Men’s Basketball Second Half Run Not Enough in Loss at No. 6 Rochester

(ROCHESTER, N.Y.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team traveled to Rochester, New York to play the sixth-ranked Yellowjackets of the University of Rochester on Friday, February 17 and dropped an 82-67 University Athletic Association (UAA) contest. The loss puts the Carnegie Mellon's record 13-10 and 7-5 in UAA play while Rochester moves to 21-2 and 10-2

Carnegie Mellon controlled the glass for the 17th time this season, grabbing 41 rebounds to the Yellowjackets 34. Rochester had the hotter hand, shooting 45.3% from the floor to the Tartans 38.1%. The Yellowjackets converted 11-of-34 from behind the arc while Carnegie Mellon made 7-of-23.

Senior Jack Serbin (New Albany, Ohio) led a trio of Tartans in double figures with 18 points while shooting 7-of-7 from the foul line. Freshman Zach Howarth (Freehold, N.J./St. John Vianney) scored 15 points in the setback while senior Chris Shkil (Mentor, Ohio/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Zach Ayers led the Yellowjackets with a game-high 22 points. Mack Montague finished with 16 while Jacob Wittig and Ryan Clamage scored 14 and 11, respectively.

Carnegie Mellon scored the first five points of the contest before Rochester used a 13-3 run and led 13-8 five minutes into play. The Tartans pulled to within a point at 17-16 following a layup by Shkil, but Rochester scored the next seven points and pushed its lead to 24-16 halfway through the frame. Rochester held its lead the rest of the half and went into the locker room with a 38-28 advantage.

Rochester started the second half on a 10-4 run and extended its lead to 48-32 three minutes into play.  Carnegie Mellon answered with a 16-5 run over the next four minutes and cut the deficit to 53-48 with 12:43 to play in regulation.

A layup by Carnegie Mellon's Howarth with nine minutes to play cut the score to 61-57, but that would be as close as the Tartans came. Rochester unscored the visitor's 17-5 over the next seven minutes and went for the 82-67 victory.  

Carnegie Mellon returns to the hardwood on Sunday, February 19 with a trip to Atlanta, Georgia to play the Eagles of Emory University. Tip is set for 12:00 p.m.