Cold Second Half Keeps Tartans From Finishing Upset at #8 Emory

(ATLANTA, Ga.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team traveled to eighth-ranked Emory University for a Friday evening University Athletic Association (UAA) contest. The Eagles rallied in the second half and outshot the Tartans with eight more made baskets in the second period to win 91-72. The Tartans are now 8-7 for the season and 1-3 in the UAA while the Eagles move to 13-2 and 3-1.

Senior Trent Suddeth (Winter Park, Fla. / Trinity Prep) scored a season-high 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his fifth straight double-double. Senior Colin McNeil (Ringoes, N.J. / Hunterdon Central Regional) and junior Daniel Weiss (Marlboro, N.J. / Marlboro) each scored 10 while McNeil led the team with four assists.

Both teams shot better than 50% in the first half with the Tartans leading 51-50 at the break. The Tartans drained 7-of-13 from behind the arc while scoring eight points off four Emory turnovers. There were 16 lead changes and five ties in the first period with the Eagles leading by as many as seven with 4:39 to go. A 9-1 run for the Tartans gave the Cardinal and Gray a 46-45 lead, their seventh of the half. The teams traded hoops over the final three minutes leading to the aforementioned Tartans advantage.

The seven triples in the first half by the Tartans marked the second time this season the squad hit the value in a half.

As well as the Tartans shot in the first half, it was the opposite in the second, as the team only made seven field goals in 30 attempts. Conversely, the Eagles were strong, making 15-of-32 from the field and four from behind the arc while the Tartans missed all seven of their attempts from long range.

A 12-0 run built a 66-57 lead for the Eagles five minutes into the second half. The Tartans pulled the deficit to six points on a jumper by junior Ethan Miller (King of Prussia, Pa. / Upper Merion) but the Eagles quickly pushed it back to 11 points and later led by 15 when Matthew Schner hit a three-pointer with 6:37 to go.

Five players scored in double figures for the Eagles with Romin Williams and Matt Davet each scoring 20 points. Nick Stuck had 13 points and six assists while Schner scored 15, grabbed seven boards and dished out five assists.

The Tartans will next visit the University of Rochester on Sunday, January 26 for a 12:00 p.m. contest.