The Emory men’s basketball team bounced back from last week's loss against the University of Chicago, defeating Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) 83-71 on Feb. 15 and Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) 89-74 on Feb. 17.
In the win over the Case Western Reserve Spartans, sophomore forward Lawrence Rowley and senior guard Gebereal Baitey led Emory by scoring 17 points each. Additionally, sophomore guard Nick Stuck, sophomore guard Romin Williams and sophomore guard Matthew Schner each scored in double figures, leading the team to a stellar 18-5 record, 9-3 in the University Athletic Association (UAA).
Offensively, the Eagles shot a solid 46.8 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. Throughout the game, the Eagles maintained an aggressive tempo, scoring 36 points in the paint, collecting 45 rebounds and making 17 of 23 free throws. Additionally, the Eagles distributed 14 assists and scored six fast break points.
“Our team really prides ourselves on our fast-pace offense, and Coach Z does a great job of giving us the confidence to shoot and push the ball in transition,” Rowley said. “Our team has so many offensive weapons that you never know who might have a big game.”
While Case Western converted 42.9 percent from the three-point line, the Eagles limited the Spartans to only 41.3 percent from the field, 13 attempts from the charity stripe, 30 rebounds, 20 points in the paint and just two fast break points. The Eagles also forced 16 turnovers while the Spartans only dished 11 assists.
After the win over Case Western, the Eagles snagged an 89-74 win over the Carnegie Mellon Tartans, improving their record to 19-5, 10-3 in the UAA.
During the game, many Eagles had impressive outings, including sophomore forward Matt Davet, who led the Eagles in scoring with 23 points off the bench. Additionally, Schner impacted the game on both ends, recording 12 points, 12 rebounds and three steals.
Although the Eagles only shot 28.6 percent from the three-point line, they still managed to demonstrate tremendous offensive performance. Emory shot 50.7 percent from the field, converted 50 points in the paint, scored 23 second-chance points, dished 14 assists and retrieved 43 rebounds.
While the Tartans shot a respectable 49.1 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from beyond the arc, the Eagles held the Tartans to just 26 rebounds, 12 assists and only 57 shot attempts compared to their own 69. Carnegie Mellon also committed 14 turnovers that the Eagles were able to capitalize ons, scoring 17 points off turnovers.
After the win, the Eagles returned to Emory to prepare for the final game of the regular season.
“Coming off a big weekend, we’re looking to take this momentum into the conference championship game this upcoming Saturday,” Rowley said.
The Eagles host the University of Rochester (N.Y.) on Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. If Emory wins, they will win the UAA Conference Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament.
