Cordts’ 34 Points Lifts Tartans Past Pitt-Greensburg

(GREENSBURG, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team opened its 2014-15 season at Pitt-Greensburg with a 99-93 victory Saturday, November 15.  In the win three Tartans scored in double-figures led by senior Seth Cordts' (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan) career-high 34 points.

Carnegie Mellon trailed the entire first half until the 2:51 mark when sophomore Jack Serbin (New Albany, Ohio) drained a three-pointer in the midst of a Tartans 16-4 run that gave the visitors a 41-36 lead. The lead was one that was not held long, as the Bobcats closed the half scoring the last seven points to head into the locker room with a 43-41 edge.

Pitt-Greensburg maintained its lead to begin the second half and led by as many as eight (64-56) with 11:43 to play.  Over the next four and a half minutes, Carnegie Mellon used a 17-4 run to grab a 73-68 lead, one they never lost.  During the run, Cordts and freshman Ryan Maha (West Mifflin, Pa.) accounted for all 17 points with Cordts finishing the run with a traditional three-point play. The Tartans pushed their lead to 11 on three occasions before holding on for the 99-93 victory.   

The Tartans ended the game shooting 49.2% from the floor to the Bobcats 46.5%.  The Cardinal and Gray dominated the glass hauling down 44 rebounds to Pitt-Greensburg's 33.  Behind Cordts' 34 points, Maha finished with 20 points, including a 5-of-7 effort from behind the arc, in his first collegiate contest.  Serbin was the third Tartan to score in double figures as he ended with 13 while adding a game-high 10 rebounds for his fourth career double-double.  

The Bobcats had five players score in double figures led by Jerell Figueroa's 26.  Rocco Contristano added 14, Brian Heinle 13, Mike Connelly 12 and Marcus Thomas chipped in with 11.

Carnegie Mellon returns to the hardwood on Tuesday, November 18 when they open home play entertaining the Tornadoes of Geneva College.  Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. in Skibo Gymnasium.