Late Run by #13 WashU Stops Tartans Upset Bid at Home

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team held a three-point lead with four minutes to play but a late run by the 13th-ranked Washington University in St. Louis Bears ended the home squad's upset bid and propelled the visitors to a 80-72 win against the Tartans on Sunday, January 19. The Tartans are now 8-6 overall and 1-2 in the University Athletic Association (UAA) while the Bears move to 12-2 and 3-0.

The Tartans had four starters score in double figures Sunday, as the team shot 44.4% from the floor against the nationally ranked Bears. Senior Zach Howarth (Freehold, N.J. / St. John Vianney) led the team with 14 points while senior Trent Suddeth (Winter Park, Fla. / Trinity Prep) had his fourth straight double-double game with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Junior Ethan Miller (King of Prussia, Pa. / Upper Merion) put in 13 points with junior Daniel Weiss (Marlboro, N.J. / Marlboro) scoring 11 points. Senior Colin McNeil (Ringoes, N.J. / Hunterdon Central Regional) dished out six assists to lead all players in the category.

There were 10 ties and 12 lead changes in the game with the Bears holding a four-point lead at halftime.

The Tartans erased the deficit by scoring the first six points of the second period on three straight possessions to take a 35-33 lead. Six lead changes later, junior Joey Krempa (Linden, N.J. / Linden) drained a three-pointer, just the second of the game for the Tartans, to put the home team up 49-43 with its largest lead of the game.

The Tartans held the lead for three minutes before a layup by Payden Webb with 9:21 to go gave the Bears back the lead, 56-55, although briefly. The lead switched hands over the next few possessions before the Tartans again held the advantage until the last minute of the game when the Bears took the final lead with a three-pointer by Kameron Mack to make the score 73-71.

A quick turnover by the Tartans and a made layup and free throw by the Bears made it a four-point game with 36 seconds to go. A free throw by Krempa was the last points of the game for the Tartans, as the Bears converted 4-of-4 from the line down the stretch to keep the lead and run out the clock.

The Bears were led by Webb's 20 points off the bench while DeVaughn Rucker had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Thirteen rebounds by Jonathan Arenas helped the Bears win the rebounding battle, 39-32.

The Tartans will next travel to 3rd-ranked Emory University (12-2, 2-1) for an 8:00 p.m. contest on Friday, January 24.