From Washington University Athletics
Senior guard Kevin Kucera had a game-high 19 points and senior David Schmelter recorded his fourth-straight double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds to lead the No. 2-ranked Washington University in St. Louis men's basketball team to an 82-69 win over No. 15 Emory University Sunday at the WU Field House in St. Louis.
WashU has won 10-straight games and is 18-2 and 8-0 in the University Athletic Association (UAA), while Emory fell to 16-4, 7-2 in the UAA.
Senior forward Matt Highsmith had 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, while senior forward Andrew Sanders added 12 points and freshman guard Jack Nolan had 11.
WashU shot 57.1 percent (24-of-42) from the field and hit 29-of-42 from the free-throw line. The Bears also outrebounded Emory 42-31.
WashU led 13-8 in the opening seven minutes of play, but foul trouble haunted the Bears the rest of the half. Sanders picked up his second foul with 13:18 to play, and then senior Jake Knupp went to the bench for the rest of the half with 12:07 left.
Nolan gave the Bears a lift off the bench with a three to put WashU up 20-17. He ignited a 7-0 run with four free-throws as WashU took a 29-24 lead with 4:56 to play.
With three starters on the bench, Emory ended the half on an 11-4 run as the Eagles nailed three-consecutive threes to take a 38-37 lead to the locker room.
WashU shot 55.0 percent (11-of-20) from the field, but was hampered by 10 turnovers. Schmelter had 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Bears, while Nolan added 10.
The Bears jumped ahead 50-43 with a 10-2 run early in the second half, and then a three-pointer by Highsmith made it 53-45 with 15:12 to play. Emory cut the advantage to 56-52 that forced a WashU timeout, and the Bears responded with an 8-0 run to take a 64-52 lead. The Bears shot 59.1 percent (13-of-22) from the field in the second half.
WashU limited Emory to 8-of-34 three-point shooting, including 2-for-20 in the second half. Matt Davet led Emory with 13 points off the bench, while Whitt Rhapp added 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
WashU opens a two-game roadtrip at Brandeis University on Friday, Feb. 9. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. (ET) in Waltham, Mass.
BEAR NOTEBOOK
• WashU leads the all-time series with Emory, 49-13, and the Bears have won the last four
• Sanders has scored in double figures in 30-straight games
• WashU is 9-1 at home this season
• The Bears are 4-1 this season against ranked teams this season
• Schmelter is averaging 12.9 points and 12.2 rebounds per game in conference play
• Knupp added four steals and is second in the UAA in steals per game (1.9)
• Schmelter now leads the UAA in rebounds per game (10.7)