From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Case Western Reserve University senior forward Cole Frilling scored a season-high 30 points and graduate student guard Danny Frauenheim added a double-double with 17 points and 11 assists to lead the 14th-ranked Spartans to a 95-91 win at Carnegie Mellon University in the regular season finale on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh.
After clinching at least a share of the UAA title and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament last weekend, the Spartans finished the job on Saturday, assuring the team sole possession of its first-ever UAA Championship. CWRU won its final nine games of the season, its longest-ever UAA winning streak, and ended the year with an 11-3 conference record. CWRU also set a new program record for wins in a season, improving to 21-3 overall to pass the mark for victories in a campaign set by last year's squad.
Carnegie Mellon's regular season ended with a 15-10 overall record, including a 7-7 mark in the UAA. Saturday's win completed the sweep of the season series for CWRU against the Tartans and was the team's fourth-straight win over Carnegie Mellon.
Frilling's 30 points were one shy of his career high, as he finished the game shooting nine-of-13 overall, including three-of-four from behind the three-point line and nine-of-11 from the free throw line. He added eight rebounds to lead all Spartans in the game.
Sophomore guard Sam Trunley finished the game with a career-high 19 points, shooting seven-of-nine overall and five-of-seven from behind the three-point line, and added six rebounds. Sophomore forward Umar Rashid also finished with 19 points and six rebounds, while blocking five shots. Frauenheim, who scored all 17 of his points in the second half, contributed with his fourth double-double of the season, including his third in conference play, and is now just five away from setting a new program single-season record.
The Spartans fell behind 6-0 early but started to heat up after the opening minutes of play, going on a 20-3 run and taking a 20-9 lead on a three-pointer by Trunley with 12:18 to play in the half. Carnegie Mellon responded with a 20-5 run of its own, taking a 29-25 lead with 5:41 to play in the period. CWRU remained behind until the 2:26 mark when Frilling tied the game with a three-pointer, and with 1:55 remaining, graduate student guard Mitch Prendergast gave the team a 40-37 lead with a three of his own. However, the Tartans scored the final six points of the half and carried a three-point lead, 45-42, into the break.
CWRU trailed by as many as nine in the second half, falling behind 54-45 with 16:04 to play, and remained behind until a layup by Frilling with 9:40 to go put the team ahead 64-63. After a Carnegie Mellon basket, Frauenheim followed with a three to give CWRU the lead back, 67-65, and the Spartans never trailed again in the game. The Spartans extended their lead to as many as 10, 81-71, on a layup by Frauenheim with 5:46 to go. The Tartans were able to get back within three points before another three from Frauenheim put CWRU ahead 87-81 with 2:16 to go in the game. Carnegie Mellon stayed close, but the Spartans were able to finish off the game for the victory.
The Spartans shot 55.4% from the floor on Saturday, including 16-of-33 (48.5%) from three-point range.