Tartans Finish Long Road Trip with a 94-81 Win

Stats 

Jan. 14 - (NEWPORT NEWS, Va.) – Carnegie Mellon’s men’s basketball team defeated host Christopher Newport University 94-81 behind three players with 20 or more points. The Tartans improve to 13-1 and drive their latest win streak to three games. Christopher Newport falls to 10-4 on the year.

Carnegie Mellon ran out to a 26-13 advantage behind 12 straight points by senior forward Nate Maurer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Linsly School) including two of his four first half three-pointers. The Tartans would go on to make seven shots from downtown in the first period, making 46.7% of their attempts.

The Tartans spread the floor and shared the rock on their way to a 49-38 halftime lead. The lead stretched to as many as 19 thanks to 46.3% shooting from the field in the first 20 minutes and hard work on the glass, out-rebounding the Captains 30-17. The Tartans used 10 offensive boards to put in 11 put-back points and totaled 13 assists for the half.

Senior forward Clayton Barlow-Wilcox (Brookline, Mass.) and company stretched their lead back to 18 points with 15 minutes left to play in the game. Barlow-Wilcox had nine points during the five-minute stretch to open the second period. The following three plus minutes showed a 7-0 run by the Tartans, ended by junior forward Greg Gonzalez’s (Southlake, Texas/Carroll) tip-in and a jumper by Maurer.

Maurer led the Tartans with 23 points, 21 in the first half, while Barlow-Wilcox and senior forward Marques Johnson (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) both put in 20 apiece. Barlow-Wilcox finished with 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. With his third rebound of the game (12:53), Barlow-Wilcox recorded his 500th career rebound.

Senior guard A.J. Straub (St. Marys, Pa./Elk County Catholic) also scored in double figures totaling 13 points and had three treys. This marks the 17th consecutive game Straub has nailed a three-point basket.

Edward Riley led four Captains in double figures with 19 points, scoring the teams last 10 points of the game. Davon Barton scored 14 points and dished out eight assists. Mark Blasingame finished as the teams leading rebounder with nine boards and also scored nine points and blocked four Carnegie Mellon shot attempts.

Carnegie Mellon will return home on Friday, January 20 for the first time since a 99-83 win against Lycoming College on December 6. The Tartans welcome University Athletic Association opponent Case Western Reserve University for a 8:00 p.m. tip.