Tartans Drop UAA Game at Rochester, 78-62

(ROCHESTER, N.Y.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team fell on the road to the University of Rochester on Sunday, January 26 by a 78-62 score in University Athletic Association (UAA) play. The Tartans are now 8-8 overall and 1-4 in the UAA while the Yellowjackets move to 12-4 and 3-2.

The Tartans were led by Nick Nakasian's (Powell, Ohio / Olentangy Liberty) 11 points off the bench. Both senior Colin McNeil (Ringoes, N.J. / Hunterdon Central Regional) and senior Trent Suddeth (Winter Park, Fla. / Trinity Prep) finished with 10 points. Suddeth collected a team-high nine rebounds and McNeil dished out six assists and picked up four steals to tie his career best.

The Tartans jumped out to a 7-0 lead behind the first five from McNeil. The Yellowjackets took their first lead at 12-11 five minutes later and then led 17-13 after a dunk by Brian Amabilino Perez and a three-pointer by Patrick Benka.

A pair of triples by the Tartans sandwich two layups by Ryan Algier and the Tartans trailed 21-19 with 7:35 still to play in the first half. The Yellowjackets twice held a six-point advantage but a driving layup by McNeil in the closing seconds of the half pulled the Tartans two back at the break.

A 10-2 run by Rochester to open the second half gave the home team a 10-point lead. The Tartans pulled to within one point, 50-49, after a three-pointer by Ethan Miller (King of Prussia, Pa. / Upper Merion) with 10 minutes remaining.

Rochester answered with a layup and free throw by Ross Gang and continued to lead the remainder of the game, pushing it to 19 with 33 seconds remaining after three different scoring droughts by the Tartans.

The Yellowjackets were led by Kailan Lee's 18 points. Algier finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds while Amabilino Perez scored 17 points off the bench.

The Tartans remain on the road and next play against New York University at Hunter College in New York, New York, on Friday, January 31 at 8:00 p.m.