Tartans Lead Wire-to-Wire in 92-89 win Over Albion

(WOOSTER, Ohio) – On Friday, the Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team competed at the second day of the E.M. "Mose" Hole/Wooster Kiwanis Classic hosted by Wooster College and defeated Albion College 92-89.

Game Information
Carnegie Mellon 92, Albion 89
Records: Carnegie Mellon (8-3), Albion (3-8)
Location: Wooster, Ohio (Timken Gymnasium)

How it Happened

• Carnegie Mellon opened the game on an 18-1 run over the first six minutes of action. During the stretch the Tartans converted 8-of-11 from the floor while the Britons missed their first eight shots.
• With the Tartans leading 25-6, Albion scored seven straight points to make the score 25-13 with eight minutes to play in the first half.
• The Tartans responded with a 12-3 run over the next three minutes before taking a 49-28 lead into the break.
• The Cardinal and Gray converted 21-of-36 from the floor over the first twenty minutes of play to shoot 58.3% while holding the Britons to 33.3% (11-33).
• A freshman Buckley DeJardin and-one with 14:54 on the clock in the second half gave the Tartans a 60-41 advantage. Albion then used a 15-4 run over the next four minutes to cut the Cardinal and Gray's lead to single digits at 64-56.
• The Tartans lead never dipped below seven points until the final two minutes of play when the Britons connected on back-to-back triples to make the score 83-79 with 48 seconds showing on the clock.
• With 25 seconds left, a made layup by Albion's Fred Garland made the score 85-83 in favor of the Tartans.
• Carnegie Mellon went 7-of-8 from the foul line over the last 25 seconds to secure the victory.  

Tartan Stats

• Carnegie Mellon ended the contest shooting 52.4% (33-63) from the floor.
• Junior R.J. Holmes led a trio of Tartans that scored in double figures with a season-high 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting from the floor.
• Senior Nick Nakasian recorded his second straight double-double with a season-best 21 points and tied a season-high with 10 rebounds.
• Senior Josh Berry finished with 15 points and handed out six assists.

Britons Stats

• After shooting 33.3% from the floor in the first half, Albion shot 58.5% in the second and ended the game converting 35-of-74 for 47.3%.
• Ken Thomas led the Britons with 23 points while Garland finished with 14 and Khy Winston had 12.
• Thomas recorded a double-double after leading Albion with 10 rebounds.

Game Notes

• It was Nakasian's second straight double-double and his fourth of his career.
• Holmes has now scored 20 or more points and five contests this season.
• Holmes was named to the All-Tournament team.
• The Tartans outrebounded their 10th opponent this season in nine contests holding a 46-37 advantage over the Student Princes.
• The Tartans are now 3-0 this season when shooting the rock 50% or better.

Up Next

• The Tartans will open University Athletic Association play on Saturday, January 7 at Case Western Reserve University at 3:00 p.m.