Emory’s five-game win streak came to a sudden halt this past weekend. The Eagles dropped two critical road games, losing Friday at Brandeis University (Mass.) 59-67 before a painful defeat at the hands of New York University Sunday, 79-80. The Eagles were vying for a season sweep of the two UAA opponents after handling both Brandeis and NYU at home the week prior. However, Emory failed to reproduce those results on the road. Now 14-6 on the season and 5-4 in UAA play, the Eagles remain No. 3 in the UAA, but find themselves four games behind first-place Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) (9-0).
Traveling first to Waltham, Mass., Emory had reason to be wary of a Brandeis upset. It took a double-digit comeback and overtime just a week before for the Eagles to overcome the Brandeis Judges. With this game in Massachusetts, the Judges were sure to show up with a chip on their shoulder.
Jumping out to a 12-4 lead, the Judges delivered as expected. Senior guard Tim Reale was a big part of Brandeis’ early burst, scoring seven of the Judges’ first 10 points.
“Reale is a guy that draws a lot of fouls,” junior forward Christopher Avant said. “We have had a difficult time this year guarding the ball, but it just comes down to … being prepared to guard their personnel and knowing our assignments.”
With only six points to their name halfway through the first half, offensive woes plagued the Eagles Friday. A team that typically thrives behind the arc, shots simply weren’t falling. Emory finished the game with only nine makes on 32 attempts from three-point territory.
“We tend to fall in love with the three, and that was our biggest downfall this past weekend,” sophomore guard Gebereal Baitey said. “We didn’t make the game as easy for us as it could have been.”
Climbing back into the game in the second half, the Eagles found themselves down by one, 56-57, with less than three minutes left. However, a 10-3 Judges run to close out the game crushed Emory’s hopes, with Brandeis claiming the 67-59 victory. Brandeis junior forward Jordan Cooper led all scorers with 28 points.
Hoping for a different result Sunday in New York, the Eagles came together for a much stronger offensive performance. Junior forwards Adam Gigax and Avant, senior forward Jim Gordon and sophomore Baitey all scored in double figures, while junior guard Whit Rapp contributed an impressive 11 assists.
The New York Violets responded with strong performances of their own. Junior guard Ross Udine was outstanding, putting in 26 points for the Violets.
With the game winding down and the score tied at 77, a clutch three from senior guard Joe Timmes gave the Violets the 80-77 lead. A last second effort from three for Gordon would have won the game for the Eagles had it sunk, but it missed the mark, giving the Violets the 80-79 win.
“It looked like we were going to win it up until the last minute or so,” Baitey said. “When Timmes hit that shot it was really deflating for us.”
The grind continues this next weekend when the Eagles travel for a meeting with UAA leader Washington University in St. Louis Friday before heading to Illinois Sunday for a game against the University of Chicago.
