jumper by senior Rob Mohen (Stamford, Conn./Regis (NY)) with 4:30 to play in the first half, but Skidmore closed out the first frame on an 8-2 run to take a 36-29 edge at the break.

Carnegie Mellon came out of the locker room on fire scoring 12 of the first 16 points over the first three minutes of the second half to claim its first lead of the contest at 41-40.  Skidmore retook the lead for good a minute later following a pair of made foul shots by Erik Sanders.

Skidmore built its lead to as many as eight over the next six minutes, but the Tartans did not go down without a fight.  Manoli pulled the Tartans to within three at 59-56 with 9:30 to play on a made layup, but the Thoroughbreds scored eight straight points and never trailed by more than five the rest of the contest.

The Tartans shot 37.3% from the floor to the Thoroughbreds 43.5%. Carnegie Mellon dropped its first contest of the season when holding the edge on the glass.  The Tartans held the slight advantage 39-37.

Manoli led all Tartan scorers with a season-high 26 points and recorded the double-double as he grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds. Senior Rashaun Riley (Houston, Texas/Cypress Creek) ended the game scoring a season-best 19 points on 4-5 from long range while Mohen tallied 11 points and hauled in a career-high eight rebounds.
Senior Asad Meghani (Dallas, Texas/The Greenhill School) dished out a season-high five assists in the setback and freshman Chris Shkil (Mentor, Ohio/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) recorded a career-best three blocks.

The Tartans will be back in action, Saturday, January 4, as they entertain Penn State Behrend on the hardwood of Skibo Gymnasium.  Tip is set for 4:00 p.m.