From Emory University Athletics
Junior Gebereal Baitey scored a career-high 22 points in helping the Emory men's basketball team to a Sunday afternoon win at home over Case Western Reserve. The 20th-ranked Eagles won their eighth straight contest and improved to 12-2 overall (3-0 in the University Athletic Association) following a 91-59 decision over the Spartans who slipped to 7-7 overall (1-2 UAA).
Baitey closed out the afternoon eight-of-12 from the field, including a pair of three-pointers in three tries, and converted four free throws in registering his ninth double-digit performance of the campaign. Freshman Romin Williams came off the bench to tally 18 points, hitting seven-of-14 from the floor, which included four treys, while senior Adam Gigax contributed 17 points, 15 coming on the strength of five three-point field goals.
Holding an 18-point lead to start the second half, the Eagles increased their advantage to 23 points with 16:41 left in the contest after a Gigax triple gave them a 50-27 bulge. Emory maintained a 22-point edge with 14:03 remaining following a three-point play by senior Donald Avant, but the Spartans regrouped to post a 14-4 run, highlighted by three three-pointers by Connor Nally, to draw to within 12 points with 10:43 on the clock. However, that was as close as Case would get as Emory responded with a decisive 16-2 outburst, which saw Gigax sink a pair of three-pointers and Baitey come through with a three-point play, to zoom to a 73-47 margin with 7:20 remaining. After a Case bucket, Emory scored 10 of the game's next 12 points, eight coming from Williams, to claim an 83-51 lead with 5:01 left.
Emory ended the game shooting 49.2 percent (32-65) from the floor and converted 42.9 percent (12-28) from beyond the arc. The Eagles' 12 three-pointers represented the seventh time this year that finished in double figures in that category. The Spartans shot 30 percent (18-60) from the field, an Emory opponent low on the year, and were successful on 32.3 percent (10-31) from distance. Nally topped the CWRU scoring effort with 22 points. Emory recorded a 41-37 edge in rebounding with Gigax pulling down a team-high six boards.
With Baitey and Gigax scoring 13 and eight points, respectively, over the opening 20 minutes of play, the Eagles claimed a 43-25 at the break. Baitey hit four-of-five field goals, including both his triple attempts and three free throws, while Gigax nailed a pair of treys to go along with a two free throws. A three-pointer by CWRU's Brian Dompke with 4:59 left in the stanza cut an Emory lead to five points, but that proved to be the final field goal of the frame for the visitors, as the Eagles closed out the half on a 15-2 tear. Emory started out with a 12-0 blitz, capped by a three-point play by Baitey, in taking a 40-23 advantage. After a pair of Spartan makes at the free throw line, a trey by Romin Williams with six ticks on the clock allowed Emory to take the 18-point cushion into the break. The Eagles connected on 50 percent (15-30) of its field goal attempts, including 38.5 percent (5-13) from distance, during the first half while Case Western connected on just 27.6 percent (8-29) from the floor.
NOTES – Emory is off to a 3-0 start in UAA action for the first time during Jason Zimmerman's tenure as head coach … The Eagles are 9-0 at home this year … Emory holds a 7-0 slate this season when making 10 or more three-point field goals … The Eagles are 11-0 when leading at halftime … Gigax moved into second place on the school's all-time list with 183 three-point field goals – Gigax moved ahead of Jeff Hall's (2002-06) effort of 182.