Back and Forth Game Ends with Tartan Loss to #6 NYU

(PITTSBURGH Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team opened its University Athletic Association (UAA) home schedule with a game against the sixth-ranked New York University Violets. The teams traded the lead eight times before NYU pulled away with a 96-90 victory that left the Tartans 10-5 overall and 1-3 in UAA play while NYU jumps to 14-1 overall and 3-1 in UAA play.

How It Happened

• NYU started the game on a 5-0 run in the first two minutes that extended to 11-5 at the 15:35 mark with former Tartan Jack Stone scoring seven of the team's points.
• Junior Justin Allen scored his eighth point of the half on the third of three free throws to pull the Tartans within two at 23-21.
• The Tartans tied it up with 4:44 left in the half after going on a 16-8 scoring spree.
• The first lead change of the game happened with 2:22 left when sophomore Isaac Higgs drained a triple to make it 45-42.
• Graduate student R.J. Holmes had two dunks in the final two minutes including a half-ending slam at the buzzer that followed his own block of three-point attempt by Tristan How, and the Tartans led 52-47 at the break.
• Senior Nolan Casey hit a jumper to start the second half for the Tartans but the Violets answered with an 8-0 run to retake the lead, 55-54.
• The Violets pushed their lead to five points and held the advantage until 10:02 to play when senior Aidan Murphy connected on a three-pointer off an assist from Casey, making the score 69-67.
• The tight game saw three more lead changes with the Violets taking the final lead at 76-75 with 5:22 to go. Stone had eight straight points to push his team's lead to seven points.
• As the Tartans tried to climb back in the game over the final four minutes, the Violets kept their lead by converting 9-of-12 from the free throw line.

Tartan Stats

• The Tartans shot 50% (32-64) from the field and 37.9% (11-29) from behind the arc with just three made from long range in the second half.
• Allen led the team's offense with 28 points, followed by Holmes with 22.
• Holmes grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists while Casey grabbed six rebounds.
• Murphy finished with 13 points while junior Buckley DeJardin closed with 11 points.

Violets Stats

• NYU shot 30 of 63 (47.6%) from the field, 12 of 28 (42.9%) from behind the arc and 24 of 30 (80.0%) from the free throw line. They made six three-pointers in each half.
• Stone led five players in double figures with 27 points, making 10-of-13 from the free throw line with seven field goals and three three-pointers.
• How tallied 24 points and 13 rebounds while Zay Freeney had 14 points.

Up Next

The Tartans will continue UAA play against Brandeis University on Sunday, January 26. Tip off will be at 2:00 p.m.