Tartans Close Season with 92-83 Defeat at Case Western Reserve

(CLEVELAND, Ohio) - The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team concluded University Athletic Association (UAA) play on Saturday at Case Western Reserve University. The Tartans dropped a 92-83 contest to close out their season.

Carnegie Mellon ended the game shooting 42.3% from the floor to Case Western Reserve's 46.3%. Junior Nick Nakasian (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) led the Tartans with 23 points while sophomore R.J. Holmes (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Adlai Stevenson) finished with 22 in the setback. It marked Holmes' seventh game and Nakasian's fourth game this season of scoring 20 points or more in a contest. Nakasian finished a rebound shy of a double-double with nine to lead the Tartans. Junior Sean Oberman (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) also scored in double figures with 11 points.

Carnegie Mellon started the game making 8-of-10 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from long range. During the start, the Tartans scored 10 straight points to grab a 19-9 lead six minutes into the contest. Midway through the half, the Tartans missed five straight shots and the Spartans took advantage and scored seven straight points to cut their deficit to 27-24 with 8:34 to play in the half.

The visitors answered by scoring the next six points to push the lead to 33-24 before heading into the locker room with a 45-35 advantage. Carnegie Mellon shot 50.0% from the floor for the half and held Case Western Reserve to 34.3%.

After the Tartans took a 49-37 lead following a pair of foul shots by Holmes, the Spartans scored 11 straight points to make the score 49-48 three minutes into the second half. Carnegie Mellon answered with five straight of its own, but Case Western Reserve proceeded with 10 straight and took a 58-54 lead, the first for the home team since 18:23 of the first half, with 13:33 on the clock.

The Spartans continued to have the hot hand, as the run expanded to 24-4 and the lead extended for Case Western Reserve to 72-58 with 9:08 to play. With 1:51 to play, a made layup by Holmes made the score 83-74 Case Western Reserve and capped off a 10-2 run by the Tartans. The Spartans then connected on 9-of-10 from the foul line the rest of the way to seal the victory.

The loss ends the Tartans season at 11-13 overall and 4-10 in the UAA. The Spartans finish the regular season with a mark of 18-6 and 8-5.