From Emory University Athletics
Juniors Romin Williams and Lawrence Rowley combined for 46 points, and the Emory men's basketball team used a torrid second-half shooting attack in securing a Sunday Senior Day win over Brandeis University. The No. 9-ranked Eagles won for the seventh time in the past eight games and raised their overall record to 19-3, 9-2 in the University Athletic Association following a 93-65 decision over the Judges who fell to 15-7 overall, 7-4 in the league.
The Eagles connected on a blazing 71.4 percent (20-of-28) from the floor over the final 20 minutes of play and shot the same percentage from three-point range (10-of-14) in outscoring the Judges by a 61-28 margin. Brandeis converted just 22.9 percent (8-of-35) of its field goal attempts in the second half and was just 1-of-9 from distance.
Trailing by five points at halftime, Emory opened the first four minutes second half on a 14-0 run, keyed by going four-of-five from beyond the arc (two by Rowley and one each by Williams and Mason Johnson) while Brandeis misfired on its first eight field goal attempts. After a three-pointer by the Judges' Collin Sawyer drew the visitors to within nine with 13:01 left in the contest, a 7-0 spurt that featured baskets by Johnson and Matt Schner, followed by a triple by Matt Davet, extended Emory's lead to 65-49. A pair of foul shots by Williams pushed the Eagles to an insurmountable 21-point cushion, 78-57, with 5:08 on the clock. Emory's 61 second-half points represented the squad's third-highest point total, just behind the back-to-back 62-point stanzas against Pfeiffer (Nov. 30).
Williams racked up a game-high 26 points, closing out the contest by connecting on seven-of-15 field goals, including five treys, in logging his 20th double-figure scoring contest of the year and ninth of 20 or more points. Rowley poured in 21 points, his 17th effort of 10 or more points this season, sinking seven field goals in 14 tries, including three triples. Mason Johnson rounded out Emory's double-figure scorers with 16 points, nailing six field goals in nine opportunities which included a pair of treys.
For the game, Emory was successful on 52.5 percent (32-of-61) from the floor, including 50 percent (14-of-28) from downtown. Brandeis finished at 33.8 percent (23-of-68) of its field goal attempts, the eighth time this year that Emory held the opposition to less than 40 percent, while hitting 30.4 percent (7-of-23) from three-point range. The win boosted Emory's home record to 11-2 as it closed out the regular season portion of its contests at the Woodruff PE Center.
Prior to the contest, Emory held Senior Day festivities with the program recognizing the contributions of four-year veteran Nick Tupanjanin.
With the victory, the Eagles remain in a tie with Washington University for first place in the UAA.