From Emory University Athletics
The senior tandem of Davis Rao and Will Trawick combined for 36 points in leading the Emory men's basketball team to a Friday night home win over the University of Chicago. The Eagles won their fifth straight game and improved their overall record to 14-5, 7-1 in the University Athletic Association, after grinding to a 61-53 triumph over the Maroons who slipped to 14-5 overall, 5-3 in the league.
Trawick topped all players with 19 points, hitting seven-of-15 field goal attempts, including three treys in six tries, while Rao was successful on four field goals in seven opportunities, also ending the evening with three triples in six attempts. Rao also recorded his first career double-double, pacing all players with a career-high tying 10 rebounds. Sophomore Adam Gigax rounded out Emory's double-figure scorers with 10 points. The victory was Emory's eighth home win in as many outings this year.
After claiming a 28-24 halftime lead, a three pointer by Trawick boosted Emory to a 35-26 advantage four minutes into the second half. However, the Maroons countered with an 8-0 spurt that allowed them to creep to within one point. After the teams traded baskets, back-to-back triples by Gigax and junior Jonathan Terry extended the Eagles' margin to 43-36 with 8:55 on the clock. UC stayed within striking distance and cut Emory's lead to just two points with 5:19 remaining. Holding a four-point lead, Rao knocked down a big three pointer that upped the Eagle cushion to 55-48 with 3:33 on the clock. A three pointer by UC's Jordan Smith answered Rao's trey, but Emory capitalized on three UC misses from the floor, combined with a visitor turnover, scoring five straight points, the final two coming on a basket by Gigax, to take a commanding 60-51 lead with 1:02 remaining.
Both teams shot under 40 percent on the night, with Emory finishing with a 36.2 percent (21 of 58) effort while the Maroons posted a mark of 36 percent (18 of 50). The Eagles were successful on 37 percent from beyond the arc (10 of 27) compared to UC's 24 percent (6 of 25). It was the seventh time this year that Emory recorded 10 or more three pointers, raising the team's record to 6-1 in such contests.
With Rao and Trawick scoring nine and eight points, respectively, Emory enjoyed a four-point lead at the break. The Eagles led by nine points on a pair of occasions during the opening 20 minutes of play, the last time being a 21-12 count with 9:54 left following a pair of Rao charity tosses. The Maroons rattled off nine unanswered points to knot the score, but five points from freshman Beau Bommarito helped Emory close out the final 3:44 on a 7-3 run.