From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics
The Carnegie Mellon University men's basketball team
picked-up its first University Athletic Association (UAA) win,
defeating the visiting Judges of Brandeis University, 61-56,
Friday, January 16. Carnegie Mellon improves to 10-3, 1-1, as
Brandeis falls to 6-7, 1-1.
Two three-pointers by senior Seth
Cordts (Amherst, N.H./Souhegan), and three total by
Carnegie Mellon in the first five minutes of play helped the
Tartans to a 13-4 advantage. The Tartans led by as many as 11
three different occasions in the first half and held a 33-22 edge
with 4:40 to play before Brandeis scored eight straight to climb
back into the contest, 33-30. In the closing minute of the first
half, a triple by sophomore Jack Serbin (New
Albany, Ohio) pushed the Tartans lead to 36-30 heading into the
break.
With the Tartans leading 44-38 following a trey by Cordts,
the Judges used a 13-3 run over a span of six minutes to claim
their first lead of the contest with 8:42 to play. Carnegie
Mellon answered scoring the next five points to reclaim the lead
with seven minutes showing on the clock. Four lead changes
over the next five minutes ended in the Tartans favor when Cordts
scored back-to-back layups to give Carnegie Mellon a 58-56 lead,
one they never lost. Down the stretch, Carnegie Mellon
converted three-of-four from the charity stripe including two by
Serbin to seal the 61-56 victory.
For the game, the Tartans shot 45.7% from the floor compared
to the Judges' 36.0%. The home team outrebounded the visitors 33-27
and the Tartans bench accounted for 21 points to Brandeis'
six.
Cordts was the game's leading scorer with 19 points as he
converted 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Serbin finished the game one
rebound shy of his eighth double-double, as he poured in 12 points
and hauled in nine rebounds. The sophomore rejected four
Judges' shots with his fourth block coming in the closing seconds
on the game with the Tartans leading by two.
Junior Jason Sebak (New Kensington,
Pa./Kiski Prep) dished out a career-best eight assists.
Brandeis had two score in double figures, as Jordan Cooper
led the way with 17 and Robinson Vilmont had 16.